Experience suggests that success in French speaking and listening exams comes in three ways.  Obviously a well-grounded knowledge of the language is needed.  But also the student needs confidence and the ability to use the knowledge of the language that he/she possesses.  

Unlike most books that deal with speaking and listening, the copiable volume “How to get top marks for my French speaking and listening exams” deals with all three issues: knowledge, confidence and the application of knowledge in relation to Foundation and Higher Tiers GCSE and Core and Extended IGCSE French.

As the book stresses to students on the first page, “Success is deliberate.”  In these exams, the author says, intonation, exam skills, and vocabulary are the key.  Along with a real motivation to get better at speaking French.

And because motivation is considered so important, the book starts with exercises in motivational techniques.  It may seem unusual that in the opening few phrases there is no French, but it is a fact that without motivation and a sincere desire to pass the exam the student will not improve.

When the focus does move to the language, there is a constant focus on the nature of the task in hand.  Listening is made a central part of the task in hand, and from here the work in French begins to flow.

In all there are 100 copiable pages, provided either as a copiable text or on CD Rom so that they can be loaded onto the school’s learning platform for all students to access.

The sheer variety and down to earth honesty of the book will enthuse the students, and they will particularly appreciate the section on “bluffing and improvising” which shows them how to deal with unknown words and phrases.

Indeed it is sections such as that, that enthuse the students to work in much greater depth and with much greater focus, when they work through the dialogues.

Cat No: 978 1 86083 815 6