French / German Ab Initio

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What will I learn?

Through studying this course, you will develop the following:

International-mindedness;
Communication in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes;
An awareness and appreciation of a variety of perspectives of people from diverse cultures;

An awareness of the importance of language in relation to other areas of knowledge;
Opportunities for intellectual engagement and critical- and creative-thinking skills;
A curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of language learning.

What is the structure of the course?

Identities

Personal attributes, Personal relationships, Eating and drinking, Wellbeing

Experiences

Daily routine, Leisure, Holidays, Festivals and celebrations

Human ingenuity

Transport, Entertainment, Media, Technology

Social organisation

Neighbourhood, Education, The workplace, Social issues

Sharing the planet

Climate, Physical geography, The environment, Global issues

How will I be assessed?

Assessment

Weighting

Paper 1 – Writing

25%

Paper 2 – Listening and Reading

50%

Internal Assessment

25% – individual oral assessment

Frequently Asked Questions

Which CAS opportunities are available?
There will be a range of clubs and extracurricular opportunities, such as Film Club, Literature Club and Cultural Studies. For French there will also be an opportunity to travel to a French speaking country to explore the diversity of the cultures of La Francophonie.

Which opportunities for further study are available?
French IB will prepare you for any course at University and any career, as you will develop strong communication skills which are necessary in our global world. Possible careers include: International, Business, International Law, Government, Foreign Service, Tourism, Media, Communications, Secondary/ Primary Education, Translation and Interpretation and Journalism.

Is there anything else I need to know?

French can be used as a ‘gateway’ to learn other languages. Being a Romance language, it has many similarities to other European languages such as Italian and Portuguese.
Knowing the local language can greatly enhance one’s experience, allowing them a greater understanding and appreciation of culture, history and the physical environment.

Back to ks5 curriculum

Curriculum map

Module 1

Topics / Units

All About Me

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

Introduction to La Francophonie
Greetings
Introducing oneself
Nationalities
Languages
Numbers
Days
Months of the year
Animals
Family members
Describing appearance and personality
The verbs; to be; to have; to speak
Regular ER verbs

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

Apply key phonics rules when reading / speaking
Identify / translate key information from a short dialogue
Use knowledge of English as well as other languages to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words/phrases
Identify and use at least 3 conventions of different text types (email, blog, social media post)
Communicate key information about oneself
Conjugate both regular and irregular verbs in the present tense

Links to TOK

How do we adapt language to different situations in French/German?
Does this differ across French/German speaking communities around the world?

Module 2

Topics / Units

Daily Life

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

Clothing
Routine at home
Rooms in the house
Chores
Giving Opinions
Food
Numbers 30-60
The verb to go, to do, and to take
Negation & question formation
The future tense
Reflexive verbs

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

Conjugate verbs in the present and future tenses
Give and justify positive and negative opinions
Read to acquire new language
Tell the time
Use a variety of conjunctions and sequencers
Compare chores and daily routines of Francophone/German-speaking communities around the world.

Links to TOK