How to revise for GCSE French Reading and Listening?
I got Cs on my mocks and really strugelled to understand anything 
the higher papers are so hard in comparisson to foundation, but I can't sit foundation because my predicted is an A.
I just don't know how to revise for them, I know I should learn the vocab but theres 50 pages of about 100 words I don't know how I'll ever do it.
the higher papers are so hard in comparisson to foundation, but I can't sit foundation because my predicted is an A.I just don't know how to revise for them, I know I should learn the vocab but theres 50 pages of about 100 words I don't know how I'll ever do it.
Well, I'm doing both too.
Currently, I'm writing down words relevant to the module in my vocab book and I'll keep looking over it before bed. This will help for me, because where I've often lost marks is not knowing what that one word which is the subject of the sentence means.
Do as many past papers as possible so you get used to the French accent. See if a pattern occurs in what you get wrong and the try and improve on it
Currently, I'm writing down words relevant to the module in my vocab book and I'll keep looking over it before bed. This will help for me, because where I've often lost marks is not knowing what that one word which is the subject of the sentence means.
Do as many past papers as possible so you get used to the French accent. See if a pattern occurs in what you get wrong and the try and improve on it
Original post by bronn
I got Cs on my mocks and really strugelled to understand anything the higher papers are so hard in comparisson to foundation, but I can't sit foundation because my predicted is an A.
I just don't know how to revise for them, I know I should learn the vocab but theres 50 pages of about 100 words I don't know how I'll ever do it.
the higher papers are so hard in comparisson to foundation, but I can't sit foundation because my predicted is an A.I just don't know how to revise for them, I know I should learn the vocab but theres 50 pages of about 100 words I don't know how I'll ever do it.
The listenings are spoken so slowly I can't see how you can get a C. Readings are hard, but if you don't know it, process of elimination and an educated guess can be made.
As for revision, don't just look at vocab, although do, but surround yourself with French. I recommend going on the BBC news website in french, http://www.bbc.co.uk/afrique/, reading it and trying to make out what it says. This will hone your reading skills. For listenings, ask your teacher to do practises. It is a matter of exam technique, you just have to tune in to what they are saying.
As for revision, don't just look at vocab, although do, but surround yourself with French. I recommend going on the BBC news website in french, http://www.bbc.co.uk/afrique/, reading it and trying to make out what it says. This will hone your reading skills. For listenings, ask your teacher to do practises. It is a matter of exam technique, you just have to tune in to what they are saying.
Hello, for my French/language GCSE reading and listening, i found that
- writing key vocab under "topics" helped e.g. topics like "shopping/school/hospital"
- i did quite a lot of practice papers, esp the listening takes a white to get used to
- listen to a french radio station, sounds strange, but. once u get used to picking out familiar words, the listening exam become easier!
- writing key vocab under "topics" helped e.g. topics like "shopping/school/hospital"
- i did quite a lot of practice papers, esp the listening takes a white to get used to
- listen to a french radio station, sounds strange, but. once u get used to picking out familiar words, the listening exam become easier!
Learn vocabulary bit by bit everyday... As for listening, I heard listening to Spanish radio helps (somehow)? Never tried it, but I sure hope it works.
Original post by Bubbles2010
Hello, for my French/language GCSE reading and listening, i found that
- writing key vocab under "topics" helped e.g. topics like "shopping/school/hospital"
- i did quite a lot of practice papers, esp the listening takes a white to get used to
- listen to a french radio station, sounds strange, but. once u get used to picking out familiar words, the listening exam become easier!
- writing key vocab under "topics" helped e.g. topics like "shopping/school/hospital"
- i did quite a lot of practice papers, esp the listening takes a white to get used to
- listen to a french radio station, sounds strange, but. once u get used to picking out familiar words, the listening exam become easier!
I've heard of using radio stations but how exactly do you pick a french station, all the ones I find are english. Do you know anyway to pick up some extra vocab?
Original post by scireamortente
Original post by scireamortente
I've heard of using radio stations but how exactly do you pick a french station, all the ones I find are english. Do you know anyway to pick up some extra vocab?
Do u have sky tv, some channels are french
and i found channels on the internet. If u want extra vocab, try reading some french news papers/articles if u can find any
Original post by Bubbles2010
Do u have sky tv, some channels are french
and i found channels on the internet. If u want extra vocab, try reading some french news papers/articles if u can find any
and i found channels on the internet. If u want extra vocab, try reading some french news papers/articles if u can find any
Thanks I'll do that.
