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French Languages

AQA

A level French 2024

Say ‘Bonjour!’ to better understanding of French culture and language when you study A level French online.

Imagine presenting at a European Parliament meeting or negotiating business deals in Paris. Unlock the influence of the French language and culture with our A level French course! Master advanced grammar and communication skills while exploring the nuances of Francophone traditions.

This course prepares you for using French in international business, diplomacy, and beyond. Start your journey today and bring the sophistication of France into your professional life!

Engaging in A level French through the National Extension College (NEC) offers an immersive experience in the French language and culture, catering to both beginners and those with some background in the language. This online A level French course covers topics from grammar, vocabulary, and language skills to French literature, cinema, and contemporary societal issues. Designed to stimulate curiosity and enhance proficiency, the distance learning A level French curriculum includes tasks in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

It also provides a solid foundation for further studies in languages, linguistics, or international relations, and opens up career opportunities in translation, teaching, diplomacy, and international business.

 

Multi-buy A levels:

Purchasing more than one A level? Use voucher code ALMB10 to receive 10% off at checkout.

Why study French?

Our A level French online course will not only provide you with high-quality course materials, it will also help you to become fluent in a language that’s widely spoken in countries around the world. Our distance learning course for A level French is perfect if you:

  • Like the opportunities learning a new language brings – in business, or for your own pleasure.
  • Are a keen traveller, or would like to explore a new culture from your own home.
  • Plan to study other languages. Study French A level and you will find you have an understanding of many other ‘Romance’ languages such as Italian, Portuguese, and even Spanish. Perhaps you’ll eventually become a polyglot!
  • Enjoy learning. Learning a language is ultimately a lot of fun.

Future opportunities

  • Studying Modern Foreign Languages or linguistics at university or higher education level.
  • Opening up career paths – employment rates for language graduates are one of the highest, compared with other degree subjects.
  • You could spend a year in France or in a French-speaking country as a part of your degree.
  • Complementing subjects such as Law or Business, at university or higher education level.
  • A range of careers including those in education, journalism, editing and publishing, international business, communication and translation through to cultural and tourism, diplomacy, law, media, accountancy, management, teaching or governmental positions.

Course content

Core Skills

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Topic 1 Reading
  • Topic 2 Listening
  • Topic 3 Culture
  • Topic 4 Speaking and listening
  • Core skills Assignment 1

Section 1 La famille en voie de changement

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to La famille en voie de changement
  • Notre famille est spéciale
  • Se marier – oui ou non ?
  • Que de soucis !
  • Study guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; Choisissez votre dictionnaire; Writing short answers; Recording your speaking
  • Section 1 Assignment

Section 2 La cybersociété

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to La cybersociété
  • La technologie et la vie quotidienne
  • La technologie et les jeunes
  • Les pièges de plus en plus sophistiqués de la cybersociété
  • Le boom technologique en Afrique francophone
  • L’Afrique francophone
  • Study guidance
  • Using the French Grammar summary; Building up your vocabulary; Translating from French into English
  • Section 2 Assignment

Section 3 Le rôle du bénévolat

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to Le rôle du bénévolat
  • Aider les défavorisés – pourquoi et comment?
  • Le bénévolat transforme les vies
  • Une expérience de volontaire
  • Le bénévolat en France
  • Study guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; Summarising material and extracting key points; Editing your writing; Subject for the Individual Research Project
  • Section 3 Assignment

Section 4 La Culture

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to Une culture fière de son patrimoine
  • C’est quoi exactement, le patrimoine?
  • Le patrimoine – un atout pour le tourisme?
  • Le patrimoine culturel
  • Architecture et gastronomie
  • Peut-on créer du patrimoine moderne?
  • Study Guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; Le site web de TV5 Monde; Listening effectively; Reading effectively; Translating from English into French
  • Section 4 Assignment

Section 5 La musique francophone

Introduction and progress checker

  • Guide to La musique francophone
  • Sauvez la musique francophone!
  • Connaissez-vous la musique francophone contemporaine?
  • Vous écoutez de la musique francophone ?
  • La musqiue francophone africaine
  • La chanson française
  • Study guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; Pronunciation; Différentes façons de pratiquer l’oral

