Modern Languages - French and German
Subject Content
Both modern languages require students to be proficient in the following skills
- Oral/speaking
- Written
- Aural/listening
- Reading
A wide variety of themes are covered, for example
- Family
- School
- Hobbies
- Sport
- Current affairs
Grammar and Cultural Awareness are essential elements of these courses.
Exam Structure
In both French and German there are oral aural and written exams.
|
Mark Allocation for L.C. French & German |
||
| Section | Higher Level | Ordinary Level |
| Speaking | 25% | 20% |
| Listening Comprehension | 20% | 25% |
| Reading Comprehension | 30% | 40% |
| Writing | 25% | 15% |
This takes place in March/April of 6th year. 13 mins - French, 15 mins – German
French Interview with examiner; students may prepare a document
German Interview with examiner, presentation of project or picture sequence and role play
Aural/Listening Exam (40 mins)
This exam takes place after the written examination in June. It involves listening to a variety of dialogues and news items in the target language and then answering in English. One section on the German paper requires answers in German.
Written Exam (2 ˝ hours)
French
Reading Comprehension is worth 30% of total exam at Higher Level and 40% at Ordinary Level. There are literary and journalistic passages.
For Higher Level the written section involves formal and informal letters, diary entry, message/fax/email, expressing an opinion, and personalised writing.
German
At Higher Level Reading Comprehension involves a literary and a journalistic reading text, followed by questions testing comprehension, language awareness, applied grammar and the student’s ability to give an opinion on a topic raised. The written section consists of a formal or informal letter or an essay-type response to a picture.
At Ordinary Level students do one literary and two journalistic comprehensions with similar exercises to Higher Level. Written exercises include letters, telling a story from a given series of pictures, writing a dialogue.
Comment
- We welcome and encourage students to study a foreign language for its own value, to increase cultural awareness and as a life skill, not just as a requirement for college entry.
- It is the aim of the Modern Language Departments to promote the use of the target language in class because the desire of the student to communicate motivates learning.
- We advise that here is a considerable gap in the standard required between Junior and Senior Cycle
- It is highly advisable that students spend some time in a country where the target language is spoken.
- Students who have shown an aptitude in both languages at Junior Certificate Level are encouraged to continue with both languages in Senior Cycle.
- While it is our policy to teach each student with regard to his/her unique set of needs, we would advise students who have experienced serious difficulty with a modern language in Junior Cycle to give strong consideration to the far-reaching and demanding nature of the courses in French and German when opting for a modern language at Senior Cycle.