French

French
 

French is estimated to have approximately 76 million native speakers, with another 77 - 110 million people who speak it as a second language. French is the second most studied language in the world, with approximately 120 million people currently learning it. 

French was introduced to new territories around the world from the 16th century onwards due to French and Belgian colonialism. As a result French is an official language in 29 countries across five different continents. French is spoken as a first language in France, Canadian provinces of Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick, Belgium, western Switzerland, Monaco, parts of the United States, and by various communities elsewhere. including New Caledonia and French Polynesia. 

French is a first or second language of several important international organisations, such as the the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the International Olympic Committee. The French language is currently the third most useful for business, following English and Chinese.

By learning another language and its related culture, students not only extend their linguistic and cultural understanding of other peoples, but also increase their understanding of their own language and culture. Interaction in a new language introduces students to thinking and understanding the world in new ways . This allows students to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes that will equip them for success, both at home and at work, in the increasingly connected world they live in.

NCEA French
 

Level 1
Students taking French at Level 1 will usually have already learnt French during Years 9 & 10. In Level 1 French, students are now working towards understanding and producing more complex language. They focus on communicating beyond their immediate context eg. talking about the past or future and encounter a variety of text types. Students are encouraged to express personal ideas/opinions and to respond to those of others as well as select appropriate language for specific purposes and audience.

Level 2
The achievement objectives for Level 2 French encourage students to use the language variably and effectively in order to express and justify their personal perspectives, explore the opinions of others in sustained interactions and to respond critically to increasingly varied and complex texts. Cultural knowledge is important as they learn to analyse how the target language expresses cultural meaning and how it is organised for different purposes and audiences. Students are actively encouraged to formulate opinions on issues relevant to teenagers, both here and in their chosen countries. They are exposed to a variety of media and written genres. Text types include emails, journal entries, Internet sites, news items, reviews and letters. Technology provides more and more source material for current issues. This material becomes more and more authentic and less written for second language learners. In French, topics include latest trends, personal relationships, future plans, holidays here and abroad, health and well-being and traditional stories.

Level 3
At Level 3 students continue to build upon the skills and language structures learnt in Level 2 with the same achievement objectives outlined in the Level 2 description. Greater skill at manipulating the language is required, with emphasis on being able to develop an extended point of view. Topics of study include the environment, immigration and integration of immigrant populations, the rise of Islam, social issues e.g. the rising number of homeless all provide a stimulus for much discussion and exchange of views. In French, students study film and analyse literature, as well as reviewing text types. Authentic material is now very much in evidence. Technology plays an integral role in sourcing this material.