1. AQA GCSE Requirements
This four unit specification requires students to develop their ability to write and speak in the target language and to understand the language when it is written down or spoken. This course has a 60% controlled assessment.

2. GCSE Modern Foreign Languages
(Full Course)
Reading 20%
1 paper,
Foundation (grade G-C) or Higher (Grade D-A*)
Writing 30%
2 writing assignments
(Grade G-A*)
Controlled Assessments
Speaking 30%
2 speaking assignments
Listening 20%
Course content examples: My world, Holiday Time & Travel, Work & lifestyle, The Young Person in Society

3. How are the exams conducted?
Reading- short passages, signs, notices etc. Questions in English/ multiple choice and a few in the target language
Listening- sound files, pauses, repetition . Questions in English/ multiple choice
30/40 mins- written answers. In hall under normal exam conditions
Foundation/Higher Tier (Foundation= Grades C-G, Higher= GradesA*-C)

4. Controlled Assessment: Writing
3 Stages and Final Mark awarded by AQA
Stage1:
General teaching and learning activities carried out in preparation for receiving the task.
There is no time limit for this stage. Students may make use of reference materials of all kinds including course books, dictionaries and internet resources. The teacher’s involvement is not limited at this stage.
Stage 2:
This stage begins when students are given the task. This stage must be completed under informal supervision.This means that supervision must be sufficient to ensure that plagiarism does not take place. The work of individual students may be informed by working with others but students must provide an individual response. A student’s response must not be identical to that of another student in the centre or to any published model answer. During Stage Two, students may have access to reference materials including dictionaries, course books and internet resources. This research can be carried out outside the classroom.
Stage 3:
This stage is when students produce the final version.Students must spend no more than 60 minutes, per task, on writing the final version. This must be completed in one single assessment session.
Students aiming at grades G–D should produce 200–350 words across the two tasks;
Students aiming at grades C–A* should produce 400–600 words across the two tasks.
Students must be in the direct sight of the supervisor at all times when writing up the final version.

5. Controlled Assessment: Speaking
Stage One:
This stage refers to the general teaching and learning activities carried out in preparation for receiving the task. There is no time limit for this stage. Students may make use of reference materials and resources of all kinds including course books, dictionaries and internet resources as part of these teaching and learning activities. The teacher’s involvement is not limited at this stage.
Stage Two:
This stage begins when students are given the task. The teacher shoulddiscuss the task with the students, including the kind of language they might need and how to use their preparatory work. There must be no other support from the teacher. Students may have access to reference materials including dictionaries, course books and internet resources. This research can be carried out outside the classroom.
Stage Three:
This stage is when students produce the final version. Duration – Each task should last between 4 and 6 minutes.
Conditions: Teacher as Examiner, Student and voice recorder
Marked by teacher and sampled by AQA