Page 12 - Year 10 Course Brochure 2023-2025

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES – GCSE

OPTION CORE OPTION

COURSE CONTENT Whatever your chosen career path or interests, learning a language will provide you
with valuable cultural and linguistic understanding and knowledge, and open up
new and exciting opportunities for your future. Over the two-year course, you will
use a range of different learning tools and technologies to develop your listening,
speaking, reading and writing skills. Topic areas include: leisure, holidays, media,
work, education and family & friends. In addition to learning how to cope in the
foreign country, you will gain a better understanding of how your own language
works.

APPROACH TO TEACHING Experienced and enthusiastic teachers deliver a varied style of lessons, and
AND LEARNING independent learning is encouraged to consolidate and extend your knowledge.
Teachers use a range of authentic resources and bring the host country’s culture
into the lessons. You will also improve your study skills, by learning how to study
new language and grammar. You will learn how to identify and analyse key
information from texts and recordings to better understand written and spoken
information, as well as to manipulate language so you can communicate effectively
and accurately.
Foreign Language Assistants in Chinese, French, German and Spanish support
teaching and learning in the department and there are many co-curricular activities
such as the annual Festival of Languages, trips (within the UK and overseas), plays
and workshops.

ASSESSMENT Across all languages, the linear GCSE courses will be assessed at the end of the
two-year cycle. There will be an assessment worth 25% of the final grade in each of
the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The examination is tiered
(Foundation/Higher).

FURTHER INFORMATION Understanding and using a modern foreign language provides access to new
cultures and opportunities; the more languages you speak, the better your prospects
of employment – the UK has a shortage of people who can use modern languages
and today’s job market is increasingly globalised.
Students need to have studied the chosen language in Year 9. We are also delighted
to welcome dual linguists:
• Two Modern Foreign Languages.
• One Modern Language and Latin.
• For those students coming to Millfield without having studied a foreign language
apart from English before, French, German, Spanish and Chinese are available as
beginners’ languages for GCSE to suitable candidates, dependent on their
linguistic background and ability. However, this is not always straightforward as
students will be taught in non-beginner classes and often some paid 1-2-1 tuition
is useful.
• Applications for this beginners’ route are considered on a case-by-case basis. You
must contact the Head of Languages, Mr M Nash (nash.ma@millfieldschool.com)
before selecting this option.

EXAM BOARD AND Chinese 8673, German 8668, French 8658, Spanish 8698
SPECIFICATION For more details go to: www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages

CONTACT Mr M Nash
Head of Languages
nash.ma@millfieldschool.com

10 YEAR 10/11 COURSE GUIDE