← All GCSEs

The literacy and numeracy skills in this GCSE

1. Listening for gist, detail and opinion

   Assessed: In the exam

   In the Unit 3 listening exam learners hear adverts, messages, podcasts, announcements, conversations and interviews in French and answer questions in Cymraeg or English. They must pick out the overall message, key points and opinions, and draw conclusions.

   Literacy: Listening for meaning, Developing vocabulary, Listening to understand

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils listen to three short recorded French messages about weekend plans and note in English the day, the activity and whether the speaker likes it.

   Year 8

   Pupils listen to a French radio-style advert for a campsite in Brittany and answer five English questions, one of which asks what the speaker implies but does not say.

   Year 9

   Pupils listen to two French-speaking teenagers discussing part-time jobs, note each opinion with its reason, and write one English sentence concluding who is more positive.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 3 Listening, Areas of content, page 17

   “identify the overall message, key points and opinions in spoken extracts, some involving more complex language, and draw conclusions where appropriate”

   Progression step 3

   • I can listen to, understand, infer, interpret and recall the general meaning of what I have heard.

   • I can listen to, identify and use key words to understand the general meaning and ideas which are implied.

   • I can listen to and understand information about a variety of topics, summarising the main points.

   Progression step 4

   • I can understand and analyse general meaning and implied ideas.

   • I can listen to gain different people's views and ideas on various subjects, using them to arrive at my own conclusions.

   Progression step 5

   • I can employ a range of strategies to understand, predict and evaluate meaning and implied ideas in a wide range of situations.

   • I can listen to a range of information and ideas from different perspectives, analysing and evaluating how different speakers present specific points of view.

2. Reading a range of text types for meaning

   Assessed: In the exam

   In Unit 4 learners read notices, signs, e-mails, web pages, articles, adverts and extracts from stories in French and show understanding by answering questions in Cymraeg or English, without a dictionary.

   Literacy: Reading strategies, Understanding, response and analysis

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils skim a short French web page about a town for gist, then scan it for five named facts, circling cognates as they go.

   Year 8

   Pupils read a French e-mail from a penfriend and answer English questions, using word families and verb endings to work out words they have not been taught.

   Year 9

   Pupils read a French magazine article about social media and write English answers that pick out each person's opinion and the reason given, without a dictionary.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 4 Reading and Writing, Areas of content, page 19

   “demonstrate understanding of the texts by responding to a range of questions in Cymraeg/English”

   Progression step 3

   • I can use a range of strategies to make meaning from words and sentences, including:

     • knowledge of phonics
     • word roots
     • word families
     • syntax
     • text organisation
     • prior knowledge of context.

   • I can use a range of strategies for finding information, e.g. skimming for gist, scanning for detail.

   • I can infer ideas which are not explicitly stated, e.g. writer’s viewpoints or attitudes.

   Progression step 4

   • I can use my knowledge of:

     • word roots and families
     • grammar, sentence and whole-text structure
     • content and context

     to make sense of words, sentences and whole texts.

   • I can use a range of strategies, e.g. speed reading, close reading, annotation, prediction, to skim texts for gist, key ideas and themes, and scan for detailed information.

   Progression step 5

   • I can read and analyse a range of unseen, printed and digital texts with concentration and independence.

   • I can use a range of strategies, e.g. speed reading, close reading, annotation, prediction, to skim texts for gist, key ideas and themes, and scan for detailed information, extracting and commenting maturely on key ideas and themes.

   • I can use my knowledge of different reading strategies to make sense of unfamiliar words in new contexts and sentences in complex texts, and apply these in my own communication.

3. Translating from French into English or Welsh

   Assessed: In the exam

   Unit 4 includes translating sentences from French into Cymraeg or English within a context. Learners must carry meaning, tense and tone across accurately into natural English or Welsh.

   Literacy: Translanguaging, Reading strategies

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils translate five short French sentences about school into English, then compare versions in pairs and agree the most natural English wording.

   Year 8

   Pupils translate a short French paragraph about a holiday, underlining each verb and checking its tense before writing the English, so past and future meaning is not lost.

   Year 9

   Pupils translate a French text on the environment into English or Welsh in timed conditions without a dictionary, then mark it against a model for meaning, tense and word order.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 4 Reading and Writing, Areas of content, page 19

   “translate sentences into Cymraeg/English within a context”

   Progression step 3

   • I can receive information in one language and adapt it for various purposes in another language.

