Sorry...

Posted By: mellers on

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008, 5:30 am

OK so I was conscious and speaking (in French I think) for the entire 15 minutes of the oral exam last night - but I have little or no recall of what I actually said.

The time seemed to go on for ages and I kept thinking to myself "surely we must be up by now. Not ANOTHER question......" but I'm really struggling to remember exactly what she asked me and what I said in return.

I don't think I said a load of rubbish but I was vaguely aware of repeating myself rather a lot and know that the very last word I said was the feminine version of an adjective which should have agreed with a masculine noun...... But hey, it could have been worse, and at least I was talking the whole time. Indeed if my estimate of how it went last year was anything to go by, when I thought I had got a really crappy oral grade and it turned out to be a B, then what I feel or think now is going to be entirely unrepresentative!

Thanks to all who wished me well and roll on 16th June when I can say goodbye to exams for ever! (well until I get restless and want to challenge myself again! lol!)

Tags: oral, french, a level, exam

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Posted By: mellers on

Sunday, April 13th, 2008, 5:06 am

Well, it's just over a week to go to the first part of this year's exam, and I'm already getting anxious about it. I'm not as well prepared this year as I was last year, but I suppose I could look at it from the point of view that hopefully my delivery will be more natural.

Fortunately partner has swallowed his reticence and is being more helpful, so I don't feel driven to comfort eating as was happening last week. It's just a shame that the teacher this year has been so, unhelpful in her marking and preparation. I don't feel that I have had any "guided" learning at all this year. It's all come from me and my own work from home. What a shame.

I'll let you know how the exam goes after next Monday (21st).

Tags: oral, french, a level, preparation, exam

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Posted By: mellers on

Sunday, April 6th, 2008, 3:24 pm

This year for the 2nd year of the French A Level, we are required to produce two essays as coursework on subjects of our choosing. Nothing too heavy, just 500 words and 1000 words on something you can research and where you can be discursive. I've just finished the second one only (just in time as it's due in in 2 weeks time) and it's a bit of a relief actually to know that it's done and dusted.

I now have the remaining 2 weeks to concentrate on the oral part of the exam which (due to a spectacularly bad sense of timing by the teacher) is also due in two weeks time, despite there being another two months to the remaining part of the exam.

Work is being just as crappy as ever. I'm not looking forward to having to try and cope with equipment which doesn't work and people who don't care.

Sorry, just having a low moment there - I'm sure I'll snap out of it soon.

Tags: french, work, essay, a level

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Posted By: mellers on

Monday, December 10th, 2007, 11:58 am

It's the end of term tonight and I have to hand in my first piece of coursework. A 500 word tome, on the efficacy of French speed cameras (they are a relatively new thing for les Francais!).

 They essay in question has taken me fliipin ages, despite being only two word-processed pages long! Over a period of about 5 weeks I must have spent nearly 30 hours on it. 10 of which was probably reasearch, 5 was formatting and including all the sources of my research, 10 was probably tweaking it, re-reading, and changing it (since it was supposedly finished! lol!) and only about 5 hours actually composing stuff to say!

Hey-ho - I'm pleased with it now!

Mellers

Tags: essay, a level, mellers

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Posted By: mellers on

Friday, December 7th, 2007, 5:10 am

Ok, so it's only 500 words, but it's in a foreign language and it's taken me weeks!

Last night I put the finishing touches to my A level French coursework essay and printed the wretched thing off! I'm pretty pleased with it, I have to say. I have included load of tense variations, idoms, variations in vocabulary and made absolutely sure (by reading and re-reading it) that EVERYTHING agrees in terms of gender and plurality!

It must have taken me at least 30 hours in total (I kept coming back to it) and I would say about 10 hours of that was cutting it down from the 800 words I originally had, inserting all my reference citations, completing the bibliography and making it look good! I am never quite so relieved as when I have meat a deadline ahead of time, and have a few days grace to sleep well at night!

Tags: finished, french, essay, deadline, a level

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