French

Here is a comprehensive overview of what you will cover if you select French as a subject

Grade 8

• To generate interest in the subject and French culture
• Focus on pronunciation and oral communication through extensive drilling
• Introduce some basic grammar concepts
• Cover themes to acquire vocabulary

Grade 9

• Focus on pronunciation and oral communication through extensive drilling and role play exercises
• Add onto some basic grammar concepts learnt in grade 8
• Cover more themes to acquire further vocabulary. Themes are chosen so that if the pupil were not to continue with French, that he should still be able to “get by” in a range of basic situations he might find himself in if he were in a French-speaking country.

Grade 10

• To communicate in basic French during class and continue to insist on correct pronunciation. 
• Regular role play practice
• Introduction of some of the basic tenses used in French and lots of practice of verbs in order to consolidate the newly acquired grammar.
• A development of further general, useful themes.

Grade 11

• To encourage self –expression (written and oral) in French
• Development of grammatical knowledge to include all the basic tenses necessary at matric level
• Introduction of French poetry and a set work in order to develop a comprehension and appreciation for basic French culture and literature. 
• Exposure to French media (film studies, song lyrics, magazines etc.)
• To study and use  more detailed vocabulary, regarding various themes chosen
• To recognise and become acquainted with the various forms of questions which will be asked in the final matric examinations.

Matric

• To communicate solely in French at all times
• To prepare various oral articles, conversation topics, role play scenarios and listening exercises in order to be prepared for the external oral moderation
• To practise past examination papers on a weekly basis, to study recurring grammar issues and address these
• To develop a mature, coherent style of writing which is structured in the manner required by the IEB
• To study the set poetry and short story which are required for the IEB final examination requirements.
• To practise a number of past papers in order to be confident and well-prepared to do one’s best in the final examinations.
• To prepare numerous portfolio pieces under controlled conditions in order to be able to select the 10 best which can be submitted as the learner’s portfolio.
• To become acquainted with French news websites and watch news flashes on a daily basis.

General

• Create greater awareness and interest of French culture through the French cultural evening, French breakfast, film shows, notice boards, Open day etc
• To expose our pupils to and to give them the opportunity to write  the external International French examinations called DELF
• To introduce pupils to the French speaking community, including the Alliance Française and pupils at other schools which offer French as well as the multiple resources available online.

Grade 8

Language

• Articles ( definite, indefinite, possessive)
• Verbs –   irregular : être, avoir
• regular : -er verbs

• agreement of adjectives
• negative & questions
• plurals
• pronouns

Vocabulary

• Formal and informal greetings

• Numbers (1 – 100) & colours
• Prepositions & Countries

Skills

• Use the French alphabet
• Introduce oneself and give basic personal information
• Correct pronunciation
• correct use of « tu » and « vous » 
• give opinions

Topics

• General information about France, 10 important cities, neighbouring countries, facts & stereotypes
• Classroom
• House and home
• Family &Animals 
• French festivals/periods of the year
• Weather & seasons
• Time telling & times of the day

Oral/Listening

Constant drilling, practice and role play of everything covered.

Film study : Bienvenue Chez les Ch’tis

Grade 9

Language

• Reflexive verbs
• Verbs –   irregular : être, avoir, aller, faire, prendre, manger, boire, partir

• regular : -er verbs, -ir verbs, -re verbs

• possessive pronouns
• negative
• prepositions
• adjectives

Vocabulary

• Town & giving directions
• Food & drink, meals in France, French breakfast, coffee shops
• daily routine, school subjects, school life
• Sport & music
• French shops
• World countries including Chateaux de la Loire,
• Transport & events such as Tour de France
• Train journeys, train station
• parts of the body
• Visit to the doctor
• Appearance & personality adjectives

Skills

• Use the French alphabet
• Working out meaning
• Correct pronunciation
• Giving directions
• Buying in a shop
• Ordering in a restaurant
• Buying tickets 
• Visiting the doctor
• give opinions

Oral/Listening

Constant drilling, practice and role play of everything covered.

