In Britain especially foreign languages often seem an irrelevance. Particularly considering the increasing usage of English in the media abroad, making the English/American cultural influence almost as great as that of the native culture.
This often leads us to the conclusion that everyone else speaks and understands English, meaning that we don’t have to speak their language. Not so, even in France, our nearest neighbour, many people do not speak any English. Obviously it is spoken in the large tourist centres but as you travel from these sites its usage lessens.
English maybe acknowledged as the international language of business and one may be forgiven for expecting to conduct ones business in English, but you would be very mistaken to regard other languages as obsolete for that reason.
If you can talk to someone in their own language you will have an advantage over someone who obliges a client to deal in a language that is not their first.
Learning a language is a gateway to another culture. An understanding of the language and its nuances is key to the understanding of the culture and attitudes of a country and its people.
Also a language course is not only just that but also the study of the nations politics, culture and development. Learning another language gives you access to the culture of that language; it opens up another world.
At GCSE, this course gives you an introduction to French. You will be able to have a conversation with a French person, go shopping, order a meal in a restaurant, buy a ticket, talk about what you like, don’t like and why. We try to maintain a balance between the four skill areas (listening, reading, writing, speaking) so that you progress equally in all these areas.
The A-level course is much more demanding, you are expected to be able to deal with texts and passages designed with native speakers in mind. The course covers the more advanced aspects of grammar, while also consolidating and broadening your grasp of the four skill areas mentioned earlier. This is achieved through lessons of course, but extra work and reading are also essential.
AS and especially A2 give you the opportunity to explore French culture in greater depth. Two of the papers require you to research a subject at length; this could be a novel or a play or a period of history or a region of France or areas of art, politics or economics. At the end of A2 you should have a solid foundation in French in order to continue further studies at university and be equipped to succeed in a highly academic environment.
