No of Sets in 2023 / 2024: 2 No of Periods per Week: 5

Department Staff: Mme C. de Fréin, M. T. Clarke

Brief Summary of Course Content

The study of a Modern Language for Leaving Certificate is obligatory and pupils may choose between French and Spanish in the College. The examination can be taken either at Higher or Ordinary Level. Typically, we have two sets, the top one exclusively Higher and the second a mixture of Ordinary and Higher. Class sizes range from ten to seventeen pupils.

TEACHING

The Leaving Certificate course begins in Fifth Form and pupils are assessed on their progress at end-of-term exams. Assessment is made by means of prep, class work, class tests, effort marks and term exams. All exams at all levels include an oral and aural component. Our teaching centres on developing the five main linguistic skills: listening, speaking, reading, mediation and writing. Lessons are conducted predominantly in the target language, but with an understanding of each pupil’s specific needs. We aim to involve linguists as much as possible in the learning process, thus maximising their enthusiasm and confidence. All topics studied are firmly rooted in the contemporary culture of the language in question and we expect students to be able to communicate successfully with native speakers within a short period of time. High expectations are also set regarding accuracy of the written language. ICT is fully integrated into the curriculum, serving both to consolidate material covered and give a fresh perspective. Five lessons of forty-five minutes a week are given and, in Sixth Form, pupils have a weekly oral class with our French language assistant from January until the Leaving Certificate oral examination.

THE LEAVING CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION

Below is an outline of its components:

● Oral Examination 15 mins 25%

● Listening Comprehension 40 mins 20%

● Reading Comprehension & 2h 30mins 30%

● Written Production 25%

The senior course is however not just about exams. We also aim to give pupils a cultural appreciation of the Francophone world and an understanding of contemporary society and politics. We regularly take pupils to see the latest French films at the IFI, TCD or the Mermaid Theatre in Bray and study songs, poetry and short pieces of literature. Our aim is to give pupils an abiding and life-long interest in all things French.

Comparison of Results with National Figures

Our results are consistently above national figures, with about double the percentage of H1s. Here are our results from 2023: Higher Level H1-2 – 55% (26% Nationally)

Possible Career Areas for which this Subject is Useful / Essential

Speaking a foreign language such as French is a very useful tool for any business career that has an international dimension, for example working for a multinational company, be it accountancy, banking or retail. It is a huge asset for any post in the European Union, and indeed any international post. French is the main diplomatic language internationally.

Other areas include translating, international law, teaching / lecturing, tourism industry.