riccosuabe

hi there
i want to know if anyone can help me regarding the accepted level of french?
im currently starting a gcse course in french which i will be finished in 9 months and wanted to know if that would class as basic level french or moderate etc? to me logic would say basic is the VERY basics but im assuming the CIC have a different view on that or does the test centre tell you what level you can add said points onto the application ?also would i take my test through TEF?
thanks

iaink

If you want any credit for French ability you basically have to take the TEF test. My limited understanding is that even A level would be considered basic, less than that would likely be discounted entirely from points entirely without TEF to back it up.

There are a few places in the UK you can do the TEF test through.

riccosuabe

A level is basic?? thats like saying the average person leaving school in the U.K hasn't even got a basic level of english? confusing.

iaink

Dont shoot the messenger Have you tried to communicate in a french community using GCSE level french

At least the average person leaving UK school has the benefit of being immersed in English, but maybe that's why CIC want EILTS scores from everyone now, including the "born and bred"

Alan2005

They aren't the same thing. English 'A' level as taught in the UK doesn't teach people how to actually speak English.

riccosuabe

i just meant that i would assume a degree in french would probably only be classed as moderate by their standards,but if you had a degree in english you would expect to have quite an expert understanding of the english language?

Oink

Sorry if this comes across as contrary but a bachelors degree in English makes you an expert? Most leave barely able to analyze Winnie the Pooh with a British 3-year degree.

Novocastrian

True. But at least they can read it and make ribald jokes about the title.

snowcandy

My daughter got an A in GCSE French last year. However she would have immense difficulty in conversing in French if we dumped her in Quebec. They learnt the possible answers by rote for the oral bit of the exam. Sure she would be able to tell you in great detail where she spent her favourite vacation but probably wouldn't even know how to ask where the bathroom is!!

MillieF

I have just finished 'Intermediate French' with the Open University. I thoroughly enjoyed it and worked hard. The grammar points I was tackling were the exact ones that my ten year old was doing last year at school - in fact I borrowed his school textbook. My day to day spoken French is pretty decent, I've lived here ten years, but I don't think I'd have a hope with the CIC test.

christmasoompa

Iaink is absolutely correct, 'basic' is considered equivalent to an A level. There are many other threads on this subject if you do a quick search, and you can also check the info on the CIC website which gives you examples of what standard you need to be. You'd need to be fairly fluent for basic points.

Plus if you wanted to claim points for French, you'd have to send in your TEF results with your initial application, so you can't wait until you've finished your course if you wish to apply now.

I'll move this thread to the immigration forum (for future reference, please keep any visa/legal/application related queries to that forum, thx).

Good luck.

britsnake

When you compare basic french and what is taught at GCSE, you are comparing apples and oranges.

The problem with french as taught in the UK is mainly the limited vocabulary. The vocabulary you learn at GCSE is not wide enough to deal with the basic day-to-day situations you will find living in a french speaking country. In England, they throw many grammar points at you rather than helping you build a reasonable useful vocabulary.

My daughter who did GCSCE french before we moved to quebec said that most of what she learned has been totally useless. And what she could use was at the level of a beginner rather than at the basic level.

you will probably at best have 1/100th of the vocabulary you need unless you supplement it somehow.

susieh

I took the TEF and got a mixture of moderates and highs - that's with degree-level French and having lived in France (admittedly about 10 years earlier). So realistically, I wouldn't count on getting any points from GCSE French. Sorry!

adele

I took the TEF and got basic level (1 point each) for speaking and listening and intermediate (2 points each) for reading and writing - which got me 6 points, out of a maximum of 8.

At the time of sitting the TEF I'd got a GCSE grade A from 9 years prior and one academic year of A/S French at evening class under my belt - that was it. Don't be discouraged, but be realistic and prepare as well as you can (practice tests are invaluable to learn the test format). No harm in having a shot at it, but I wouldn't assume anything. This old thread which I contributed to at the time has further discussion from people who have taken it: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...&highlight=TEF

Good luck!

singingringingtree

My OH has a degree in French and having read the text book he ticked the moderate box. Didn't take the TEF in the end as we didn't need it though. I've got A level French and I would have struggled to get anything more than basic.