Tel: 028 79628377 Fax: 028 79628973
St. Colm's High School Draperstown
Modern Languages
Staff: Mrs Ca Devlin, Mrs O McGrath, Mrs F Devlin
Introduction
The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower pupils to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible choices and decisions throughout their lives. Modern Languages develop pupils as individuals, as contributors to society and as contributors to the economy and environment. In St Colm’s, all Key Stage 3 pupils study French and Irish. Continuation of one or both languages is available to GCSE.
KS3 Subject Overview
Through a range of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing activities KS3 Modern Languages pupils become more effective and confident communicators with the capability of speaking or using other languages. They develop a willingness to use and refine their language skills in a variety of situations and become more aware of the diversity of cultures.
KS4 Subject Overview
Pupils study three contexts for Learning and are assessed in each of the four Languages Skills of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing.
These contexts for learning provide plenty of variety and scope for investigating, understanding, describing, discussing and giving opinions. The contexts are:
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identity, lifestyle and culture
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local, national, international and global areas of interest
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school life, studies and the world of work.
There is an external examination for each of the specification’s four assessment units, each worth 25% of the overall mark. The teacher conducts and records the speaking exam for our examiners to mark, and students have the opportunity to prepare one of the conversation topics in advance.
The table below summarises the structure of this GCSE course.
25%
Students must take at least 40 percent of the assessment (based on unit weightings) at the end of the course as terminal assessment.
Exam Board: CCEA
Revision Websites
www.bbcschools/gcse bitesize
Careers Opportunities
Career options with a language degree are broad and varied. Graduate employers increasingly value language skills and the intercultural awareness provided by international experience:
"More and more employers want graduates to have a 'global mind-set', which means understanding different cultures and how industries work across borders,"
Careers for Language Students Include:
Translation , Interpreting , Lawyer, Teacher , Speech and Language Therapist,
Working in European Institution or UN , Bilingual executive assistant or personal assistant
MEP Assistant, Government departments such as Trade and Investment, NGOs, Sales and Marketing, Travel and Tourism , Broadcaster/ Journalist