French Syllabus

Preamble

A Common Syllabus Framework

The Leaving Certificate French syllabus is set out in the context of a common syllabus framework for the teaching and examining of French, German, Spanish and Italian. The syllabus content draws on the junior cycle syliabus and develops many aspects of its aires, objectives and content.

The syllabus is "communicative" in the sense that it is based on the purposes to which learners are likely to want, need or expect to put the knowledge and skills they acquire in class, and in the sense that the objectives detailed in the syllabus are expressed in terms of language use. It is not, however, "communicative" in the narrow sense of confining itself te oral face-to-face communication. Nor does it presuppose a rejection of explicit teaching about the target language and culture; indeed, it presupposes quite the contrary.

Syllabus Structure

The two main components of the syllabus are its General Aims and a set of more specific Behavioural Obiectives. These Behavioural Objectives, which derive from the General Aires, are subdivided into three components: Basic Communicative Proficiency, Language Awareness and Cultural Awareness. Finally, details of assessment are described under the heading Assessment. The syllabus layout is therefore as follows:

• General Aims
• Behavioural Objectives
• Basic Communicative Proficiency
• Language Awareness
• Cultural Awareness
• Assessment

The syllabus content is designed in units of General Activities/Themes. The Performance Tarqets are designed to help teachers and learners to work out schemes of work and to ensure that learners are char about what is expected of them in relation to each General Theme/Activity. Assessment of students' performance will emphasise language and communication skills rather than the information content of any particularsection of the syllabus. Some of the communicative and linguistic skills, including the grammatical knowledge that students will need for the realisation of the Performance Targets, are elucidated in Section I as Linguistic Skills - Structures and Grammar. These exponents are, of course, distinctive to each language, and begin the process of translating the framework syllabus into the concrete practice of the classroom.

An integrated approach to the three broad components of the syllabus is recommended, i.e. classroom activities shou[d, where possible, involve more than one of the three amas; for example the choice of certain authentic materials might provide the focus for working on certain aspects of any two or ail three components. Many of the activities listed in the Langua.qe Awareness section wi]l help leamers to develop the more global skills necessary to perform activities outlined under Basic Communicative Proficiencv. Activities described under Cultural Awareness will allow learners to extend many topics listed under Basic Communicative Proficiency by drawing comparisons, giving examples, describing differences in the way of life of different communities, etc.

Basic Communicative Proficiency

Some observations about the different sections of the Behavioural Objectives component and their relationship to each othef are in order at this point. The first and largest section is labelled Basic CommunicativeProficiency. This builds on the repertory of communicative targets established by the Junior Certificate programme, and indeed itis assumed that the communicative skills acquired in the junior cycle wi[I be maintained and continually reactivated during the senior cycle. The objectives specified in Section I are for the most part related in a very obvious way to practical challenges that might be faced by the learner when operating in the target language community. On the other hand, a fair proportion of the objectives in this section may also be seen as relevant to activities and discussion that are likely to take place through the target language in the classroom.

Language Awareness

The aires of the Junior Certificate syllabus make explicit reference to the development of learners' language awareness and cultural awareness. These aspects of the Junior Certificate syllabus are developed further in the syllabus for the Leaving Certificate.

The objectives listed under Languaqe Awareness and Cultural Awareness are highly relevant to the communicative challenges of the classroom and the "real world" and are intended to have an important enabling role with regard to the attainment of a reasonable level of communicative proficiency. However, they also have a valuab]e contribution to make in connection with the wider language education and intercultural consciousness-raising functions of foreign language learning.

