Year 13 German
Guidance for Parents
What will students be studying in German this year?
We follow the WJEC A2 specification. The oral exam is 40% of the final A2 grade and Listening, Reading and Writing make up the remaining 60%. Building on the linguistic knowledge acquired at AS level, the A2 course will allow A2 students to further develop their proficiency in all four skill areas in German. At this level they will need to present viewpoints, develop arguments, analyse and evaluate both in speech and in writing. Students study of at least 2 films and one literary text, which are an important part of the oral and the basis of the essay in the final exam. They will also translate from English to German, tackling short translations on a weekly basis.
Expectations of students in German
Year 13 students should by now have developed the ability to manage their time effectively. They need to make sure that they not only keep up with homework set by their class teachers and the language assistant but they should also find enough time to make sure that they are keeping up to date with the news in German speaking countries and working to consolidate and develop their vocabulary and cultural knowledge further.
What are the major assessments this year?
Students will be set written pieces to complete most weeks, translation passages and regular grammar and unit tests throughout the year. The mock exam, including an oral, will take place in November and, after that, there will be other opportunities to work through past papers. Students will start to research their film/book for the oral presentation from November onwards and will have a full mock oral in February.
What should my son/ daughter do if they feel they are struggling in the subject?
In the first instance, she should speak to her subject teacher(s). Once we have ascertained why he/she is struggling and in which areas, we will be able to put together a personalised and manageable support package.
How can I support my son/daughter in Year 13?
As most parents do not have specialist subject knowledge in MFL, it is not always easy for parents to provide targeted support. It is not really necessary for parents to buy materials as nearly everything your son/daughter will need is available on the Internet and we have a list of useful websites. It is important to make sure you listen to your son/daughter and ask how they are getting on. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact us. Please encourage your son/ daughter to take part in at least one of our school trips as this is often a great way to develop confidence and a love of the subject.
What kind of independent work should my daughter be doing?
There are a whole host of things students can do to develop their language skills: read German new online, listen to songs and video clips, watch DVDs from our extensive film library, use vocabulary building websites to consolidate and learn vocabulary. The website DW (Deutsche Welle) is particularly good. Independent learning is the key to doing well in this subject and all the evidence confirms that students who are effective independent learners achieve the grades they are aspiring to.
Who can I contact for further advice and information?
Please feel free to contact Mrs Thomas on athomas@newsteadwood.co.uk