Standard Grade: revision hints

Over the next few weeks, you should be starting to think about your prelims. The earlier you start to revise, the more painless it will be!

• You will be tested not only on vocabulary covered in class but on your ability to cope with less familiar topics. This is why Past Paper-based lessons are so important and you are encouraged to approach such work with such focus.

• Your first port of call should be your vocab sheet and the work you've done in class over the past two years.

• For Reading, make sure that your dictionary skills are up to scratch (sheet recommended in previous post) and that you use techniques discussed in class.

• The Listening prelim is held the week before the rest of the prelims start. (update: Pupils have been invited to Supported Study on Monday 9th November, Tuesday the 17th November and Monday the 23rd November. Listening will be the main focus.)

• For all exams make sure that you attempt all questions. Remember that you are expected to pick out information and not necessarily understand everything.

• Useful sites have been/will be recommended for your use.

• Click the label SG Revision, for a variety of sites I've recommended in the past.

H/Int 2: The story so far

Just a quick recap of what you've looked at in my part of the course so far:

Grammar

* Present tense regular verbs (-er, -ir, -re)
* Present tense: 4 most common irregular verbs (aller, avoir, être and faire)
* Present tense: devoir, vouloir, pouvoir, prendre
* Present tense reflexive verbs (Wed)

Quick recap here or you can double-check conjugations when writing here should you need it, although this is no substitute for learning verbs!

Extended Reading and Viewing

* We have watched Amélie
* We have gone over the requirements of the NAB
* Task has been given out and you should be working on it
* Give yourself a practice run the weekend before the NAB, compare it to your correct version and see what you're not doing well

Listening

* Intermediate 2 tasks before the holidays (also on the topic of family relationships)
* Papa Poule (+new vocab) and related exercises
* Parents séparés (+ new vocab) and related exercises

Short Essay/Speaking

* Two given before the holidays
* Essay just completed, corrected and ready to redraft.

Higher/Int 2: building up vocabulary for Speaking/Writing

Your starting point should be the materials we use in class (which should now be copied on to your USB key) and the vocabulary lists we have referred you to. When we go through the vocabulary, you should be highlighting phrases you want to copy, contradict or adapt for your own circumstances and, if you have a specific question, do ask at the time!

There are some useful sites online but it often takes time to sift through all the things that you don't need for now. One such site is Frenchteacher.net; everything on this page is aimed at pupils preparing for A-levels but if you scroll down to near the bottom there are vocab lists, small sections of which could be of some help. No vocabulary list can or should contain everything you want to say. You should also be learning to find what you need in your own dictionary and grammar notes, and work at being more confident in constructing your own sentences independently. If you need help in this, let your teacher know.

Keep an eye on this post; if I come across relevant material that could be useful, I'll let you know here.