KS4 and Languages
It is important to know that a leading university has announced that it will refuse to admit students who have not studied a foreign language at school in an attempt to stop teenagers dropping French and Spanish. In fact, University College London has agreed plans to make a GCSE in a modern foreign language a compulsory entry requirement for all students starting courses from 2012, since they actually feel “it is essential that students have an understanding of how another language operates and, crucially, knowledge of another culture."
Students are being prepared for the AQA – new Specification GCSE exam, and they are able to take a combination of levels (Foundation and Higher) in their Listening and Reading exams. Their Speaking and Writing mark are by outcome. For additional resources on AQA specifications, including sample exams, student guides and coursework guides please visit their website at www.aqa.org.uk
Topics: Contexts and purposes.
Students will learn about:
1. Lifestyle
Health
Healthy and unhealthy lifestyles and their consequences
Relationships and Choices
Relationships with family and friends
Future plans regarding: marriage/partnership
Social issues and equality
2. Leisure
Free Time and the Media
Free time activities
Shopping, money, fashion and trends
Advantages and disadvantages of new technology
Holidays
Plans, preferences, experiences
What to see and getting around
3. Home and Environment
Home and Local Area
Special occasions celebrated in the home
Home, town, neighbourhood and region, where it is and what it is like
Environment
Current problems facing the planet
Being environmentally friendly within the home and local area
4. Work and Education
School/College and Future Plans
What school/college is like
Pressures and problems
Current and Future Jobs
Looking for and getting a job
Advantages and disadvantages of different jobs
The purposes are presented according to the contexts and topics in which they may occur. It will be possible for students to carry out these purposes using the linguistic structures and vocabulary listed in the specification together with the communication strategies.
The purposes are not defined by tier and all purposes should be seen as available, at differing levels of fulfilment, at both Foundation and Higher. For all purposes, students will be expected, as they progress linguistically, to:
· cope with a greater degree of unpredictability;
· deal with a widening range of potential problems;
· understand and use more accurately a widening range of vocabulary and structures, including some unfamiliar language;
· understand issues and opinions;
· discuss issues and give opinions;
· give full descriptions and accounts.
Exam structure.
Homework
Homework is set after each lesson. This may comprise written or learning activities and pupils are encouraged to visit web-sites. Students should be spending at least ½ on the majority of pieces of homework.
Homework is vital in KS4 as it will be the base for the Controlled Writing or Speaking Assessments that the students will have to write or speak.
Completion of homework is monitored and failure to complete homework will result in departmental sanctions.
Resources
All students will be allocated a textbook at the beginning of the year. Students are responsible to keep it in a decent state and to bring it to all lessons. If students misplace it, parents will have to pay for a replacement.
French: Expo 4 AQA Rouge (H)
Spanish: Mira 4 AQA Rojo (H)
German: Echo 4 AQA
Students will also need to get a big folder with dividers. Teachers will indicate the different sections in the folders where students have to place the work. It is also vital to have it in all lessons.
For languages we ask students to have at least 4 different colour pens (preferably blue, black, red and green) and the usual equipment established in the contact book (pencil, rubber, sharpener, colouring pencils, glue, safety scissors).
Failure to bring all equipment to the lessons will result in departmental sanctions.
Foreign Language Assistants
All students will be allocated a time to attend a brief (15 to 30 minutes) one to one lesson with the Foreign Language Assistant where they will be practising their oral skills. In some cases, students will be asked to attend this session at lunch time. It is a compulsory session and failure to attend will result in departmental sanctions.
Progression
Students are taught the topics according to whichever language and text book they have, although all topics are covered. For each unit there is equal emphasis on listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Progression through the Key Stage is ensured by basing the grammar on the AQA requirements for GCSE and students sit tests at the end of each topic (listening and reading) and some practice test while they are studying the topics. There are trial exams in April Year 10 and December Year 11 where students are tested on listening and reading. We are aware that students progress at different levels in the different skills and each student is encouraged to do his or her best. The progression in the different type of test during the 2 years will help the teacher and the student if he/she is to sit the Higher or Foundation Tier.
Progress in Speaking and Writing will be measured by the Controlled Assessments.
Assessment
At the end of each unit students are assessed on progression to attain a grade which is monitored by the teacher and the HoD to ascertain their progression throughout the Key Stage.
Speaking and Writing Controlled Assessments will take place during the 2 years. Teachers will decide when the tasks take place and inform the students well in advance so that they are aware that the contents of the unit they are studying will be used in a specific controlled assessment. Students will have 6 teaching hours to prepare the piece of speaking or writing once they have been given the instructions by the teacher. For the Speaking, student will have to talk to the teacher for 4 to 6 minutes on each task and for Writing students should produce 200–350 words (F-D) or 400–600 words (C-A*) across the two tasks. To give more opportunities to the students, there will be at least 3 tasks for each skill so that we can choose the best ones.
Student self assessment is an intrinsic part of the evaluation process of all units and students should have a descriptor of each exam (Unit 1 Listening & Unit 2 Reading) as well as a detailed description of the Controlled Assessment for Speaking and Writing (with their mark scheme and an example from the examination board).