The raising of the learner's awareness about the workings of the target language and about his or her own encounter w[th the tanguage, which is the underlying purpose of the objectives set in Section 11 (Language Awareness), has direct relevance to the fostering of effective use of the language. Research has shown that developing this kind of awareness - within the context of a rich and interesting target language input accelerates progress towards grammatical and lexical accuracy and therefore towards communicative efficiency. Talking, reading and writing about the target language in the target language can promote both fluency and accuracy. As far as the language education dimension is concerned, the various objectives listed in the section are designed to develop awareness not only of a range of aspects of the target language but of relevant aspects of the mother tongue and other languages known to the learner and thus, at least to an extent, the functioning of language in general. Such awareness can be expected to ]mprove the learner's abilty to use the language for a wide range of purposes.

It is clear that certain misunderstandings of the 'communicative approach' - in particular the opinion that grammatical understanding and accuracy are no longer relevant- bave not been helpful to the learners, and this syllabus (in part through the enhanced role of 'language awareness') is designed to produce a more balanced spread of skills.

Learner Autonomy

Many of the Performance Targets in the Language Awareness section of the syllabus are also aimed at promoting learner autonomy and enhancing learners' chances of success by equipping them with the skills to find their own way. While recognising that it is helpful for teachers and learners to bave a defined-content syllabus, it is accepted also that it would be impossible to include in the syllabus ail the words and structures that learners will meet when using the target language. Learners will therefore need to develop communication strategies to cope with words and structures they bave hot previously met. Effective language learning involves using a range of strategies to deduce meaning similar to those specified in the Performance Targets in this section, such as using not only linguistic knowledge but also context, background knowledge, etc. The Performance Targets exemplify what is understood as language awareness in the syllabus, and further elucidation as well as specific ideas for implementation of this aspect of the course are contained in the methodological guidelines.

Cultural Awareness

Section III of the Behavioural Objectives component Cultural Awareness is similarly versatile in its potential usefulness. Taking into account cultural differences is often absolutely essential for successful communication.

It will be clear too that unfamiliarity with the major cultural reference.points (social, political, historical, etc.) of the target language community on the part of a non-native speaker also can hamper communication. As in the case of the objectives in Section I1, a further element in the rationale for the objectives in Section III is their likely favourable impact in terres of encouraging "content-instruction" through the medium of the target language. The intention that the Section III objectives should contribute to cultural and intercultural education generally is reflected in the fact that these objectives focus not only on the target language community but also on its re]ationship to Ireland and the Irish way of lire, and in the fact that they refer not only to culture-specific issues but also to issues which go beyond cultural divisions. Teaching and learning strategies based on a comparative methodology are elaborated in the teaching guidelines by way of suggestions for implementing this section of the syllabus.

Level Differentiation

Details relating to aspects of the examinations are described under the heading of Assessment. Rather than regarding students taking Ordinary Level as not able to perform ail the tasks of the Higher Level (and therefore identifying parts of the syllabus which are "not appropriate" to the Ordinary Level), it is recognised that the needs at Ordinary Level to communicate successfully within the target language community are no less great than those at Higher Level, and that therefore there are no Behavioural Objectives which are not potentially important at Ordinary Level. The different approach to the two levels for assessment purposes is described under the heading Differentiation. By keeping a common syllabus, however, the reality of the classroom is respected, as the timetable will not always facilitate the separation of the two groups for teaching.

Time Allocation

A minimum period of 180 hours over two years is envisaged for teaching the syllabus content. Where timetabling flexibility allows, additional time should be allocated.

Conclusion

This syllabus aires to lead every pupil towards four basic outcomes as a result of the experience of modern language learning in the classroom:

(a) a communicative competence in the target language
(b) awareness about language and communication
(c) an understanding of how to go about learning a foreign language
(d) a level of cultural awareness

Taken together, the General Aims and the Behavioural Objectives (expressed as General Activities/Themes and as Performance Targets) represent a broad consensus view of the ground which a senior cycle modem languages programme would appropriately cover and which a LeavingCe~ificate modern langua9es examination would appropriately assess.

GENERAL AIMS

The following general aims are proposed by this syllabus for the teaching and learning of modern languages in the senior cycle.

