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How to excel in French?

Bonjour, tout le monde! 


Je m'appelle Jiayu, et aujourd'hui je vais introduire le sujet de français en H2.


Greetings to my soon-to-be J1 readers! I'm sure all of you reading this have had a 4-year french education, or at least an interest in French. I myself took the French O levels, but unfortunately did not continue the subject in JC.


But fear not! I've interviewed a H2 French student here in Hwa Chong who has provided me with all the insider information to make this guide one you wouldn't want to miss! (Thank you and all credits to Cadence Chua from 23A10!)


Introduction to syllabus:


H2 French is a whole new ball game compared to O Level French. According to Cadence, while immersion alone could get you a high score in the O Levels, both immersion and memorisation is needed in the A Level French syllabus—a much more demanding curriculum. Immersion in the language (such as reading French news, setting your phone language to French, listening to French podcasts etc.) helps you with your accent, use of language and boosting your general vocabulary, while memorisation makes sure that you can easily find examples to write about in your essays, which are now argumentative instead of narrative, meaning that students now need real-life, up-to-date case studies on a variety of themes.


Content-wise, in J1, much like General Paper (or O Level English/Social Studies), students will be covering contemporary issues of France and other French-speaking countries, getting to know about their Education System, Culture and Heritage, etc. The key difference in these topics covered would be the political, economic and societal focus taken when students are studying these issues in French society. In J2, students will take on an even more macro lens to look at war and peace in France and the surrounding region.


One key difference, however, would be the mode of assessment. While most of the O Level assessment papers are standardised tests such as oral, listening comprehension, essay and reading comprehension, a unique feature of H2 French is the mandatory coursework, where you work on an extended essay over the course of a few months and submit it with the rest of your A levels. This is a great opportunity to dive deeper into one particular social issue of France as well as boost one’s final grades.



Quick Tips to ace H2 French:


  1. Immerse yourself in French — from your handphone language settings to consuming French media on a daily basis, immersion in the French language can steadily bring up your language skills to the level needed for writing well in French - the main examinable component in H2 French.

  2. Read up on Europe-focused news — French at the H2 level is like GP. A wide variety of knowledge on France and Europe’s current affairs is crucial to competently answer the essay questions and can even contribute to your understanding of comprehension passages.

 


But, why would you want to study French? Let’s consider this subject’s utility and value in your post-tertiary future. 


Firstly, perhaps you would like to study in France! Many students studying H2 French vie for the H2 French scholarship, which has an Overseas Immersion Component. In fact, you can look out for an article featuring Cadence’s experience in Toulouse, France in the new school year! 


Secondly, studying H2 French can also give you a more in-depth understanding of the European world, which could be very helpful if you like current affairs or plan to study something Europe-related in the future. 


Last of all, experience it for yourself by participating in the trial classes at MOELC and asking your seniors for advice. Bon courage !


Written by: Yang Jiayu (23A10)

Edited by: Ong Huay Xin (23A11)

Interviewee: Cadence Chua (23A10)

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