How to improve your French, German or Spanish for Leaving Certificate 2024
The Leaving Certificate French, German & Spanish Oral accounts for 25% of students overall grades in their language while the Listening comprehension accounts for 20%. This totals to a whopping 45%. However, schools primarily focus on the written aspect of the exam, preparing students with written homework and essay writing, which accounts for the remaining 55%. While being able to write a letter in French is important, it’s kind of outdated, who writes letters about what I did during the lockdown in 2020? And it’s all well and good being able to write in French, but what happens when you go to Paris with your friends and can’t speak to the waitress in French? You’re not going to whip out a pen and paper and write down what you’re trying to say now, are you? Didn’t think so.
So we at Euro Languages College have compiled a list of ways you can improve your language skills:
1. Change the language on your phone, laptop, iPad, etc to your language.
By changing the language on your tech from English to French, German or Spanish you are exposed to the language more often as we use our phones for almost everything. It will be testing at the start but eventually, you will begin to subconsciously think in French. You will also learn new vocabulary and pick up new phrases along the way.
2. Watch Tv programmes and movies in French, German or Spanish with English subtitles.
Similarly to the first point, by switching the language on Netflix and Amazon Prime, you are listening to the language which will help you in June when you’re doing the listening comprehension. You will pick up pronunciation, phrases and keywords. Eventually, you won’t need subtitles because you will have built up a bank of phrases and you will find yourself thinking in the language more.
3. Listen to French music.
We all enjoy singing along to a good tune no matter the language it’s in, take Justin Bieber’s Despacito, most people don’t understand what it is that they’re singing but have the pronunciation nailed down to a tee.
4. Go to Summer Courses at Euro Languages College
ELC hosts several language courses throughout the summer holidays in boarding schools across Ireland. These courses are not just for 5th years in preparation for the Leaving Certificate, they are for any student studying a language in school from 1st year to 5th year. At ELC, teachers from France come to teach Irish students their language, through classroom-based activities and outdoor activities. Similar to the Gaeltacht, you are fully immersed in French for just under 3 weeks. Not only will you improve your language skills for your Leaving Certificate, but you’ll meet a new circle of friends, some of which you may end up meeting again in college. It also gives you something to write about in your letter to your French pen pal in the exam.