1. To foster in learners such communicative skills in the target language as will enable them to:
   take a full part in ctassroom activities conducted in the target language;
   participate in normal everyday transactions and interactions, both spoken and written, both at home and abroad;
   extract information and derive enjoyment from the mass medfa and the more accessible Iîterature of the target language community;
   consider as a realistic option the possibility of pursuing leisure activities, further study and/or career opportunities through the medium of the target language.
2. To give pupils a critical awareness of how meaning is organised and conveyed by the structures and vocabulary of the target language, and thus to contribute to their understanding of the workings of human language in general.
3. To help leamers develop strategies for effective language learning.
4. To equip leamers with a broad acquaintance with the cultural, Social and political complexion of countries in which the target language is a normal medium of communication and thus to help raise their awareness of cultural, social and political diversity generally.

BEHAVIOURAL OBJECTIVES

1. Basic Communicative Proficiency

1.1 General Activity/Theme:

Meeting and getting to know people and maintaining social relations.
Performance Targets

• Giving and seeking personal details, e.g. name, address, nationality, telephone number
• Asking what languages someone speaks
• Stating what languages you speak
• Discussing family and home
• Asking about and describing the general nature of the region or Iocality in which someone Iives
• Enquiring about and describing studies or work
• Introducing a third party
• Asking after someone
• Wishing someone well
• Congratulating someone
• Making compliments
• Apologising
• Making excuses

Linquistic Skills

• Developing an awareness of appropriateness of register
• Developing correct usage of question forms and appropriate replies.

Structures and Grammar

Use of tu/vous Formal and informal ianguage
Use of interrogative forms

• est-ce que ....?
• inversion of verb + subject
• use of intonation

Note: The 'je' form is used throughout by way of example. Pupils should be able also to use the tu/il/elle/on/nous/vous/ils/elles forms of verbs.

1.2 General Activity/Theme:

Making plans and discussing future action.

Performance Targets:

Offering te do something Declaring intentions Making promises Making arrangements, for example for time to be spent with someone Cancelling, altering arrangements Asking about someone's plans for future studies and/or his or her career possibilities Describing your o w n plans for future studies and/or your career possibilities

Linguistic Skills

• Mastery of forms expressing the future
• Expressing degrees of willingness and intentions according to different contexts
• Communicating decisions/intentions with varying degrees of urgency or persuasion
• Structures and Grammar
• Use of future tense
• Use of aller + infinitive
• Use of adverbs and adverbial
• expressions, e.g. du .... au ....; l'année prochaine; d'abord' après; ensuite; enfin.
  e.g. ie veux bien; le refuse; Use of si + present/future si + ira perfect/conditional
  Impersonal expressions, e.g. il faut + infinitive/ qu'il est important de/que
• Expressing cause and reason e.g. afin de/que peur + infinitive, etc.

1.3 General Activity/Theme:

Understanding, seeking and giving information about climate and weather
Performance Targets:

• Enquiring about and describing the general weather pattern in a particular country, region, or Iocality
• Using the media, telephone services and other sources to find out what the weather is going to be like during a particular period
• Passing on the main points of a weather forecast to a third party
• Enquiring whether particular activities (e.g. driving, skiing, sailing, travelling by air, hiking, swimming) are going to be possible under particular weather conditions

Linguistic Skills

• Mastery of a broad range of vocabulary relating to weather expressions
• Relaying content of weather forecast in indirect form
• Mastery of vocabulary and expressions relating to countries and geographical features

Structures and Grammar

e.g. le ciel est couvert; il y aura des éclaircies
Transforming from noun to verb, e.g. l a pluie- il pleut/il va pleuvoir, etc.
selon la météo .... l'ai lu dans le iournal que ....
e.g. en France; au Portuqal; sur l a côte .... etc.