   • I can use a range of strategies to make meaning from words and sentences, including:

     • knowledge of phonics
     • word roots
     • word families
     • syntax
     • text organisation
     • prior knowledge of context.

   Progression step 4

   • I can apply my translanguaging skills to support my learning in familiar and new languages.

   • I can use my knowledge of:

     • word roots and families
     • grammar, sentence and whole-text structure
     • content and context

     to make sense of words, sentences and whole texts.

   Progression step 5

   • I can independently identify translanguaging opportunities to enhance my learning and communication in my languages.

   • I can use my knowledge of:

     • word roots and families
     • grammar, sentence and whole-text structure
     • content and context

     to make sense of words, sentences and whole texts.

4. Reading and writing about a French literary work

   Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

   For the Unit 2 NEA learners study a graphic novel, short story, film script or novel in French, then answer a task set in Cymraeg or English by writing in French. They are not expected to understand every word but must give their understanding, ideas and opinions, with no dictionary or reference materials.

   Literacy: Reading strategies, Understanding, response and analysis, Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils read a short French comic strip together and write three French sentences about their favourite character using 'il est' or 'elle est' and 'j'aime'.

   Year 8

   Pupils read a short graded French story over several lessons and write a French paragraph saying what happens and what they think of the ending, with a reason.

   Year 9

   Pupils study an extract from a French graphic novel or film script and answer an English-language question in French in 30 minutes, using only the vocabulary they know.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 2 Reading and Writing, Areas of content, page 15

   “for learners to engage with a French work and write about it in French.”

   Progression step 3

   • I can read complex texts independently for sustained periods.

   • I can read to build my vocabulary and develop sentence structures, and use these in my own communication.

   • I can write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions, showing empathy and respect.

   Progression step 4

   • I can read, with concentration, printed and digital texts that are new to me and update, broaden and deepen my understanding of information, ideas and issues.

   • I can read to build my vocabulary and develop sentence structures, and use these effectively in my own communication.

   • I can organise and construct my writing effectively, connecting and developing my ideas for a range of different contexts.

   Progression step 5

   • I can read closely, analysing the content, language and impact of texts to deepen my understanding.

   • I can write with maturity about my thoughts, feelings and opinions in increasingly challenging and contentious contexts.

5. Writing in French for different purposes

   Assessed: In the exam

   The Unit 4 writing task asks learners to write in French in response to a stimulus, communicating information, describing, narrating and justifying opinions in formal and informal contexts, using more complex structures and past, present and future time frames.

   Literacy: Connectives and syntax, Vocabulary, spelling, grammar, Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils write a five-sentence French description of their family and pets, each sentence including an opinion joined with 'parce que'.

   Year 8

   Pupils write a French postcard from a holiday using the perfect tense for three things they did and one sentence about a future plan.

   Year 9

   Pupils write 80 to 100 words in French replying to an advert for a summer job, using three time frames and justified opinions, then check it against a success checklist.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 4 Reading and Writing, Areas of content, page 19

   “communicate clearly and effectively in writing for a variety of purposes, including communicating information, describing, narrating, expressing and justifying opinions”

   Progression step 3

   • I can use an increasing range of connectives to organise my ideas in sentences, paragraphs and whole texts.

   • I can use the standard form of a variety of words, e.g. present, past and negative forms.

   • I can write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions, showing empathy and respect.

   Progression step 4

   • I can select and use a variety of different sentence structures (simple, compound and complex sentences) with grammatical accuracy in my writing.

   • I can use a range of connectives specifically when organising my ideas in whole texts for different purposes.

   • I can adapt my writing style, choosing and using the best structures for different contexts and purposes, e.g. to successfully describe, explain, persuade, discuss.

   Progression step 5

   • I can vary sentence structures to engage and sustain the reader’s interest and write with grammatical accuracy.

   • I can organise writing in an appropriate form, ensuring content is detailed within and between paragraphs or sections, developing and sustaining ideas coherently.

6. Grammar, vocabulary and sound-spelling accuracy

   Assessed: In the exam and in coursework (NEA)

   AO3, knowledge of grammar, vocabulary and sound-spelling correspondence, carries 20.5% of the qualification across Units 1, 2 and 4. Learners must learn the Appendix A grammar and sound-spelling list and the Appendix B vocabulary lists, and read aloud accurately enough to be understood.

