What is KS5 MFL about?

For more information: http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels.html

Teachers

Head of Department: Mrs C Gillies

Teaching Staff:  Italian – Mrs Gillies and Miss Philipovszky

                             French – Mr Aquino and Mrs Gillies   

Why choose this course?

The Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced level (A2) French/Italian GCE specification rewards French/Italian language skills and knowledge through student-focused assessment. Advanced reading and research skills are developed and rewarded and the importance of the culture of the country studied is acknowledged. With appealing content and opportunities to gain greater understanding of other cultures, it can prepare students to become well-informed and effective communicators. They develop well-informed opinions of contemporary society, cultural background and heritage of French/Italian speaking countries and communities.

During the course, you will develop an understanding of French/Italian in a variety of contexts and genres, learn to communicate confidently, clearly and effectively for a range of purposes. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to express facts and idea and present explanations, opinions and information

French and Italian At AS and A-Level

Unit 1: Spoken Expression and Response in French/ Italian  - 30% of the total AS marks/15% of the total GCE marks

Externally assessed

Availability: April/May

Content summary:

This unit rewards students for their ability to converse in French/Italian on a general topic area that they have chosen in advance. Students will need to demonstrate that they can engage in a discussion in French/Italian that relates to a chosen general topic area and allied subtopics.

Students will be expected to give relevant and appropriate information, convey opinions,  interact and respond to a range of questions. They must choose one of the following general topic areas:

• Youth culture and concerns
• Lifestyle: health and fitness
• The world around us: travel, tourism, environmental issues and the Italian/French-speaking world
• Education and employment.

Assessment:

8-10 minute assessment in two sections.

Section A requires students to respond to four Edexcel-set questions on a stimulus related to the student’s chosen general topic area.

Section B requires the teacher to engage the student in a discussion that, although still relating to the same general topic area and its linked subtopics, moves away from the main focus of the stimulus.

We record the full assessment of all students and send them to Edexcel to be marked.

Unit 2: Understanding and Written Response in French/Italian -   70% of the total AS marks / 35% of the total GCE marks

Externally assessed: May/June

Content summary:

This unit requires students to understand and convey their understanding of French/Italian language texts and recordings. In addition, students will need to produce an essay to demonstrate an ability to manipulate the French/Italian language in continuous writing.

Students will be expected to recognise and use the Italian/French language in a variety of contexts and in relation to a prescribed range of general topic areas.

The unit draws upon four general topic areas:

• Youth culture and concerns
• Lifestyle: health and fitness
• The world around us: travel, tourism, environmental issues
• Education and employment.

Assessment:

2 hour 30 minute paper in three sections.

Section A requires students to listen to a range of authentic recorded Italian/French-language  material and to retrieve and convey information given in the recording by responding to a range of Italian/French-language questions.

Section B requires students to read authentic Italian/French-language printed materials and  to retrieve and convey information by responding to a range of mainly Italian/ French-language  test types.

Section C requires students to write 200-220 words in the form of a letter, report or article in Italian/French based on a short printed Italian/French-language stimulus.

All students for this unit will be assessed by Edexcel.

A2 Unit 3: Understanding and Spoken Response in French/Italian =  35% of the total A2 marks 17.5% of the total GCE marks

Externally assessed

Availability: April/May

35%

Content summary:

This unit requires students to demonstrate the effectiveness of their language

skills by presenting and taking a clear stance on any issue of their choice. They will be expected to interact effectively with the teacher/examiner, defend their views and sustain discussion as the teacher/examiner moves the conversation away from their chosen issue.

They will be expected to use the language of debate and argument to discuss the issue and will also be assessed for understanding as well as communication and quality of spoken language.

Assessment:

11-13 minute assessment

Students first outline their chosen issue for about one minute, adopting a definite stance towards the issue. They should then defend and justify their opinions for up to four minutes. The teacher/examiner will then initiate a spontaneous discussion in which a minimum of two further unpredictable areas of discussion will be covered.

We will record the full assessment of all students.

All students for this unit will be assessed by Edexcel.

A2 Unit 4: Research, Understanding and Written Response in French /Italian 65% of the total A2 marks 32.5% of the total GCE marks

Externally assessed

Availability: June

Content summary:

This unit requires students to demonstrate skills in advanced-level French/Italian writing (discursive or creative essay) and translation from English into French/Italian. The unit also requires students to demonstrate evidence of independent, advanced-level French/Italian language

reading and research of a chosen text, play, film or topic area that links to

the culture and/or society of a French/Italian-speaking country, countries or community. The content of this unit will be linked to the following general topic areas:

• Youth culture and concerns
• Lifestyle: health and fitness
• The world around us: travel, tourism, environmental issues and the French-/Italian speaking world
• Education and employment
• Customs, traditions, beliefs and religions
• National and international events: past, present and future
• Literature and the arts.

Assessment:

2 hour 30 minute paper in three sections.

Section A: A short written translation exercise to test students’ ability to transfer meaning from English into French/Italian effectively.

Section B: A French/Italian language essay in response to one from a choice of seven questions, linked to the prescribed general topic areas, that invite either discursive or creative writing.

Section C: A research-based essay in French/Italian (240-270 words) to reward students for French/ Italian language research skills linked to an area of interest to the student that relates to the culture and/or society of a French/Italian language country, countries or community. They have freedom to determine the content of their research (potentially in negotiation with their teacher) but it must relate to the four research-based essay topic areas for this unit.

• Geographical area
• Historical study
• Aspects of modern society
• Literature and the arts (eg text, play or film).

A question will be set for each of these four areas of research.

All students for this unit will be assessed by Edexcel.

Students are not permitted to take any books, dictionaries or texts into the examination room.

What might the subject lead on to?

Progression

This qualification supports progression into further and higher education, training or employment. It provides a suitable foundation for specialist linguists wishing to study French/Italian at a higher level, those wishing to combine language study with other disciplines at higher level, and those considering other qualifications without a language focus.