1.4 General Activity/Theme:

Coping with travel and transport
Performance Targets:

• Asking for directions, optimal routes
• Giving directions
• Reserving and claiming seats, couchettes or cabins on trains, buses, ships and planes
• Specifying particular kinds of seating (smoking, non-smoking, aisle, window)
• Re-confirming reservations
• Discussing and making decisions about itinerary details
• Enquiring about facilities (washroom amenities, refreshments).

Linguistic Skills

• Understanding information/relaying concise information
• Expressing preference

Structures and Grammar

Use of interrogative, e.g. Pourriez-vous m'indiquer ....?
Use of imperative, e.g. Prenez/traversez/montez ....!
Use of 24-hour clock
e.g. Il vaut mieux prendre le train; compartiment/siège non-fumeurs, s'il vous plaît.
Use of comparative and superlative, e.g. Il serait moins cher de prendre le bus.

1.5General Activity/Theme:

Buying goods and services
Performance Targets:

• Using the media, telephone services and other sources to find out where particular goods and services are available
• Changing money or cheques in banks and change offices
• Enquiring about methods of payment, i.e. whether travellers' cheques, credit cards or Eurocheques are acceptable for purposes of payment
• Giving credit card details
• Ordering goods and services by telephone
• Negotiating purchase and hire
• Asking for a discount, refund or replacement
• Praising and/or complaining about the quality of goods and services

Linguistic Skills

• Coping with numbers, names, forms
• Decoding abbreviated forms of language, e.g. in petites annonces
• Expressing approvai/disapproval
• Enquiring, negotiating, choosing
• Becoming aware of intercultural difference in area of negotiation

Structures and Grammar

e.g. details of size taille/pointure, etc.
e.g. vds= je vends; gd = ,qrand; frs = francs
e.g. cela (ne) m e convient (pas)
interrogative forms; expressions of preference
e.g. Est-ce qu'il y a un tarif étudiant? Pourriez-vous m e faire un rabais?

1.6 General Activity/Theme:

Dealing with emergencies

Performance Targets:

• Seeking help from people in the vicinity
• Using the telephone to summon police, medical assistance, tire service, or emergency breakdown service
• Giving an account of an accident, breakdown, theft or assault
• Requesting that you be put in touch with the Irish Embassy

Linguistic Skills

• Requesting help
• Transmitting degrees of urgency
• Differentiating degrees of urgency
• Giving account or description of event in the past and sequencing events

Structures and Grammar

Au secours[ Pourriez-vous m'aider, svp
Imperative forms, e.g. venez vite; dépêchez-vous
Adverbs of time and manner, e.g. tout de suite; le plus vite possible
Use of passé composé, imperfect, pluperfect Use of:
- après avoir/être + past participle - avant de + infinitive - avant que + subjunctive - e n + pres. participle - pendant que
Il avait beaucoup plu, le camion roulait vite et il a dérapé sur la chaussée .qlissante.

1.7 General Activity/Theme:

Facilitating, encouraging or impeding a course of action
Performance Targets:

• Requesting permission to do something
• Making suggestions
• Offering advice
• Making demands
• Ordering or forbidding someone to do something

Linguistic Skills

• Mastery of structures necessary to facilitate etc. a course of action
• Developing sensitivity to expressing degrees of approval and disapprova[
• Developing awareness of social and diplomatic dimensions

Structures and Grammar

Interrogative sentences, e.g. puis-je/peux4u; est-ce qu'il est possible de .... est-ce qu'on peut .... vous permettez que ....
Use of subjunctive Use of negatives
Use of conditional, e.g. j e pourrais + infinitive
il serait mieux/préfèrable plus utile de + infinitive

1.8 General Activity/Theme:

Understanding, expressing feelings and attitudes
Performance Targets:

• Expressing hope
• Expressing pleasure
• Expressing a liking, dislike and preference
• Expressing satisfaction, dissatisfaction and indifference
• Expressing surprise and regret
• Expressing disappointment
• Expressing horror and embarrassment
• Expressing belief
• Expressing disbelief
• Expressing certainty
• Expressing uncertainty

