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Language A-level

Hi,

How hard is an A level in a foreign language? For example, what linguistic capabilities in Russian can be expected from a person with an A level in Russian?

quite hard

I've just finished my French A-level. I don't know what I've got in it yet, but I consider myself to be pretty fluent. That is to say, I'd be allright if dumped in the middle of France. Ok, so I'd rely on "plus lentement s'il vous plait" (more slowly please) a lot but I'd probably be able to make a living there!

Reply 3

grammar_king

2

I'm the same. I'm confident I could live in Spain now. Russian, however, is a language not studied throughout school by a lot of people, so I have no idea if it's easier. Also with the different alphabet and complicated grammatical structure it's obviously a more difficult language to learn than French or Spanish, so A Level standard would probably be less fluent than A Level standard French or Spanish.

Reply 4

hannah_dru

2

If you really enjoy languages then an A Level shouldn't be too hard for you.

Reply 5

Gooner

14

I find that in French at least I could cope well with being in France, though I'm not fluent in it yet. In German I wouldn't say I'd be able to cope should I go there, simply because I don't think I've done half as much work for it. It all depends on how hard you work really; if you work hard at a language, you can easily become fluent in it quite quickly, and you'll notice the difference, whereas if you just lay back and do just what is needed, then you'll just be an 'average-joe' and will probably be able to string a sentence together, with basic grammar and sometimes inaccurate vocab.

Reply 6

Findthecar

If we're talking about exams I have been told that statistically Languages along with Further Maths are the subjects in which you are least likely to get an A grade at A level. Having said that, universities recognise this and offers for language courses are usually lower than average (Only Oxbridge as far as I now commonly ask for an A in the language you want to study). So yeah, they're tough, but when you have finished the A level you have a very useful skill that not that many other people have.

Reply 7

city_chic

13

I can't believe how much better at French I am now after doing AS. I could speak or write hardly any French at GCSE but now I consider myself faaairly fluent. Hopefully I'll be even better after A-level :smile:

Reply 8

city_chic

13

Swyn

I've just finished my French A-level. I don't know what I've got in it yet, but I consider myself to be pretty fluent. That is to say, I'd be allright if dumped in the middle of France. Ok, so I'd rely on "plus lentement s'il vous plait" (more slowly please) a lot but I'd probably be able to make a living there!

Haha, same here :p:

Reply 9

Excalibur

15

Hmm, maybe I'm being cynical but I can't really believe that anyone can become 'fluent' after an A level in a language. I think you can become fairly competent at it but to become truly fluent you'd really have to study it in depth at university and live in the target country for a while, imo. Of course, it all depends on the person though and some people are probably good enough to call themselves fluent.

Reply 10

arpeggio

12

I agree with Excalibur - though I've only done AS and not the full A Level yet, I am nowhere near fluent! I could probably go to France and understand the gist of what most people were saying and hold a conversation (as long as it was about immigration or something :p:

) but I wouldn't be the same level in French as I am in English for several years yet!

Languages are different to other subjects because at exam time you feel as though you should be revising something, but there's really nothing to do because it's a skill that's built up throughout the course. If you like Russian/learning about Russia's society and are willing to work hard then you'll be fine :smile:

Reply 11

Swyn

1

Excalibur

Hmm, maybe I'm being cynical but I can't really believe that anyone can become 'fluent' after an A level in a language. I think you can become fairly competent at it but to become truly fluent you'd really have to study it in depth at university and live in the target country for a while, imo. Of course, it all depends on the person though and some people are probably good enough to call themselves fluent.

Yes, I think it depends on the "immersion factor" and also how early you started learning the language. I, for example had no idea that English even existed until I was eight years old! Go S4C! Anyway, I was fluent by the age of about ten-ish. Just in time for SATs! That was probably because everyone can speak English and so I could practise all the time. With French, I didn't start until I was eleven, and that was only two hours a week, and my teacher is the only person I know who can speak French. So I'm nowhere near as fluent. But, as I've already said, I'm fairly fluent and would be allright in the middle of Paris or somewhere. I hope!

Reply 12

Gooner

14

Excalibur

Hmm, maybe I'm being cynical but I can't really believe that anyone can become 'fluent' after an A level in a language. I think you can become fairly competent at it but to become truly fluent you'd really have to study it in depth at university and live in the target country for a while, imo. Of course, it all depends on the person though and some people are probably good enough to call themselves fluent.

;yes; Completely agree with you there. I think I am fluent when it comes to the level expected of an AS level student, but I wouldn't say I'd be able to engage in conversation and sustain it for hours yet. I could probably talk for a few minutes or so, as I do with the language assistant at my school, but that's all. When it comes to writing though (especially in French) I find myself being able to communicate clearly, and say exactly what I want to without using a dictionary, but it can take a while to write and retrieve a word from memory. I think that all makes sense :confused:

Reply 13

SAZZY12345

10

are languages at A level a lot harder than gcse??

Reply 14

Gooner

14

Naturally they're harder at A-level, but at A-Level you only have 4-5 subjects so you can spend your free periods learning vocabulary, going over grammar and practising your language abilities in writing and speaking etc. As long as you practise, you'll find it manageable :yy:

Reply 15

SAZZY12345

10

yey lol i'll be doing french and spanish next year if i get the grades!

Reply 16

Gooner

14

Ah, good on you :smile:

The problem I think people fail to see with a language is that it takes lots of patience, and you need to practice it regularly, especially your weaker skills (especially listening, because very few people can say they are confident with this straight away). My motto is to practice the things you hate the most, and you'll like it more :p:

Reply 17

kellywood_5

17

A-level is definitely a huge step up from GCSE, but you get used to it pretty quickly and it's fine if you put the work in. I agree with Excalibur though- to be honest, I think people who consider themselves fluent just because they have an A-level are kidding themselves. I have an A at A-level, a merit at AEA and have just done the first year of a degree, but I know I'm nowhere near fluent! When I graduate with at least a 2.1 and have spent some time in the country, then I'll hopefully consider myself fluent. If you have an A-level, you could have a decent conversation with someone in the country, you could read newspapers/notices/leaflets or whatever, you could listen to the radio/watch the TV and you could do most writing, but that's probably about it.

Reply 18

sam_cluk

Some languages are harder than others. I did german and french AS. French was a breeze, the grammar doesn't get any more difficult past GCSE and in reading most of the words are practically their english equivalent.

German was a different matter. None of the words are anything like the english, we have nothing like cases in english so that's really hard to get your head around...

So I'd say it depends on the language!

Reply 19

Findthecar

sam_cluk

French was a breeze, the grammar doesn't get any more difficult past GCSE and in reading most of the words are practically their english equivalent.

Eeeeek! I wish that was true for me. I managed to get A* at French GCSE without even knowing that the subjunctive or the pluparfait existed :confused:

Language A-level

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