   Literacy: Vocabulary, spelling, grammar, Understanding, response and analysis, Connectives and syntax

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils play a weekly French sound bingo, focusing on the nasal 'on' or a silent final consonant, where they hear a word, write it from its sounds, and check accents and silent letters against the sound-spelling list.

   Year 8

   Pupils read an unseen five-line French text aloud to a partner, who ticks each silent final consonant and each liaison said correctly, then swap and repeat.

   Year 9

   Pupils proofread a French paragraph seeded with ten errors in adjective agreement, verb endings and accents, correct them, and explain two of the rules in English.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Section 3.1 Assessment objectives and weightings, page 21

   “Demonstrate knowledge of grammar, vocabulary and sound-spelling correspondence.”

   Progression step 3

   • I can use language appropriate to writing, including standard forms, e.g. nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, connectives and verb tenses.

   • I can use my knowledge of letter sounds and patterns accurately in my spelling, including:

     • roots, e.g. light, geo, appear
     • suffixes, e.g. -able, -cious/tious, -ful
     • plural forms correctly in context, e.g. -s, -es, -ies.

   • I can read a wide range of texts aloud with expression, varying intonation, voice and pace.

   Progression step 4

   • I can use a variety of strategies and resources to spell familiar and unfamiliar vocabulary and area of learning and experience/discipline-specific words correctly.

   • I can select and use a variety of different sentence structures (simple, compound and complex sentences) with grammatical accuracy in my writing.

   • I can read a range of challenging and authentic texts aloud with expression, varying intonation, voice and pace to convey meaning.

   Progression step 5

   • I can use strategies to spell discipline-specific and general academic words in appropriate contexts.

   • I can vary sentence structures to engage and sustain the reader’s interest and write with grammatical accuracy.

   • I can read a range of challenging and authentic texts aloud with expression, varying intonation, voice and pace to convey meaning.

7. Read aloud, role play and unprepared conversation

   Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

   The Unit 1 oracy NEA (30%) is a 7 to 10 minute test: a read aloud and role play, a presentation and discussion, and a conversation. Learners respond in settings such as stations, shops and cafés, ask and answer questions, complain, report problems and give reasons, with generally accurate pronunciation and intonation.

   Literacy: Clarity and vocabulary, Questioning, Purpose, Collaborative talk

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils act out a café role play in pairs from a prompt card, ordering food and drink in French and asking one question of their own.

   Year 8

   Pupils perform a train station role play in French in which they buy a ticket and report a problem, swapping cards each round so they cannot learn a script.

   Year 9

   Pupils hold a two-minute unprepared French conversation with the teacher about school and free time, answering each follow-up question with a reason.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Section 3.2, Unit 1 Oracy, page 22

   “The assessment will consist of three tasks: a read aloud and role play, a presentation and discussion, and a conversation.”

   Progression step 3

   • I can make appropriate choices about vocabulary, idiomatic language and syntax in order to express myself with fluency and clarity.

   • I can ask and answer questions, building on and developing the ideas of others in group discussions.

   • I can share, talk and write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions using a range of techniques to show impact.

   Progression step 4

   • I can speak clearly, selecting and adapting my language appropriately for a range of audiences and purposes, conveying meaning effectively to the audience.

   • I can make informed choices about vocabulary, idiomatic language and syntax in order to express myself with fluency, accuracy and clarity.

   • I have experienced speaking with different people in a variety of authentic contexts.

   Progression step 5

   • I can speak fluently and confidently, using a range of techniques, expressions and gestures.

   • I can speak from a range of convincing perspectives to meet the demands of different situations, contexts and purposes.

   • I can share, talk and write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions in increasingly challenging and contentious contexts.

8. Planning, redrafting and delivering a presentation

   Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

   Learners prepare a presentation in French on their own interest in advance, then take part in an unprepared discussion about it. Only their own notes are allowed in the room, so they must plan, redraft and reduce their talk to brief notes.

   Literacy: Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Proofreading, editing and improving, Purpose, Questioning, Clarity and vocabulary

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils plan a 30-second French talk about a hobby on a cue card of five key words, then give it from the card rather than a script.