Linguistic Skills

• Moving from short to full utterances
• Developing a choice of appropriate expressions
• Developing the ability to express a wide range of feelings and to react appropriately in a variety of situations

Structures and Grammar

Use of exclamations, e.g. sans bla.que! quelle horreur!
Use of main verb + infinit, verb + ~/de + infinitive, e.g. i'espère y aller; l'aime chanter; ie suis ravi de vous voir
Use of subordinate clauses + indicative/subjunctive, e.g. 1'espère qu'il viendra; je ne crois pas qu'il soit malade.

1.9 Ganerat Activity/Theme:

Managing a conversation
Performance Targets:

• Starting a conversation
• Asking for a repetition and/or clarification
• Confirming that something has been understood
• Expressing incomprehension
• Ending a conversation

Linguistic Skills

• Developing sensitivity to use of register
• Developing awareness of appropriateness of formulas to initiate and end conversations

Structures and Grammar

Appropriate use of formal and informa[ personal pronouns, adjectives and verb forms
e.g. Vous auriez un moment, svp; Je vous dérange? Je dois filer. Allez, au revoir.
- Developing use of question forms
- Qualifying degrees of comprehension
Pourriez-vous répéter/expliquer, svp?
Qualifying adverbs, e.g. je n'ai pas tout à fait compris

1.10 General Activity/Theme:

Engaging in discussion
Performance Targets:

• Expressing something as an opinion
• Stating that something is true or untrue
• Confirming that something is true or untrue
• Insisting that something is true or untrue
• Denying
• Contradicting
• Taking sides in a discussion
• Negotiating a compromise
• Ordering points in a discussion
• Concluding a discussion

Linguistic Skills

• Mastery of structures expressing agreement, disagreement, conviction, doubt and justification
• Using language nuances to express conciliation, scepticism
• Summarising contents

Structures and Grammar

Use of subordinate clauses, e.g. le suis persuadé/ convaincu que .... ie maintiens .... parce que .... ie doute que + subjunctive
e.g. il s e peut que + indicative/subjunctive i'accepte ce que vous dites, mais .... oui, mais .... cependant .... toutefois tu crois? etc.
Reported speech, e.g. il/elle a dit/estimé que ....
- Using clauses of contrast e.g. par contre; d'une part _.. d'autre part; d'un côté .... de l'autre

1.11 General Activity/Theme:

Passing on messages
Performance Targets:

• Offering to take a message
• Giving someone a message
• Indicating from whom a message originated
• Indicating the degree of importance or urgency of a message
• Dealing with messages on an answering machine

Linguistic Skills

• Relaying content of message
• Communicating degrees of urgency
• Transforming language forms in expanding messages

Structures and Grammar

Use of direct/indirect speech, e.g. Martine a raté le bus. Elle vient demain. Martine a dit qu'elle arrive(ra) demain.
Expressions of time and urgency, e.g. le plus tôt possible/demain matin/dans une heure.
Manipulating linguistic forms

2. Language Awareness

2.1 General Activity/Theme:

Learning about language from target language material
Performance Tar,qets:

• Understanding the main elements of target language material (newspaper, magazine articles, etc.) dealing with language-related topics such as:
  language as a social, regional and educational issue
  changes in language and language use (new words, spelling changes, foreign influences, etc.)
• Exploring target language literary texts as sources of linguistic information and illustration

2.2 General Activity/Theme:

Exploring meaning
Performance Tarqets:

• Abstracting the main points from a spoken or written target language text
• Working out the implicit inferences of statements made in a spoken or written target language text
• Guessing inteLligently at the meaning of target language forms on the basis of related forms in the target language and/or other languages (e.g. arriving at the meaning of a noun from that of a related verb)
• Exploring the workings of the target language through such activities as:
  Making meaningful target language sentences out of jumbled target language words, phrases or clauses
  Making short pieces of meaningful and coherent target language text out of jumbled or gapped target language sentences

2.3 General Activity/Theme:

Relating language to attitude
Performance Targets:

• Recognising the general "tone" (ironic, angry, flippant, etc.) of a spoken or written target language text on the basis of its lexis, grammar and intonation, and punctuation
• Identifying attitudes (e.g. critical, supportive, approving, disãpproving) on the basis of a speaker's or writer's use of language.