Here you are:
French (& other Modern Foreign Languages)
Generally:
Emerse yourself in the language as much as possible
Don't panic - try to think clearly in the exam
Regularly revise vocab if you can
Practice makes perfect!
Listening:
This may sound obvious but the best thing you can do to improve your listening skills is listen to more French. People who go on exchanges often come back saying how much their skills have improved and this is largely due to the amount of exposure they get to the language. The more you here French pronunciation, the easier you will find it to pick up what they are saying. My teacher reckons that the standard of French in the listening is easier than the reading, yet this is where most people lose marks as it tends to be a bit scary! (I’m just as bad, it is by far my weakest area). Try getting some podcasts of French/songs to listen to on your iPod or do the boring thing and ask your teacher to borrow some tapes. It’s not like reading where you have a whole textbook to read in practice so make sure you don’t ignore it when you revise.
As for the exam itself – my teacher swears that you should never write down your answer the first time you hear it and this seems to be pretty advice. This way you can ensure that you are listening fully, enabling you to have the best stab at the answer possible. Get the gist the first listen, details the second. An awful lot of what you hear will be supercilious so do your best to discern what you need from what you don’t the first time, so you can focus on the important stuff the second. Always read the question first so you know what to expect.
I’m awful for panicking – if I don’t get something I freak out then miss the next couple of questions. Try not to be like me! If you’re stuck, it’s ok, focus on the rest of the paper. Use the “easier” starter questions to get into it.
Reading
Just like with the listening, the best revision you can do is to read French! Go over passages in your textbook (or even try reading French books – Harry Potter or something you’re familiar with...or French magazines about whatever it is you are into...). It will make you more familiar with the language itself and processes you need to go through to go about translating it. It is a beautiful language – try to find something about it you love and can relate to, even if the lessons at school are boring.
Read the question before the passage so you know what you are looking for in it. Maybe you would find it helpful to underline key words or phrases or circle stuff you aren’t sure with to come back to later. I usually find I have time left at the end of my exam so will go back and translate literally word for word passages where I have struggled in cramped writing above the passage. I’m not saying do this if you don’t have much time or it seems daunting, but it can help me to work through a difficult sentence or two. If there is a word you don’t know – see if you can figure out its meaning from the rest of the passage or common sense.
With reading you have the text in front of you – just like you would in a lesson. Try to think yourself back into that situation, take a deep breath and throw all the little bits of vocab you’ve picked up at the text.
Learning vocab is, obviously, key. The more vocab you know the higher the chance it will apply to the text you get in the exam. Try getting a relative/relative to test you regularly on the words at the back of the chapters/vocab list. Stick it up randomly over your house where you won't forget it. Try using little mnemonics on tricky words. Associate what you learn to real life situations as much as you can so it will stick better.
I haven’t mentioned the Writing/Speaking controlled elements – if you would like me too, please ask
(I didn't really quote anyone in the end, so don't worry about that.
French (& other Modern Foreign Languages)
Generally:
Emerse yourself in the language as much as possible
Don't panic - try to think clearly in the exam
Regularly revise vocab if you can
Practice makes perfect!
Listening:
This may sound obvious but the best thing you can do to improve your listening skills is listen to more French. People who go on exchanges often come back saying how much their skills have improved and this is largely due to the amount of exposure they get to the language. The more you here French pronunciation, the easier you will find it to pick up what they are saying. My teacher reckons that the standard of French in the listening is easier than the reading, yet this is where most people lose marks as it tends to be a bit scary! (I’m just as bad, it is by far my weakest area). Try getting some podcasts of French/songs to listen to on your iPod or do the boring thing and ask your teacher to borrow some tapes. It’s not like reading where you have a whole textbook to read in practice so make sure you don’t ignore it when you revise.
As for the exam itself – my teacher swears that you should never write down your answer the first time you hear it and this seems to be pretty advice. This way you can ensure that you are listening fully, enabling you to have the best stab at the answer possible. Get the gist the first listen, details the second. An awful lot of what you hear will be supercilious so do your best to discern what you need from what you don’t the first time, so you can focus on the important stuff the second. Always read the question first so you know what to expect.
