In S1-S2, pupils have 2 periods of French per week on their timetable. Additionally they have 2 lessons of Spanish for 5 weeks in S1 as an introduction to Spanish and in S2 they have 2 lessons for 6 weeks where they consolidate their learning. In both languages, they study a range of topics, which ensure that they are practising the skill areas of Reading, Listening and Talking and Writing. Pupils are encouraged to participate fully in lessons through group work, projects and interactive presentations.

The department subscribes to the Linguascope, Atantot, and Atantot Extra websites, which pupils can access at home with the username and password given to them in school. There are many useful interactive exercises on these sites, which will enhance the work done in school.

In S1, the topic areas are:

  • Topic 1: Personal information and family
  • Topic 2: Classroom objects
  • Topic 3: Pets, colours
  • Topic 4: House, places in town and directions
  • Topic 5: School subjects

In S2, topic areas are covered in more depth:

  • Topic 1: Family, jobs, weather
  • Topic 2: leisure activities and frequency
  • Topic 3: Clothes
  • Topic 4: Food, eating out and healthy eating
  • Topic 5: Travel and holiday

In S3, all students will work towards the Life and Work Award in French or Spanish level 3 or 4, to study a modern language in practical and relevant contexts for life and work, and identify, develop and demonstrate employability skills

The Award aims to enable learners to:

  • develop talking and listening skills in a modern language in the contexts of life and work
  • develop knowledge of a modern language in the contexts of life and work
  • develop employability skills

Three Units together comprise the Award:

– Building Own Employability Skills (BOES)

            – French or Spanish for Work Purposes (MLWP)

            – French or Spanish for Life (MLL)

Websites – S1-S3

Homework

At all levels, Pupils will be expected to:

  • Revise vocabulary regularly
  • Occasionally complete some project work
  • Finish work started in class
  • Do reading or writing tasks at home

Senior Phase French

Curriculum for Excellence Courses

National 4 course French: The Course provides learners with the opportunity to develop their reading, listening, talking and writing skills in order to understand and use a modern language. This Course is made up of three mandatory Units which taken together, include the four language skills of reading, listening and talking, and writing.

The structure of the Units enables learners to focus on the skills required to understand and use a modern language

and to integrate reading, listening, talking and writing skills across the Units. Each Unit also offers opportunities for learners to focus on particular skills. The three units are:

Modern Languages: Understanding Language

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop reading and listening skills in the

modern language and to develop their knowledge of straightforward language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.

Modern Languages: Using Language

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop talking and writing skills in the modern language, and to develop their knowledge of straightforward language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.

Added Value Unit: Modern Languages: Assignment

The purpose of this Added Value Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to apply their language skills to investigate a chosen topic in a familiar context in the modern language.

Topics in National 4 French are taught across four contexts:

  • Context 1: Society
  • Context 2: Learning
  • Context 3: Employability
  • Context 4: Culture
Assessment

Pupils will be assessed in the following ways:

Internal Assessment: All assessment at Nat4 is internal on a Pass/Fail basis for each unit. The added value unit is assessed on a Pass/Fail basis – no mark/grade is applied.

External Assessment: There is NO external assessment – no final exam.

National 5 French

The Course provides learners with the opportunity to develop their reading, listening, talking and writing skills in order to understand and use a modern language. This Course is made up of three mandatory Units which taken together, include the four language skills of reading, listening and talking, and writing.

The structure of the Units enables learners to focus on the skills required to understand and use a modern language, and to integrate reading, listening, talking and writing skills across the Units. Each Unit also offers opportunities for learners to focus on particular skills. The three units are:

Modern Languages: Understanding Language

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop reading and listening skills in the modern language and to develop their knowledge of straightforward language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.

Modern Languages: Using Language

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop talking and writing skills in the modern language, and to develop their knowledge of straightforward language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.

Topics in National 5 French are taught across four contexts:

  • Context 1: Society
  • Context 2: Learning
  • Context 3: Employability
  • Context 4: Culture

 Assessment

Pupils will be assessed in the following ways:

 Internal Assessment

  • Assignment writing
  • Oral presentation and conversation

External Assessment

  • The Reading & Writing exam and the Listening exam take place during the SQA exam diet in May.

The four skill areas carry equal weighting; 25% per skill.

Additional Useful websites – National 4 and 5

Higher French – Course Content
The Course provides learners with the opportunity to develop their reading, listening, talking and writing skills in order to understand and use a modern language. This Course is made up of two mandatory Units which taken together, include the four language skills of reading, listening and talking, and writing.

The structure of the Units enables learners to focus on the skills required to understand and use a modern language, and to integrate reading, listening, talking and writing skills across the Units. Each Unit also offers opportunities for learners to focus on particular skills. The three units are:

Modern Languages: Understanding Language

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop reading and listening skills in the modern language and to develop their knowledge of straightforward language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.

Modern Languages: Using Language

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop talking and writing skills in the modern language, and to develop their knowledge of straightforward language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.

Course assessment

In the Higher Modern Languages Course, added value will focus on challenge and application. Learners will provide evidence of their listening and talking, reading and writing skills, and their ability to understand and use a modern language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture. The Course will be assessed as follows:

  •  A performance through which learners will demonstrate their talking skills.
  • Two question papers through which learners will demonstrate their listening, reading and writing skills.

For full details of the Higher Course Assessment – see the official SQA documentation. 

Useful websites S5 – S6