A-Levels: Modern Languages - French, German, Spanish & Italian

Why study a Modern Language?

As Europe becomes more closely integrated and the need for international collaboration increases, there has never been a more worthwhile time to improve your language skills. You may wish to continue your study of a language for purposes of leisure, for your career or because you wish to study it at university. Whatever the reason, the AS course will provide you with the confidence, vocabulary, cultural and grammatical knowledge to communicate meaningfully, both in written and spoken form. Progressing to an A2 qualification will equip you to embark upon a language degree or will provide you with valued, advanced language skills to cope in the world of work.

What do I study?
Over the two years of study, you will develop many new language skills. You will learn how to express your opinions, write target-language responses to a range of questions based on current issues and cultural topic areas and sustain conversation on a range of AS and A2 social and cultural topics to mention but a few. You will also learn to apply and manipulate grammatical structures at a higher level, to use more sophisticated vocabulary and to understand and develop idioms of the language. There will also be opportunities for developing personal links with students abroad through trips, exchanges, letters and e-mails.
When you enrol on an A-level language course, you will develop the essential skills relating to language learning at the required level. Throughout the year, you will be provided with many opportunities to practice AS-style questions so that you are able to improve examination technique.
The external examinations consist of four units, two taken at the end of the first year and two at the end of the second year. There will be opportunities to re-sit AS units in January and May of the second year:
Unit 1: Listening, Reading and Writing (May of year 1)
Unit 2: Speaking (discussion based on AS topic areas) (May of year 1)
Unit 3: Listening, Reading and Writing (June of year 2)
Unit 4: Speaking (discussion based on A2 topic areas + 2 cultural topics) (May of year 2)

Where does Modern Languages take me?
All universities now offer pure language degrees and/or combined courses with Languages, more and more with a career implication, e.g. Accountancy, Business, Law, and Engineering. For AS and A2 students there are career outlets in business and secretarial fields, but there is a need for language skills in Tourism, Journalism, Industry and Education. Greater fluency in a foreign language is, for many employers, a much sought-after skill.