I’m awful for panicking – if I don’t get something I freak out then miss the next couple of questions. Try not to be like me! If you’re stuck, it’s ok, focus on the rest of the paper. Use the “easier” starter questions to get into it.
Reading
Just like with the listening, the best revision you can do is to read French! Go over passages in your textbook (or even try reading French books – Harry Potter or something you’re familiar with...or French magazines about whatever it is you are into...). It will make you more familiar with the language itself and processes you need to go through to go about translating it. It is a beautiful language – try to find something about it you love and can relate to, even if the lessons at school are boring.
Read the question before the passage so you know what you are looking for in it. Maybe you would find it helpful to underline key words or phrases or circle stuff you aren’t sure with to come back to later. I usually find I have time left at the end of my exam so will go back and translate literally word for word passages where I have struggled in cramped writing above the passage. I’m not saying do this if you don’t have much time or it seems daunting, but it can help me to work through a difficult sentence or two. If there is a word you don’t know – see if you can figure out its meaning from the rest of the passage or common sense.
With reading you have the text in front of you – just like you would in a lesson. Try to think yourself back into that situation, take a deep breath and throw all the little bits of vocab you’ve picked up at the text.
Learning vocab is, obviously, key. The more vocab you know the higher the chance it will apply to the text you get in the exam. Try getting a relative/relative to test you regularly on the words at the back of the chapters/vocab list. Stick it up randomly over your house where you won't forget it. Try using little mnemonics on tricky words. Associate what you learn to real life situations as much as you can so it will stick better.
I haven’t mentioned the Writing/Speaking controlled elements – if you would like me too, please ask
(I didn't really quote anyone in the end, so don't worry about that.
Original post by BookWormShanti
x
I'd like to add interaction with natives has a huge impact, especially on Speaking skills. People are very often anxious and panicking when speaking because they feel they are being judged by the listener, and/or that they're not going to be understood, etc.
People going abroad usually come back with good skills notably because they have gained confidence in these very skills, which allows them to speak more spontaneously, and consequently their overall language skills improve.
In my opinion, there are two milestones in language learning - one may come before the other - : being able to think in the foreign language spontaneously (ie not having to translate in your head and think directly in the target language), and as I explain above, being confident in your language skills after having tested them in a real life situation with natives (strangers especially).
The second one is "easy" to achieve by just going abroad for a few weeks or months (provided you immerse yourself and don't do like some Erasmus who go abroad and stay with English-speaking people).
The first one is tougher to achieve. I think it just comes with time and practice. Using the target language more than your native language is a great way to do this (whether abroad again, or at home using teh internetz, etc).
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Xurvi
I'd like to add interaction with natives has a huge impact, especially on Speaking skills. People are very often anxious and panicking when speaking because they feel they are being judged by the listener, and/or that they're not going to be understood, etc.
People going abroad usually come back with good skills notably because they have gained confidence in these very skills, which allows them to speak more spontaneously, and consequently their overall language skills improve.
In my opinion, there are two milestones in language learning - one may come before the other - : being able to think in the foreign language spontaneously (ie not having to translate in your head and think directly in the target language), and as I explain above, being confident in your language skills after having tested them in a real life situation with natives (strangers especially).
The second one is "easy" to achieve by just going abroad for a few weeks or month (provided you immerse yourself and don't do like some Erasmus who go abroad and stay with English-speaking people).
The first one is tougher to achieve. I think it just comes with time and practice. Using the target language more than your native language is a great way to do this (whether abroad again, or at home using teh internetz, etc).
People going abroad usually come back with good skills notably because they have gained confidence in these very skills, which allows them to speak more spontaneously, and consequently their overall language skills improve.
In my opinion, there are two milestones in language learning - one may come before the other - : being able to think in the foreign language spontaneously (ie not having to translate in your head and think directly in the target language), and as I explain above, being confident in your language skills after having tested them in a real life situation with natives (strangers especially).
The second one is "easy" to achieve by just going abroad for a few weeks or month (provided you immerse yourself and don't do like some Erasmus who go abroad and stay with English-speaking people).
The first one is tougher to achieve. I think it just comes with time and practice. Using the target language more than your native language is a great way to do this (whether abroad again, or at home using teh internetz, etc).
I was thinking of you as I wrote the tips out actually! Great ideas, thanks
(do you mind if I add them into my revision tips thread as well?) I'd like to think I could do the first in basic situations, I am still very much struggling with the second (get 100s in school speaking, have a mental barrier whenever I meet a french person even though I know in my head the french I want to say and end up looking silly).
