Modern Foreign Language (French / German / Spanish) Board AQA Specification 8658 / 8668 / 8698
MFL GCSE In any of the MFL subjects on offer, there are four components: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Listening and Understanding Speaking Reading and Understanding Writing
All four of these components are examined at the end of Year 11. The Speaking exam is usually conducted between the end of March and early May of Year 11. This is the specification at a glance: Unit 1 Listening Examination 25% weighting
Unit 2 Speaking Examination 25% weighting
Unit 3 Reading Examination 25% weighting
Unit 4 Writing Examination 25% weighting
Foundation tier: 35 minutes, 40 marks
Foundation tier: 7-9 minutes + preparation time; 60 marks
Foundation tier: 45 minutes, 60 marks
Foundation tier: 1 hour, 50 marks
Higher tier: 45 minutes; 50 marks
Higher tier: 10-12 minutes + preparation time; 60 marks
Higher tier: 1 hour; 60 marks
Higher tier: 1 hour 15 minutes; 60 marks
The tasks are the same but the timings and some stimuli are different depending on the tier.
Section A – questions in English, to be answered in English or non-verbally
Foundation tier: 1. Message 2. Short passage 3. Translation into target language 4. Structure writing task
•
Section A – questions • in English, to be answered in English or non-verbally.
Section B – questions • in target language, to • Task 1 – Role-play – 15 be answered in marks target language or • non-verbally. • Task 2 – Photo card – 15 marks • •
Section B – questions in target language, to be answered in target language or nonverbally
Section C – translation Task 3 – General from target language conversation – 30 marks into English (a minimum of 35 words at Foundation tier and 50 words at Higher tier)
Higher tier: 1. Structured writing task 2. Open-ended writing task 3. Translation into target language
AQA GCSE Language courses have a Foundation tier (grades 1–5) and a Higher tier (grades 4–9). Students must take all four question papers at the same tier. All question papers must be taken in the same series.
GCSE Options Booklet (2021 2022)
Page 7
