French Edexcel Orals

Good luck - I remember mine and I enjoyed it,.

Reply 2

OP

Thanks (and cool signature btw!)

Reply 3

oh ha ha!
I can still remembe ours was into 2 sections
part a - questions and answers
part b - a topic I picked and we discuss - I chose Napolean.

I quite like that phrase, suitable for TSR -- ha ha

Reply 4

OP

What?! 2 sections? uh-oh... What kind of questions? I thought you had to make a 2 minute presentation and then they ask you about it afterwards..?

Reply 5

well this was a few years ago - threeish

yeap section 1 - was general questions, about transport, health, weather, politics etc..

section 2 - we had to chat about a researched topic and just talk and every so often the tecaher would ask a question about that topic.

which exam board are you with?

Reply 6

OP

Edexcel

oh no -I had OCR! :frown:

Reply 8

*Miss-Brightside*

10

~*starlight*conquest*~

Edexcel

Ah I do Edexcel!

For the AS oral, you have to do a 1-2 min presentation (min & max) on your background topics, and you don't include any facts or figures. Just like a kind of overview. You have to introduce your topic, so Bonjour, je vais parler de ... and then give a background to your topic and why you chose it. Then you get asked questions about it for 10 mins.

So for example I did Le Tabac so gave an overview of the smoking culture in France and how a law has been introduced to tackle it. Then the questions I got were things like how many people die each year from smoking, are there any specific campaigns aimed at young people etc etc.

Then A2 is just about debating. You pick your topic, for example I am doing l'avortement, and you choose whether you're going to be for or against. So you do a 30secs-1min presentation on your topic and then state your stance. Then you debate with your teacher about it for 4-5 mins then you debate for 10 mins on unpredicatable topics, but are somehow related. For example, one of my related topics could be la peine de mort!

Hehe this is long but hope it helps!

Reply 9

OP

I see...so for AS i don't mention facts and figures, but i still have to know them so that I can answer the teacher's questions? Ok, and for the presentation, if I'm doing it on Marie Curie, should I give a brief biography (nationality, when she was born, her husband and children who also recieved nobel prizes) what her research was based on and how her work was useful? Would that be a good structure, or is it too detailed? I speak pretty fast.

Reply 10

*Miss-Brightside*

10

~*starlight*conquest*~

I see...so for AS i don't mention facts and figures, but i still have to know them so that I can answer the teacher's questions? Ok, and for the presentation, if I'm doing it on Marie Curie, should I give a brief biography (nationality, when she was born, her husband and children who also recieved nobel prizes) what her research was based on and how her work was useful? Would that be a good structure, or is it too detailed? I speak pretty fast.

Hmmm I think that would work, regards to the date of birth and children etc, but I dont think you should talk about research and how her work was useful, because they may be some of the questions asked. You really need to speak to your teacher, because each have different preferences. Write a draft presentation and ask your teacher to look over it to make sure the content is ok!

Wow I wish I could speak French fast and fluently! Would make like a hell of a lot easier!

Reply 11

Je tu souhaite bonne chance. :smile:

Reply 12

smooth3k

7

~*starlight*conquest*~

Heya! I'm fluent in french, so I decided to do the french exams fast track without taking any lessons. It's been fine so far, got 2 A's in Unit 1 and 2, but now I have to prepare for the Unit 3 and 4 orals. The thing is, I have no idea what's demanded, or what structure my topic presentation/disscussion is supposed to have. I want to do my Unit 3 oral on Marie Curie, and I havent decided yet for Unit 4.

Seeing as I don't take any lessons, I haven't had any practice, and I don't have a teacher to ask. I think the orals are in 2 weeks, and the mocks next week...help?

I don't remember being told to omit statistics from the AS oral - go for it, I'm sure they'd be impressed. Make sure you have good general knowledge of the subject & think about some questions they could ask you. I've no doubt you'll get a high A without any trouble.

As for the second (A2) oral, we are able to choose between discussion of issues and interpreting. Most people at our college were advised to do the latter. You don't need to learn anything for it, just interpret a conversation (they speak slowly and take pauses). Again, if you can speak French, this exam will pose no problem whatsoever.

Reply 13

OP