Section 6 Le cinéma

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to Cinéma
  • Le cinéma : un art populaire
  • Les moments forts du cinéma en France
  • La passion du cinéma
  • Le cinéma français
  • Study guidance
    Using the French Grammar Summary; Practising grammar; Revision for AS Paper 1; Revision for AS Paper 3
  • Section 6 Assignment Part 1
  • Section 6 Assignment Part 2 (Speaking)

Film Study Au revoir les enfants

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to Au revoir les enfants
  • Louis Malle
  • L’occupation
  • Studying the film in depth
  • Watching the film for a second time
  • Study guidance
  • Writing about the film; Structuring your writing
  • Film study Assignment

Section 7 Une société diverse

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to Les aspects positifs d’une société diverse
  • Origines du multiculturalisme et accueil des immigrés
  • Le multiculturalisme – succès ou échec ?
  • La société canadienne et l’influence de la France dans le monde
  • Study Guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; The Individual Research Project

Section 8 Les marginalisés

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to Quelle vie en France pour les marginalisés
  • L’exclusion sociale
  • La pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale en France
  • L’inclusion sociale des handicapés et des marginaux
  • Comment traitons-nous les marginaux ?
  • Study guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; Translating a paragraph into French; Organising your research project
  • Section 8 Assignment

Section 9 les criminels

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to Comment on traite les criminels
  • La prison, ça marche ?
  • La criminalité en France
  • La juridiction en France
  • Perspectives sur la criminalité
  • Prévention, réhabilitation et réinsertion
  • Study guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; Translating a paragraph into French; Organising your research project
  • Section 9 Assignment Part 1
  • Section 9 Assignment Part 2 (Speaking)

Section 10 L’engagement politique

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to Les ados, le droit de vote et l’engagement politique
  • La politique : ça te branche?
  • Pour ou contre le droit de vote?
  • Le droit de vote en France
  • Qui sont les abstentionnistes ?
  • L’Union européenne a-t-elle un avenir?
  • Study guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; Continuing your research project; Revising the first half of the course
  • Section 10 Assignment

Section 11 Manifestations et grèves

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to Manifestations et grèves – à qui le pouvoir ?
  • Le syndicalisme en action
  • Grèves et manifestations
  • Les grèves – réactions de la presse et du grand public
  • Les évènements de Mai 68
  • Study guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; Revision for A level Paper 1; Revision for A level Paper 3; Making a short presentation in French

Section 12 La politique et l’immigration

  • Guide to La politique et l’immigration
  • L’évolution de l’immigration et l’intégration
  • L’attitude des partis politiques envers l’immigration
  • La protection des immigrés et l’engagement politique
  • Les immigrés en France
  • Study guidance
  • Using the French Grammar Summary; Revision for A level Paper 1; Revision for A level Paper 3; Making a short presentation in French
  • Section 12 Assignment Part 1
  • Section 12 Assignment Part 2

Book study: L’Étranger

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Guide to L’Étranger
  • Albert Camus
  • L’Algérie française
  • Studying the book in depth
  • Other key themes in L’Étranger
  • Study guidance
  • Preparing for Paper 2; Writing an A level essay
  • Film and book study Assignment

Your learning experience

Study A level French with us and benefit from:

  • Flexible learning
  • 1:1 support from a personal tutor by email, phone or Skype
  • Any time enrolment
  • Our exam booking service
  • Assignments with tutor feedback
  • Ongoing support from the NEC team

learn@nec

Choose when and where you access your course, using learn@nec our 24/7 online learning platform.  

This easy-to-use platform includes interactive checkpoints, quizzes and activities to help you to evaluate your progress as you go.

Our course tutors

You’ll have access to support from a personal tutor. All NEC tutors are subject experts, with experience of supporting online learners.

Meet Nathalie who is just one of our first-class French tutors:

“I have now been teaching for nearly 30 years. I took a PGCE, secondary French with the Open University, so I know how challenging it is to study on your own.

After obtaining my PGCE in 1996, I became a freelance teacher. I taught in primary and secondary schools, 6th form and adult education.