Film study : Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, Ratatouille

Grade 10

Language

• Reflexive verbs
• Verbs –   irregular : être, avoir, aller, faire, prendre, manger, boire, partir, vouloir, dire, lire, venir, pouvoir, apprendre, comprendre, sortir, voir, dormir

• all pronouns (incl possessive, object, relative)
• negative
• prepositions
• adjectives – interrogative
• Tenses : Présent, Futur proche, passé composé, impératif, imparfait, futur simple
• Comparisons & superlatives

Vocabulary

• Describing somebody, physical characteristics,
• Clothing
• Food & drink, meals in France, French breakfast, healthy eating
• Sport & music, leisure activities, 
• Expressions with être, avoir, faire
• Families, French speaking world
• Paris
• The environment
• Careers & future plans
• Holidays : Hotel facilities & services

Skills

• Use the French alphabet
• Working out meaning &Correct pronunciation
• Giving opinions
• Making a hotel reservation
• Writing a message/Describing somebody

Oral/Listening

Constant drilling, practice and role play of everything covered.

Film study : Les crayons, excerpts from Paris, je t’aime, Un jour, une question

Poems : general , Déjeuner du matin,

Grade 11

Language

• Hotel 
• Holidays : Hotel facilities & services
• Health
• Adverbs
• Tenses (revision of Présent, Futur proche, passé composé, impératif, imparfait, futur simple, then add on : plus que parfait, conditionnel, conditionnel passé, futur antérieur)

• Pronouns (direct & indirect object, relative, y, en)
• Negative expressions (aucun etc)
• Reflexive verbs in passé composé
• Demonstrative adjectives, demonstrative pronouns
• Venir de INFINITIF & être en train de INFINITIF
• Après avoir/être INFINTIF

Vocabulary

• Hotel facilities & services
• Health
• Holidays
• Town & countryside
• Travel
• Hospitality & household tasks
• School systems
• Issues in shops
• Food, restaurants, vegetarianism, fast food, consumerism
• Leisure activities  & hobbies
• Health, body, injuries etc
• Conjunctions necessary for written work (paper 2)
• Oral articles
• Immigration, discrimination, xenophobia 

Skills

• Giving  & substantiating opinions (written & orally)
• Reformulation, text – text, notes to text
• Message formats/ essay structure

Literature & Poetry

Novel : Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du coran (et film)

Poems : Familiale, Le grillon, L’albatros, Le cancre , Page d’écriture

Oral/Listen

« Getting by » using French only, Correct pronunciation (DELF exam format)

Practice and role play of everything covered.

 Demonstration oral (quelquechose qui me passionne)

Film study : Excerpts from Paris, je t’aime, Welcome, Les intouchables

Books used : 

Tricolore total 3, Tricolore total 4, various grammar reference books, Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du coran & various resources found on Internet

Grade 12

Language

• Revision of all incl attention to expressions avec faire, plus que parfait, future tenses, conditionnel, conditionnel passé etc)

• Revision of pronouns (direct & indirect object, relative, y, en)
• Reflexive verbs in passé composé
• Venir de INFINITIF & être en train de INFINITIF
• Après avoir/être INFINTIF, introduction to recognising subjective and its use
• Consolidation

Vocabulary

• Sport, reading, events
• Holidays abroad & foreign countries
• Health issues, minor symptoms, pain, injury, in the chemist’s
• Immigration
• Beauty
• Friendship
• Discrimination
• Conjunctions
• Oral articles

Skills

• Giving  & substantiating opinions
• Answering examination-style questions : Essay, Messages, Reformulation, text – text, notes to text
• Comprehension answering skills

Literature & Poetry

La Vengeance du Pardon, Eric Emmanuel Schmidt

Poetry

• Demain dès l’Aube de Victor Hugo
• N⁰110 1240 A125 de Christophe Bregaint
• Demain de Robert Desnos
• Le jeune homme et le vieillard de Jean Pierre Claris de Florian
• Les séparés de Marceline Desbordes
• Une vie, une étoile de Laura
• Spleen IV – Quand le ciel bas et lourd de Charles Baudelaire

Oral/Listen

Communicating using French only, Correct pronunciation (DELF exam format)

Practice and role play of everything covered.

Film study : Excerpts from Paris, je t’aime, Les intouchables