Modern Foreign Languages

French

Why learn French?

One good reason to learn French is because it is a giant among international languages. There are over 120 million people who speak French fluently, either as a native or adopted language and who use it on a regular basis.

It is the 11th most common first language in the world, with 77 million first language speakers and another 51 million second language speakers and is, after English, the second most commonly-taught second language in the world.

Where is French spoken?

There are many French-speaking-countries – French is the major or an official language in over 30 countries, second only to English.

French, with English, is the only language spoken as a native language on 5 continents and the only language taught in every country in the world.

Within Europe, as well as being the main language of France, it is one of two or more official languages in Belgium, the Channel Islands (Guernsey and Jersey) and Switzerland. In many countries, French plays an important role, either as an administrative, commercial, or international language or simply due to there being a significant French-speaking population. It is also one of the official working languages in dozens of international organizations.

French at Key Stage 3

French at Sheffield High School is taught in a lively and engaging way and we are sure you will enjoy learning the language with us. Some pupils come into the school having learnt French in their Junior Schools but if you haven’t done any French before, don’t worry: you will be in a beginners’ group and you will soon catch up.

We use a book called Tricolore. It is colourful and bright and also well designed and it takes you through all the topics and language that you will need to cover before deciding whether or not to take French for GCSE. In class we do all sorts of things to make the lessons interesting and exciting. We sing songs, do mini role plays and we have fun learning about France and things French through our French assistant, Marie-Pierre, who comes into lessons to work with the teachers.

Every second year we go with Year 8 students on a short visit to France. This gives you a chance to see something of France and the French way of life, and, of course, to use and improve your French.

French for GCSE

The content of the GCSE course has some topics which will already be familiar to you by then, such as school, free time and holidays. The emphasis at this stage is on developing your ability to use your language effectively for practical communication in situations you are likely to encounter when abroad or when meeting foreign visitors to this country.

We also give you an insight into the culture of French-speaking countries. Assessment is by examination in which the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing are of equal importance. There is written coursework instead of a writing examination.

French at AS and A-level

The AS course builds on the skills required for GCSE and you develop your abilities in listening, speaking, reading and writing for the purposes of practical, everyday communication and you broaden your knowledge of the grammar.

Students follow the Edexcel Examining Board syllabus for both AS and A-level French. We begin by revisiting topics such as the family, food, education and travel – topics you are familiar with from GCSE, before moving on to more advanced topics. In the Spring Term, we spend some time preparing for the Speaking Test topic.

We continue with our lively approach with role plays, discussions, debates, presentations, plays and songs to make language learning fun as well as thorough. There is a weekly lesson in our Language Laboratory and students enjoy the increased contact that they have with our language assistant at this level.

For A2, students continue with further language topics and they also take up an in-depth study. Time is also spent consolidating translation and essay-writing skills. We continue with weekly classes in the Language Laboratory and with our French assistant which is an excellent way of practising speaking and listening skills. The School’s multimedia suite is also available to Sixth Form students for self-study during some lessons and for self-access listening practice, either before or after the school day or during the lunch break.

We encourage you to travel as widely as possible and the School organises work experience programmes for those who are interested. Students thus have the opportunity to work in and discover another country and practise their language skills at first hand.

We offer a visit to Paris every other February half term. This trip is offered exclusively to Sixth Form French students and enables them to enjoy the cultural and linguistic opportunities of this diverse and beautiful city. Visits can often fit in with students’ choices of oral topics. We have visited art galleries and museums, climbed the Eiffel Tower, been to a fashion show and even met Jennifer Aniston promoting one of her films, though that was not something we could have planned!

We also organise trips to the Showroom Cinema in Sheffield to see varied French films, and trips to Sheffield University Theatre when there are relevant plays. Occasional lunchtimes spent drinking coffee as a group in a French bistro near school also help to enhance the linguistic experience.