Original post by BookWormShanti
I was thinking of you as I wrote the tips out actually! Great ideas, thanks (do you mind if I add them into my revision tips thread as well?)
I'd like to think I could do the first in basic situations, I am still very much struggling with the second (get 100s in school speaking, have a mental barrier whenever I meet a french person even though I know in my head the french I want to say and end up looking silly).
(do you mind if I add them into my revision tips thread as well?) I'd like to think I could do the first in basic situations, I am still very much struggling with the second (get 100s in school speaking, have a mental barrier whenever I meet a french person even though I know in my head the french I want to say and end up looking silly).
Lol, did you? I didn't know I was famous
I don't mind, but how about posting a link in this thread as well?
I know the feeling. My Erasmus year in Ireland has definitely helped me; also now that I'm speaking over Skype to a friend in England from time to time it helps me keep a good level.
Livemocha has some listening and speaking things too. I didn't try them out but I suppose they can be a good tool for people who can't travel or don't know natives they can chat with.
Original post by Xurvi
Lol, did you? I didn't know I was famous
I don't mind, but how about posting a link in this thread as well?
I know the feeling. My Erasmus year in Ireland has definitely helped me; also now that I'm speaking over Skype to a friend in England from time to time it helps me keep a good level.
Livemocha has some listening and speaking things too. I didn't try them out but I suppose they can be a good tool for people who can't travel or don't know natives they can chat with.
I don't mind, but how about posting a link in this thread as well?
I know the feeling. My Erasmus year in Ireland has definitely helped me; also now that I'm speaking over Skype to a friend in England from time to time it helps me keep a good level.
Livemocha has some listening and speaking things too. I didn't try them out but I suppose they can be a good tool for people who can't travel or don't know natives they can chat with.
I've just seen you post around in relation to French before when I was researching grammar things for Speaking/Writing and remembered you as one of the actual Frenchy people, rather than a complete pretender like me!
That does sound good. I'll look up live mocha!
I did an exchange with school which I really enjoyed and had a lovely partner... but all of the e.ps insisted on talking to us in English - the last few days I worked up the courage to ask to speak French but by then everyone thought the English students didn't have good enough french so no one other than her would speak it directly to me, whatever I said. I think I was just a bit too weirded out generally though as I went with a bit of flu (wimpish as that sounds) and managed to lose confidence very fast. I'd been travelling with school on my own to China/Russia on aid convoy etc yet this wasn't the same.
The return visit was fun though and I was going to go back over this summer before stuff came up. I'm thinking about self-teaching French to AS at least (can't do it at school for a number of reasons) so I want to keep my level up.Here's the thread: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1553983 (didn't post link before as I have in a couple of places and didn't want to be shamelessly plugging!)
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by scireamortente
Original post by scireamortente
Thanks I'll do that.
alsoo, does ur school have a linguascope/languagesonline account? if yes, then for each topic, there's a vocab list, which is really useful
nb if u dont have an account, i'll pm u mine
I usually listen to French music, watch French films etc. Also, there is a really good podcast based in Glasgow called CoffeeBreakFrench that basically just teaches new vocabulary and allows you to have better depth in the language. As for the reading paper, I tend to read French news articles or websites. Obviously it is important to learn vocab and do practice papers but I find that if you want to actually somewhat enjoy the revision process, then you should immerse yourself in French culture, which offers you a cool experience, but also massively helps your French. This certainly helped with me!Hope this helped, and good luck with whatever exam you have coming up!Bonne chance!
Tone of the voice indicates whether they ate asking a question or telling you something. Then pick up the odd word in the sentences. Lol. But from now on, every message from friends you receive, try to copy and translate it to French then read and you'll learn quickly. Or ask them all to translate before sending
I usually listen to French music, watch French films etc. Also, there is a really good podcast based in Glasgow called CoffeeBreakFrench that basically just teaches new vocabulary and allows you to have better depth in the language. As for the reading paper, I tend to read French news articles or websites. Obviously it is important to learn vocab and do practice papers but I find that if you want to actually somewhat enjoy the revision process, then you should immerse yourself in French culture, which offers you a cool experience, but also massively helps your French. This certainly helped with me!Hope this helped, and good luck with whatever exam you have coming up!Bonne chance!
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