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When exam time comes around, being armed with the right revision materials makes all the difference to your confidence on exam day.
Unlike subjects like maths and science, French revision has to be a lot broader than learning a particular method for solving problems.
GCSE, AS and A-level French exams are all about gauging your language skills as well as assessing your understanding of a range of issues – so you can never do too much revision.
Because of the abstract nature of language exams, targeting your revision can be difficult at times.
There are, however, lots of good resources which will not only help you to improve your French speaking, listening and writing skills, but which are tailored for your specific course and exams.
So, whether you’re a key stage 3 student looking to brush up on their French skills before your first GCSE French lesson, or you’re a GCSE, AS or A-level French student wanting to know more about the resources on the market, Superprof is here to tell you all you need to know about French revision resources!
KS3 French Revision Resources
Key stage 3 includes all students in years 7, 8 and 9.
As the stage during which students are likely to first be introduced to a foreign language, making sure that they are surrounded by good revision materials is key to keeping them motivated in their learning.
So, if you’re a KS3 student looking for ways to get the most out of your French lessons before starting your GCSE years, here are a few resources you might find helpful:
BBC Bitesize French
BBC Bitesize is famous for its online learning environment which helps students of all ages to revise and practice their skills in a range of subjects.
The material on BBC Bitesize KS3 French is divided into the four main areas covered when learning the French language: listening, reading, speaking and writing.
For each section, there is a number of ‘class clips’.
These are short videos which vary according to their aim.
While the class clips for listening focus on helping students get used to hearing French being spoken by native speakers, speaking clips take the form of mini-lessons.
So, if you’re looking to brush up on your basic skills, BBC Bitesize is a great resource for you.
Collins KS3 Revision French
The Collins KS3 revision textbook has it all.
It teaches French on a topic-by-topic basis, with mini-tests at the end of each section to let you see how you’re progressing.
This revision guide has been compiled with the student in mind: rather than simply setting out what KS3 students should know, it also includes plenty of opportunities for you to practice your French skills with a range of exercises.
With this workbook, your revision will become far more active than if you were to rely on re-reading your notes alone – and as everyone knows, practice makes perfect!
CGP New French Grammar Handbook – For KS3 & Grade 9-1 GCSE
French grammar is notoriously difficult to learn.
With eight simple verb forms and any number of tenses and moods, remembering how it all works can be tricky.
This is where the CGP New French Grammar Handbook comes in.
CGP is a trusted provider of revision guides, and their French textbooks are no exception.
Their French Grammar Handbook covers all of the key points which KS3 and GCSE French students are expected to know, as well as explanations and grammatical exceptions.
If you’re particularly focussed on perfecting your French grammar skills, there is also a workbook that can be used alongside the handbook – so you’ll not only be able to learn French grammar but also put it into practice.
GCSE French Revision Guides
Sitting your GCSE exams can be stressful at the best of times – so having access to the right resources can make a huge difference to your confidence in the exam hall.
The main exam boards which are used for GCSE French are AQA and Edexcel – be sure to check which exam board your school is using before you start buying revision guides!
Here are three great revision resources for French GCSE students:
AQA GCSE French: Foundation and Higher Student Books
The AQA GCSE French books are usually the textbooks used to accompany your French lessons in school and should, therefore, be provided by your French teacher if AQA is your exam board.
The AQA GCSE French textbook comes in two versions: foundation and higher.
This is to do with the paper you will be sitting at the end of your study. The foundation paper is for students aiming for a grade C (grade 5), whereas the higher paper is for students aiming towards a grade A* (grade 9).
So, if you are sitting a GCSE French exam from AQA, this textbook is your best port of call, as it has been written by the exam board itself.
Revise AQA and Revise Edexcel French Revision Workbooks
The Revise Edexcel and Revise AQA GCSE French revision workbooks are great for anybody who believes that practice makes perfect.
Whether you want to practice your French grammar skills or brush up on your vocab, with the help of these books, you’ll be able to get as much practice as you like!
There are also revision guides available to accompany these workbooks. All resources can be found on Amazon.
You may get more suggestions for materials to review from your Superprof tutor if you take French lessons online!
CGP GCSE AQA and Edexcel French Complete Revision and Practice (9-1)
When it comes to talking about the best revision guides, the name ‘CGP’ always crops up – and it’s because they’re the best!
CGP’s attitude towards revision guides is that they should be thorough yet concise, and detailed yet accessible so that any student can benefit from them.
They offer all kinds of revision resources for GCSE French, but their Complete Revision and Practice book is the most comprehensive.
They also cater for both AQA and Edexcel, so you can benefit from CGP’s revision wisdom whatever your exam board!
With CGP’s Complete Revision and Practice, not only will you have detailed explanations for all kinds of topics and grammar points, but you will be able to try out your newly-acquired knowledge with the exam-style questions in the workbook – just what you need to ace your GCSE French exam!
Naturally, there are plenty more resources for honing your French language skills; in a separate article, we've listed the best of them...
A Level French Resources
The jump from GCSE to A level is a significant one. Even with AS exams in-between, you have to hit the ground running once you start the sixth form.
A level French is all about learning to discuss a wide range of topics with a high level of fluency and spontaneity.
However, your French teacher will tell you that there is a big difference between learning how to speak a language and learning how to pass an exam in it.
Find French lessons on Superprof.
So, while you might be keen to become fluent in your everyday French, you won’t be able to access the top marks without a good understanding of the topics studied during your course.
But never fear! There are plenty of revision guides to help you prepare as best you can for your exams so you get the grade you deserve on results day.
AQA Year 1 & AS and Year 2 & A Level French Student Book
Just like at GCSE, A-levels can be taken with AQA or Edexcel, and there are resources for each exam board.
AQA provides two student books:
- Year 1 and AS
- Year 2 and A Level
These books are usually used to accompany your course content and are great revision resources as they are written by the exam board themselves. In addition to key vocabulary and grammar points, there are also practice questions as well as listening exercises available to download from the popular platform, Kerboodle.
Edexcel A Level French
Edexcel’s A-level textbook includes the AS content – so you only have one book to worry about!
This textbook has been written with the student’s progress in mind to make the transition from GCSE to A-level French as smooth and natural as possible so as not to discourage students.
By using this textbook as a revision guide, you will be able to develop your reading, listening, writing and speaking skills with tips on usage in each area as well as advice on your personal research project.
French Grammar and Usage
French Grammar and Usage by Roger Hawkins and Richard Towell is recommended all over the country by A-level French teachers and university lecturers in French.
This reference grammar book is perfect for anyone who wants to brush up on using a particular grammatical structure by reading detailed explanations with plenty of examples.
There is also a workbook available to accompany this handbook, so you can test out your performance and see how you progress!
Use these resources alongside french lessons london for an all-round learning experience.
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