2.4 General Activity/Theme:

Talking and writing about your experience of the target language
Performance Targets:

• Discussing aspects of your experience of the target language, such as:
  how long you have been leaming it
  where you bave been learning it
  the advantages of learning it in terms of its use in Europe and in the world
  what you find easy and difficu·t about it
  what you like and dislike about the way you have been learning it
• Describing and commenting on any ways in which you have ruade your own persona] contribution te the process of learning the target language
• Describing any ways in which learning the target language bas affected your present ]ife (e.g. friendships, enjoyment of boeks, films, music, etc., attitude towards other culture) and/or future prospects (e.g. travel, career possibilities, further Janguage learning)

12.5 General Activity/Theme:

Consulting reference materials (e.g. dictionaries and grammars) relating te the vocabulary andgrammar of the target language
Performance Targets:

• Using vocabulary correctly and appropriate[y with the help of dictionaries.
• Leaming te cope with simple grammatical terminology relating te the target ]anguage.
• Using target ·anguage forms correctly on the basis of explanations in grammars relating te the target language written in English or Irish or in the target language.

3 Cultural Awareness

3.1 General Activity/Theme:

Learning in the target language about the present-day culture associated with the targetlanguage
Performance Tarqets:

• Understanding the main elements of target language material (notably newspaper and magazine articles, listaning material and literary texts) on contemporary aspects of target language community life such as the following:
  everyday activities (shopping, getting to work, eating and drinking, etc.)
  customs and traditions
  the arts and entertainment
  the range and role of the mass media

3.2 General Activity/Theme:

Reading modern literary texts (notably novels, short stories, poems and plays, or extractsfrom these) in the target language.
Performance Targets:

• Understanding the main elements of the surface meaning of a modern literary text in the target language
• identifying meanings present but not overtly expressed in such a text
• Appreciating the "tone" of such a text.

3.3 General Activity/Theme:

Describing and discussing everyday life in the target language community
Performance Targets:

• Describing the simi[arities and contrasts between normal everyday life in Ireland and normal everyday life in one of the communities associated with the target language, with particular reference to, for example:
  where people live
  how people are educated
  what people work at
  how much people earn in various jobs
  how much holiday time people have and how they use it
  how people spend their leisure hours generally
  what transport facilities are available
  what kinds of amenities people expect to have provided in their cities, towns and villages
  what people eat and drink, where and at what times
  what kinds of shops are available
  what kinds of public services are available (e.g. schools, hospitals, swimming pools)
  what aspects of the natural environment are prominently referred to in conversation and/or involved in work and leisure activities
• Discussing the relative advantages and disadvantages of the Irish way of life and that of the target language community in respect of the above areas of experience
• Identifying differences between [rish and target language community behaviour in everyday circumstances with the potential to occasion misunderstanding, embarrassment or offence
• Critically examining national stereotypes

3.4 General ActivityTheme:

Understanding, describing and discussing aspects of the relations between the targetlanguage community and Ireland
Performance Targets:

• Outlining in broad terres the principal links between the target language community and Ireland (e.g. co-membership of the EU, literary connections, tourism, sport, etc.)
• Stating and defending personal opinions about the desirability of maintaining, developing or changing Ireland's links with the community in question

3.5 General Activity/Theme:

Understanding, describing and discussing in general terms issues that transcend culturaldivisions
Performance Targets:

• Discussing issues such as
  teenager culture
  the generation gap
  "entertainment"
  environment and ecology
  sexual and racial equality
  ethnic minorities
  health and lifestyle
  changing perspectives regarding human relatienships (marriage, the family, etc.)
  the European dimension
  the Third World
• Describing how such issues present themselves in Ireland and in the target language community
• Stating and defending personal opinions in respect of such issues

ASSESSMENT

Examination tasks will always be based on the syllabus content.

