The study of modern foreign languages enables students to build on their learning in English and Irish and further develops their skills in and enjoyment of using foreign languages. Language learning is accessible to all students and contributes to their cognitive, personal and social growth by enhancing their communicative and thinking skills as well as their participation in a global society. Being able to communicate in foreign languages are among the eight key competences for lifelong learning as identified by the EU. Language learning broadens student’s horizons and enables them to develop a lifelong learning skill for education, leisure and work.
In Junior Cycle French, students are actively engaged in activities and tasks which integrate the five language skills of listening, reading, spoken production, spoken interaction and writing. As part of Junior cycle students will complete two classroom based assessment as well as an assessment task which is worth 10 percent of the overall result at junior cycle. Junior cycle French now has one common level.
Leaving cert French follows a common syllabus framework for teaching and learning modern foreign languages at leaving Cert level. The syllabus aims to develop their strategies for effective language learning and raise awareness of cultural, social and political diversity. Assessment is by means of a written exam, an aural and oral exam at two levels higher and ordinary level.