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MFL A-LEVEL
YORK PGCE October 2015
“Decoupled” AS and A-level
From September 2016 AS-level is a standalone qualification
AS-level can be co-taught with A-level
AS-level a one year course
A-level a two year course with exam at the end
No re-sits
Same grading structure as now: AS-level A-U, A-level A*-U
New, more “rigorous” content
DfE asked ALCAB to look at existing A-level and suggest
improvements
ALCAB criticised level of cognitive challenge, inconsistencies across
schools and content too general, too much like GCSE
All content to be rooted in the culture of the target language
cultures
Prescribed list of literary works and films
Reaffirmation of the importance of grammar and translation
DfE prescribed content
Topics should come from general themes:
Social issues and trends
Political, artistic and intellectual culture
Grammar
Exam boards have worked within this framework and produced
specifications they think students and teachers will enjoy
AS and A-level French content (1) - OCR
Stereotypes, equality and gender - the family (different structures
and relationships); attitudes to marriage; gender identity; equality
of opportunity; the roles of men and women; the effects of
communication technology on human relationships.
Modern world issues - eating habits, genetically modified (GM)
foods, vegetarianism, organic food and food production in target
language countries and communities; obsessions and addictions;
impacts of lifestyle on health, sport and fitness; technology.
Law and order - types of crime, demographics of crime and
punishment; cybercrime; crime prevention measures; punishments
(prison, fines, alternatives to prison).
AS and A-level French content (2) - OCR
Medical advances and related ethical issues - medical research;
animal testing; genetic engineering; cosmetic surgery; the effect of
extending life expectancy on demographics.
Aspects of artistic culture - the popularity and significance of TV,
film, theatre and music in the countries and communities where the
language is spoken; music as an element of personal and national
identity; the impact of digital technology in the world of the arts.
Aspects of political culture - political systems; the impact of politics
on the individual and society (education, housing, the environment,
employment and migration); the role of the EU.
AS and A-level German content (1) - AQA
• The changing state of the family (Familie im Wandel)
• The digital world (Die digitale Welt)
• Youth culture: fashion and trends, music, television (Jugendkultur:
Mode, Musik und Fernsehen)
• Immigration (Einwanderung)
• Integration (Integration)
• Racism (Rassismus)
AS and A-level German content (2) - AQA
• Festivals and traditions (Feste und Traditionen)
• Art and architecture (Kunst und Architektur)
• Cultural life in Berlin, past and present (Das Berliner Kulturleben
damals und heute)
• German and the European Union (Deutschland und die Europaïsche
Union)
• Politics and youth (Die Politik und die Jugend)
• German re-unification and its consequences (Die
Wiedervereinigung und ihre Folgen)
AS and A-level Spanish content (1) - AQA
• Modern and traditional values (Los valores tradicionales y
modernos)
• Cyberspace (El ciberespacio)
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Equal rights (La igualdad de los sexos)
Immigration (La Inmigración)
Racism (El Racismo)
Integration (La Convivencia)
AS and A-level Spanish content (2) - AQA
• Modern day idols (La influencia de los ídolos)
• Spanish regional identity (La identidad regional en España)
• Cultural heritage or cultural landscape (El patrimonio cultural)
• Today's youth, tomorrow's citizens (Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos de
mañana)
• Monarchies, republics and dictatorships (Monarquías, repúblicas y
dictaduras)
• Popular movements (Movimientos populares)
Literature and film
AS-level
Students do one book or one film
Assessed by a target language essay
A-level
Students do EITHER two books OR one book and one film
All works come from prescribed lists
Example books (French)
Césaire - Une saison au congo.
Camus - L'étranger .
Nothomb - Stupeur et tremblements.
Mauriac - Thérèse Desqueyroux.
Labro - Le petit garçon.
Grimbert - Un secret .
Guène - Kiffe kiffe demain .
Molière - L’Avare.
Example films (French)
La Haine
Les quatre cents coups
Le Corbeau
Jean de Florette
Intouchables
Sans toit ni Loi
Entre les murs
Example books (German)
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Böll - Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum
Brecht - Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder
Dürrenmatt - Der Besuch der alten Dame
Frisch - Andorra
Heine – Gedichte-Buch der Lieder
Hensel - Zonenkinder
Kafka - Die Verwandlung
Kaminer - Russendisko
Lenz - Fundbüro
Schlink - Der Vorleser
Example films (German)
• Good bye, Lenin!
• Das Leben der Anderen
• Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei
• Almanya – Willkommen in Deutschland
• Sophie Scholl – Die letzten Tage
• Lola rennt
Example books (Spanish)
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Esquivel - Como agua para chocolate
Lorca - La Casa de Bernarda Alba
Zafón - La sombra del viento
Isabel Allende - La casa de los espíritus
Sender - Réquiem por un campesino español
Bécquer - Rimas y leyendas
Fernando Fernán-Gómez - Las bicicletas son para el verano
Manuel Rivas - El lápiz del carpintero
Gabriel García Márquez - El coronel no tiene a quien le escriba
Example films (Spanish)
• Volver
• El laberinto del fauno
• Ocho apellidos vascos
• María, llena eres de gracia
• El bola
• Las 13 rosas
Individual research project
Part of A-level only.
Student chooses own area of interest
Must relate to TL culture
Research must include online sources
Assessed as part of the A-level speaking test (presentation and
discussion)
Assessment
AS-level
Three papers, one of them a speaking assessment. Task types
include listening, reading, translation, TL essay (on film or
literature). Individual control of audio.
A-level
Three papers, one of them a speaking assessment. Task types
include listening, reading, translation, TL essay on film or
literature. Individual control of audio.
Lesson activities
Discussion from spoken and written
texts
Listening with audio and video (gap
fill, matching, questions, summary,
multi-choice, true/false, etc)
Translation both ways
Grammar exercises (pattern drills,
gap fill, etc)
Studying film and literature
ICT-based tasks
Whole class oral work
Information gap pair work
Task-based activities
Games
Extensive reading
Individual research (reading and
listening)
Preparing for assessment
Essay writing and technique