Should Native Speakers take A-Level MFL?
The grade boundaries are so high since native speakers set such a high standard with 100% accuracy etc. Is this fair? Can't they just state they are native speakers or is it just?
Original post by AdHominem
I was interested in doing A-Level French next year, but unfortunately the native speakers make it impossible to aim high. In my opinion, there should be an A-Level for natives and another for everyone else. Therefore I totally agree with you.
I do A-Level Spanish, when I picked it up I was completely oblivious to the fact that to get an A is almost 100% correct answers, and I realised most people taking it on in my school are actual Spanish speakers. Don't really think this is fair because I feel for my level I am quite advanced having no Spanish speaking family/background yet for the native speakers it's not enough for them to just say "I have Spanish background so I am fluent in the language", so my hopes of getting an A are basically very small now haha
There are different exam boards and some do languages as a first language exam for GCSE and Alevel that are specifically for native speakers.
Original post by niv1234
There are different exam boards and some do languages as a first language exam for GCSE and Alevel that are specifically for native speakers.
Myself and most other schools aren't offered this, I've never heard of them either, AQA, Edexcel only offer a single language qualification without any specific audience papers
Original post by studentjjs
Myself and most other schools aren't offered this, I've never heard of them either, AQA, Edexcel only offer a single language qualification without any specific audience papers
Those ones are normally taken privately outside of school, I did some myself a while back and everyone in the exam hall spoke the same language as me. I have done MFL GCSEs in school and the level of those were a lot easier than the native language ones, which were more like English exams. However some of my other friends who speak another language at home, were able to use our school as an exam centre but they studied for it outside of school.
(edited 7 years ago)
Ugh...I wrote two paragraphs but my phone died -_- I'll try again, *sigh*
I think they should but only in their free time, not as a class, unless they want a degree related to that language or something like that.
Although I am a native speaker and I'm taking the french a level, I have gone from a 0 in writing and grammar in french to an a level standard. I'm finding the A level incredibly useful and interesting, and it made me a lot more confident in the language and have the ability to discuss more complex things like the current world issues. I still had to prepare, research and plan two cultural topics and prepare myself for the exams. I didn't just walk in expecting to do well. I do agree that the grade boundaries are ridiculously high and that examiners should take them into consideration. I only achieved a C last year in the written paper (probably cos of my poor writing skills in the last question) - I got 73 out of 110 but that was only a C o.O
I think us native speakers do have to put in as much effort but we do have a headstart (in terms of understanding etc). I know a guy who grew up in spain a good number of years but only got a D in speaking. I, who grew up here but have a french background did a fair amount of preparation and of reading (with the knowledge I picked up from the past papers) got an A in speaking, which was also due to my confidence.
I will be taking the spanish a level next year, but to be honest, I think the spanish grammar is a lot easier than french, so I think it may also depend on the language.
I think they should but only in their free time, not as a class, unless they want a degree related to that language or something like that.
Although I am a native speaker and I'm taking the french a level, I have gone from a 0 in writing and grammar in french to an a level standard. I'm finding the A level incredibly useful and interesting, and it made me a lot more confident in the language and have the ability to discuss more complex things like the current world issues. I still had to prepare, research and plan two cultural topics and prepare myself for the exams. I didn't just walk in expecting to do well. I do agree that the grade boundaries are ridiculously high and that examiners should take them into consideration. I only achieved a C last year in the written paper (probably cos of my poor writing skills in the last question) - I got 73 out of 110 but that was only a C o.O
I think us native speakers do have to put in as much effort but we do have a headstart (in terms of understanding etc). I know a guy who grew up in spain a good number of years but only got a D in speaking. I, who grew up here but have a french background did a fair amount of preparation and of reading (with the knowledge I picked up from the past papers) got an A in speaking, which was also due to my confidence.
I will be taking the spanish a level next year, but to be honest, I think the spanish grammar is a lot easier than french, so I think it may also depend on the language.
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