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Languages French

OVERVIEW

The study of a language other than English contributes to the overall education of students, most particularly in the area of communication, but also in the areas of cross-cultural understanding, intercultural learning, cognitive development, literacy and general knowledge. It provides access to the culture of communities which use the language and promotes understanding of different attitudes and values within the wider Australian community and beyond.

The ability to communicate in another language, in conjunction with other skills, may provide opportunities for employment in the fields of interpreting, social services, ethnic affairs, the tourism and hospitality industries, international relations, the arts, commerce, technology, science and education.

This study is designed to enable students to:

  • Use French to communicate with others
  • Understand and appreciate the cultural contexts in which French is used
  • Understand their own culture(s) through the study of other cultures
  • Make connections between French and English, and/or other languages
  • Apply French to work, further study, training or leisure

CONTENT

UNITS 1 & 2 COMMON AREAS OF STUDY

The VCE French Study Design comprises three themes, through which a variety of subtopics are studied:

  • The Individual
  • The French-Speaking Communities
  • The World Around us

There are three areas of study:

  • Interpersonal communication
  • Interpretive communication
  • Presentational communication

Text Types

The student will be expected to be familiar with the various text types.  The student is expected to be familiar with, and be able to produce, the following five kinds of writing: Personal, Imaginative, Persuasive, Informative and Evaluative.

LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT

UNITS 1 & 2

  • Individual school decision on levels of achievement

Prerequisites

  • French Year 9 and/or 10

UNIT 3

COMMON AREAS OF STUDY

The three outcomes for Unit 3 are to:

  • Participate in a spoken exchange in French to resolve a personal issue by negotiating a mutually agreeable outcome.
  • Students extract, interpret and synthesise information from three or more texts to identify key ideas and detail and write responses in French.
  • Create an extended, original piece of personal, informative or imaginative writing in French to express ideas, thoughts or responses.

UNIT 4

The two outcomes for Unit 4 are to:

  • Share information, ideas and opinions on a cultural product or practice they have researched, in French.
  • Analyse and present information from written, spoken and viewed texts, for use in a written response in French.
  • Present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in an extended written response in French
  • Satisfactory Completion
  • Demonstrated achievement of the set of outcomes specified for the unit

LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT

UNIT 3 & 4

School-assessed coursework and end-of-year examinations:

  • Unit 3 school-assessed coursework: 25%
  • Unit 4 school-assessed coursework: 25%
  • Examinations: oral component (Detailed study + General conversation) 12.5%
  • Examinations: written component 37.5%

PREREQUISITES

  • French Year 10 and/or 11

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

Competence in language, both written and oral, is of vital importance in communicating the gospel.  The study of a LOTE should be more than simply memorizing words and structures, especially from a Christian perspective.  Effective communication in a second language takes place when there is a relationship based on levels of empathy and feelings allowing social discussion to effectively take place. Being familiar with phrases, structures, text types and appropriate relationship building strategies, allows us to join communicatively in God’s big vision of impacting people and communities, and seeking and saving the lost.

The common worldwide issues we explore in VCE French include relationships, personal opinions and values, lifestyles, customs and traditions, as well as social and environmental change.  Studying these topics and themes will further increase our students’ understanding of our responsibility to God and others in His world.

ASSESSMENT

UNITS 1 & 2

Students will be expected to be familiar with various text types for written and oral assessment.

Text types will be selected from the following:

  • Advertisement
  • Article
  • Conversation
  • Discussion
  • Email
  • Editorial
  • Formal letter
  • Interview script
  • Invitation
  • Journal entry
  • Role play
  • Review
  • Recipe
  • Report
  • Song
  • Speech
  • Story

UNITS 1 & 2

Outcomes

Assessment Tasks

Marks Allocated*

UNIT 1

Outcome 1

Establish and maintain a spoken or written exchange related to personal areas of experience.

 

Outcome 2

Interpret information from two texts on the same subtopic presented in French and respond in writing in French and English.

Outcome 3

Present information, concepts and ideas in writing in French on the selected subtopic and for a specific audience and purpose.

 

UNIT 2

Outcome 1

Respond in writing in French to spoken, written or visual texts presented in French.

 

Outcome 2

Analyse and use information from written, spoken or visual texts to produce an extended written response in French.

 

Outcome 3

Explain information, ideas and concepts orally in French to a specific audience about an aspect of culture within communities where French is spoken.

 

End of Year Written examination

  • Particitpate in an (Oral) interview (with teacher, 3-4 minutes)

20

  • Listen to spoken texts (e.g. conversations, interviews, broadcasts) and view a map to write directions or
  • Read written texts (e.g. extracts, advertisements, letters) and listen to an announcement to write instructions.

15

  • Create a written presentation which may include pictures; this may be supported by media such as Photo Story or PowerPoint.

15

  • Write a personal response to an email

 

10

  • Write a reflective article on a cultural insight, such as the attitudes of French-speaking people in Australia and elsewhere to traditional customs.

15

  • Tell (Oral) the class a personal or reflective story about a cultural event

15

Writing

10

TOTAL MARKS

100

UNIT 3

Outcomes

Assessment Tasks

Marks Allocated*

Outcome 1

Participate in a spoken exchange in French to resolve a personal issue.

Outcome 2

Students extract, interpret and synthesise information from three or more texts to identify key ideas and detail and write responses in French.

Outcome 3

Create an extended, original piece of personal, informative or imaginative writing in French to express ideas, thoughts or responses.

UNIT 4

Outcome 1

Share information, ideas and opinions on a cultural product in French.

Outcome 2

Analyse information from written, spoke and viewed texts for use in a written response in French.

Outcome 3

Present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in an extended written response in French.

UNITS 3 & 4

Unit 3 school-assessed coursework

Unit 4 school-assessed coursework

End of Year examinations - written Exam

A three-to-four-minute role-play, focusing on negotiating a solution to a personal issue.

20

Responses to specific questions or instructions using information extracted from written, spoken and viewed texts (video) on the selected subtopic.

15

An approximately 250-word personal, informative or imaginative piece of writing.

15

A three- to four-minute interview providing information and responding to questions about a cultural product or practice.

20

An approximately 250-word written response for a specific audience and purpose, incorporating information from three or more texts.

15

An approximately 300-word evaluative or persuasive piece of writing.

15

Unit 3 school-assessed coursework 25%

 

Unit 4 school-assessed coursework 25%

 

End of Year examinations 50% written Exam

Total marks          

100