Why French?
The study of French in the Sixth Form at the Abbey aims to encourage positive attitudes to foreign language learning and to further intellectual and personal development by promoting learning and communication skills. It is generally accepted that fluency in a language other than one’s own is a tremendous asset in modern society from both a social and a professional point of view; what better reason therefore for learning French, one of the official European languages? In addition to being intellectually stimulating, every effort is made to make French fun. Students are encouraged to participate in trips to France, to watch French films, to listen to French radio, to read French newspapers and magazines, and to use the many opportunities provided by the internet to extend their knowledge of France and things French.
Course Overview
The AS Level covers Media, Popular culture, Healthy living/lifestyles and Family/relationships. The A2 course covers the topics of Environment, The multi-cultural society; Contemporary social issues and the study of a novelist/dramatist/poet from a target language-speaking country.
Assessment
Assessment is by means of written and oral examinations at both AS and A2 Level. These assess listening, reading, writing and speaking.
Beyond A Level
In addition to those who continue to study French at University, many students choose to combine their language proficiency with a further skill and use their French to complement their studies of business, the law, technology etc. Prestigious law and accountancy firms are often looking for young professionals with good language skills to staff their offices in Paris, Brussels etc. A recent article in The Times lamented the loss of millions of pounds in exports attributed primarily to the shortage of foreign language speaking staff.