As a native French speaker, learning languages is one of my great passions. I love to understand how languages work, how sentences are constructed. Being able to express yourself and communicate in different languages is a great asset, I get great pleasure encouraging others to achieve this.

When I have some free-time, I enjoy cooking and sewing patchwork.”

What you need to know

Exam board

  • AQA 7652

Format

  • Online learning with support from a personal tutor

Hours

  • Complete at your own pace
  • Approx. 250-300* hours plus time for completing assignments

*The specification suggests that 300 hours is needed. You’ll also need time to complete assignments and prepare yourself for exams and some courses like English literature involve a lot of reading. Everyone is different so it’s impossible to say with certainty how long a course will take you, but you should expect to spend longer than 300 hours. Taken across the length of time we recommend, this equates to approximately 5 hours per week. This will increase if you choose to take it over a shorter time frame or may be less if you are retaking a subject and have covered a lot of of the course content.

Assignments

  • 11 assignments (one introductory) – these do not contribute towards your final grade

Resources

  • Set textbooks – included as a free ebook with your course: AQA A level French, R Hares, C D’Angelo, L Léchelle and J  Giles, Hodder Education, 2016

Requirements

  • Au revoir Les Enfants, Louis Malle (film)
  • Modern Languages Study Guides: Au revoir les enfants: Film Study Guide for AS/A level French,  K Harrington, Hodder Education, 2017
  • L’Etranger, Albert Camus (novel)
  • Modern Languages Study Guides: L’étranger: Literature Study Guide for AS/A level French, H Beaugy, Hodder Education, 2017
  • Internet access
  • Computer operating system and browser to support learn@nec
  • As part of the assignments, you will be required to record audio and send it to your tutor.

What's included?

Our course fees are clear and transparent to help you plan for any additional costs.

Your course fee includes:

  • 24/7 access to learn@nec platform and resources
  • Expertly designed online course materials (including ebook versions of textbooks where specified) that you need to complete the course
  • Support from our Student Services team
  • Structured assignments carefully designed to prepare you for exams
  • Guidance from your tutor for up to 24 months from your date of enrolment
  • Extensive feedback to all assignments that will support your learning
  • NEA (coursework) marking and authentication
  • Marking for one examination paper (from a previous year)
  • Guaranteed exam place
  • NEC’s guide to study skills: How to Succeed as an Independent Learner
  • Spelling, punctuation and grammar guide
  • Time planner template to help you plan your study timetable
  • Information on how to apply for exams

Your course fee does not cover:

  • Any fees in relation to exam entries or assessments
  • Centre Assessment Grades (CAG) in the event of exam cancellation
  • Recommended textbooks for additional reading or set texts

If you need more support, you can purchase:

  • Online tutorials – if you need help with a specific topic you can arrange a 30 minute or 1 hour tutorial
  • Additional past paper marking – to help with your exam preparation
  • Revision tutorial –  to plan your revision and explore revision techniques
  • Help with your UCAS application service

For further information on additional/optional support you can purchase, please visit our additional services page.

Related blog posts

Exams and assessment

Assessment

Exams (three):

  • Paper 1: 50% of marks  (2 hours 30 minutes)
  • Paper 2: 20% of marks  (2 hours)
  • Oral exam – 30% of marks (21 to 23 minutes, including 5 minutes of preparation).

The oral exam is in two parts:

  • Part 1: Discussion of one sub-theme from a choice of four
  • Part 2: Presentation of the Individual Research Project (2 minutes of presentation and 9-10 minutes of discussion of the findings of your research.

Non-exam assessment (NEA):

  • Coursework: Individual Research Project

Additional support if you’re under 18

We know that our younger students often need an extra helping hand with their studies. In our experience learning online works best when either a parent or guardian are involved. This is why NEC has developed our unique Progress Tracker to help you to support your child.

NEC’s Progress Tracker will allow you to easily track your child’s progress across their subjects and gain insight to how well they are doing through access to their assignment grades and tutor feedback.  

Read more about how we work with young students who are studying at home or through a school.

Arrange a callback with a member of our Course Advice Team.

Would you like to talk to our Course Advice Team about the best route for you? Visit our Contact Us page, fill in the form and a member of the team will get back to you!