In any given year examiners will choose a broadly representative range of elements from the syllabus.

1. General Principles

Candidates should be prepared to meet, in various combinations, situations and tasks from the whole syllabus content.

1.2 The tasks encountered in the examination in the four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, will bave "real life" validity or will be preparatory for real tasks.

1.3 The language encountered in listening and reading tasks will be authentic where possible and of real use to learners.

1.4 Assessment in the four skills will be concerned primarily with the receipt and transmission of meaning.

2. Core Objectives

Ail candidates will be assessed on their ability to

(a) demonstrate an understanding of the spoken target language in brief and more extended forms in a variety of registers and situations

(b) demonstrate an understanding of the written target language in brief and more extended forms in a variety of registers

(c) express themselves with relative fluency and correctness in the target language both in speech and in writing in order to describe, obtain and convey information, offer explanations, and express ideas, opinions and feelings.

3. Differentiation

The syllabus aires to cater for a wide range of pupil ability. Assessment will be at Ordinary and Higher leveis. While the syllabus is the same for both levels, the performance targets will involve language use of varying degrees of complexity.

Differentiation will be effected by means of

(a) Mark Allocation/Weighting of Skills

In the ongoing language acquisition process, receptive skills (listening and reading) develop earlier and to a greater degree than do productive ski[Is (speaking and writing). In differentiating between Ordinary and Higher Level assessment, the receptive skills will, taken together at Ordinary Level, be accorded a greater emphasis in terres of total available marks than will the corresponding skills at Higher Level. As a result, more marks will be allocated to productive skills at Higher Level than at Ordinary LeveL

Mark Allocation

(b) Assessment Criteria

These will take account of:

(i) ability to transfer meaning and

(ii) degrees of accuracy and appropriateness of language, including the range of vocabulary and structures used.

4. Format

The examination will assess a candidate's ability to:

(a) understand the spoken language
(b) understand the written language
(c) communicate in the spoken language
(d) communicate in the written language.

Within each of these Assessment Objectives the language and examination tasks will arise from the subject content.

Oral Assessment

The oral component of assessment will consist of

(a) general conversation, based on the syllabus content; candidates may avail of the option of discussing a literary work or a project the candidate bas worked on and which is relevant to the syllabus content,

and, on an optional basis:

(b) a role-play situation.

It is intended that a two-year experimental phase involving role-play be implemented in1995 for assessment in 1997 and 1998. Schools may have the option of submitting ailtheir pupils taking Leaving Certificate French for oral assessment that includes a role-play component. It is intended that a large range of materials for (b) will be issued wellin advance to schools to form the basis of these tests.

Fifteen minutes will be allotted per candidate.

Listening Comprehension

Candidates will be required to listen to a tape recording and to answer questions in English or Irish on what they bave heard. They will be required to demonstrate anunderstanding of general information and specific details on a variety of aurai stimuli arising from the subject content of the syl[abus, including conversations overheard, public announcements, and extracts from radio and other sources.

Reading Comprehension

Candidates will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of, and extract relevant specific information from. such texts as public signs, menus, timetables, broc hures, guides, letters, newspaper or magazine articles and works of literature. Material at the Higher Level will place greater demands on the candidetes. It will require the candidate to explore various levels of meaning within a text and demonstrate awareness of.some stylistic aspects of literary texts.

Written Production

The tasks set will primarily require the candidate to use the target language for purposes of communication such as expressing feelings and attitudes, giving and obtaining information, describing, relating, offering explanations, summarising, elaborating, etc.