   Year 8

   Pupils draft a one-minute French presentation on a favourite film or sport, redraft it after peer feedback on tenses and opinions, and predict three questions they might be asked.

   Year 9

   Pupils prepare a French presentation on a personal interest, cut it down to brief notes, deliver it, and then answer two unprepared follow-up questions in French.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 1 Oracy, Areas of content, page 13

   “give a presentation, prepared in advance, based on their own interest and take part in a short unprepared discussion relating to the presentation”

   Progression step 3

   • I can explore different ways to plan, draft and present my work appropriately.

   • I can reflect on, edit and redraft to improve the quality of my expression, and use a range of strategies to ensure greater clarity.

   • I can organise talk so that different audiences in different contexts can follow what is being said, including using formal language.

   Progression step 4

   • I can select and use appropriate strategies to plan and develop my writing for different purposes and audiences.

   • I can improve writing through independent review and redrafting.

   • I can sustain a convincing point of view, anticipating and responding to other perspectives.

   Progression step 5

   • I can present ideas and issues to meet the demands of different audiences.

   • I can select and use appropriate strategies to plan and develop my writing for a challenging range of different purposes and audiences.

   • I can improve the content, structure and accuracy of my writing through critical reflection, review and editing, responding constructively to feedback.

9. Numbers, fractions and graphs in French texts

   Assessed: In the exam

   Learners are expected to know the numbers 1 to 100 in French, plus listed number words such as 'moitié' (half), 'tiers' (third) and 'un sur quatre' (one out of four). Unit 4 reading texts can include a graph, which learners must interpret and answer on in Cymraeg or English.

   Numeracy: The number system, Relationships within the number system, Interpreting data, Conceptual understanding

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils play French number bingo to 100, then read a class bar chart of favourite hobbies labelled in French and say each total aloud.

   Year 8

   Pupils read a French infographic on how teenagers spend their free time, answer English questions on the figures, and turn phrases such as 'la moitié' and 'un sur quatre' into percentages.

   Year 9

   Pupils read a French newspaper graph on screen time by age, write two English sentences describing the trend, and one French sentence giving their own opinion of it.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 4 Reading and Writing, Areas of content, page 19

   “factual texts such as an e-mail, poster, web page, letter, newspaper article, flyer, graph, advert”

   Progression step 3

   • I can read and write numbers to 1 million and numbers to 3 decimal places.

   • I can use equivalence of fractions, decimals and percentages to compare proportions.

   • I can extract and interpret information from an increasing range of diagrams, timetables and graphs (including pie charts).

   Progression step 4

   • I can read and write numbers of any size.

   • I can interpret graphs that describe real-life situations, including those used in the media, recognising that some graphs may be misleading.

   Progression step 5

   • I can interpret graphs that describe real-life situations, including those used in the media, recognising that some graphs may be misleading.

   • I can represent a concept in different ways, flowing between different representations including verbal, concrete, visual, digital and abstract.

10. Telling the time, dates and timetables

    Assessed: In the exam and in coursework (NEA)

    Learners must know the 12 hour and 24 hour clock in French, and the days of the week, seasons and months. These appear in announcements, role plays at stations and venues, and reading texts such as notices and flyers.

    Numeracy: Measurement, Conceptual understanding, Strategic competence

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7

    Pupils say and write the date in French at the start of each lesson and match spoken French clock times to analogue clock faces.

    Year 8

    Pupils read a French cinema listing in 24 hour times and work out which film they could reach after school, giving the answer in a French sentence.

    Year 9

    Pupils listen to French station announcements, note departure times and platforms, and calculate the wait between two connecting trains.

    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Appendix B, Everyday language, Telling the time, page 37

    “Learners should know both the 12 hour and 24 hour clock.”

    Progression step 3

    • I can read and use analogue and digital clocks.

    • I can use and interpret calendars, timetables and schedules to plan events and activities, and make calculations as part of the planning journey.

    Progression step 4

    • I can use timetables and time zones to calculate travel time.

    • I can interpret answers within the context of the problem and consider whether answers, including calculator, analogue and digital displays, are sensible.

    Progression step 5

    • I can interpret answers within the context of the problem and consider whether answers, including calculator, analogue and digital displays, are sensible.

    • I can identify, measure or obtain required information to complete the task.

Source: WJEC GCSE French specification, Teaching from 2025, For award from 2027, Version 3, June 2026.