A-Level French Course: A Practical Guide for New Teachers-Managing the Jump in Vocabulary

Sep 1

7 min read

Updated: Sep 5

At GCSE, students may have been able to rely on a relatively limited bank of familiar words and phrases. At A-level, they are expected to understand and discuss much more specific social, political and cultural issues. The texts and recordings are longer, the ideas are more complex and the language is less predictable.

Vocabulary learning therefore needs to become a regular part of the course from the very beginning. However, it is also important to introduce it in a way that does not immediately overwhelm students—or make them regret choosing the subject!

Why vocabulary learning matters

For AQA, Paper 1 assesses listening, reading, writing and translation and accounts for 50% of the qualification. Students must respond to complex spoken and written material without access to a dictionary. AQA A-level French specification

Students cannot prepare for this effectively by learning vocabulary at the last minute. They need to encounter words repeatedly, hear how they sound and revisit them regularly enough for them to move into their long-term memory.

A vocabulary ritual at the beginning of each topic

At the beginning of every topic, I introduce the essential vocabulary students will need to access the first texts, recordings and discussions.

I use a Tarsia wheel puzzle for this. The wheel contains key French words and their English equivalents, which students must match correctly to complete it.

This has become a small ritual at the start of each new topic. We complete a series of short games and activities using the wheel before I immediately test the students’ short-term memory.

This provides an active and manageable introduction to the topic vocabulary. The immediate memory check encourages them to concentrate during the introductory activities. It shows them how much they can remember after a relatively short period of focused practice while identifying the words that will require more attention.

Spreading vocabulary homework across the topic

I set vocabulary-learning homework three times during each topic: once for Part A, once for Part B and once for Part C.

Dividing the vocabulary in this way makes the task more manageable. It also ensures that students continue learning vocabulary throughout the topic rather than attempting to memorise one enormous list immediately before a test.

I regularly remind students not to leave their vocabulary learning until the last minute. Short, frequent practice is much more effective than one long session the night before a deadline.

Students can also work ahead if they want to. If they are feeling motivated or know that they have a busy week coming up, there is no reason why they cannot begin learning the next set before we reach it in class.

Making use of small pockets of time

Vocabulary learning does not always need to take place during a formal study session at a desk. I encourage students to make use of small pockets of time that might otherwise be wasted. With the use of their phone, they might practise:

while waiting for or while on the bus;
while travelling in the back of their parents’ car;
during a free period;
while waiting for an appointment;

Several short sessions spread across the week are generally more useful than trying to learn everything in one sitting.

I also encourage students to use headphones so that they hear the French as well as see it written down. Associating the sound of a word with its written form supports pronunciation and makes the learning more useful for listening activities.

We can remind students that if they spent even a fraction of the time they devote to scrolling on their phones practising vocabulary, they would make considerable progress. A lack of time is rarely the real problem: the challenge is learning to use a few of those spare minutes more productively.

Using Memrise to support learning

I use Memrise courses to help students practise vocabulary independently.

Each topic is divided into two levels:

Standard
Advanced

Students are expected to complete both levels. The Standard level covers the core vocabulary they need to understand and discuss the topic confidently. As these words are likely to appear repeatedly, students should continue reviewing them regularly. The Advanced level then broadens their vocabulary and enables them to engage with more complex and sophisticated material.

Memrise also allows teachers to monitor completion. This makes it easier to see who has practised consistently and who may have attempted to complete everything shortly before the deadline.

Recording vocabulary encountered in lessons

No vocabulary course can include every useful word that might arise naturally during lessons.

I therefore have a section of the classroom board dedicated to new vocabulary that comes up in class. This might include words students will need for an upcoming activity, useful expressions from a text or additional vocabulary generated through discussion.

Students record these words in a notebook used specifically for vocabulary, which is always on their desk.

The most motivated students will use their vocabulary books to cross-reference language encountered in class with the Memrise course.

Make productive use of spare lesson time

Vocabulary practice can easily be incorporated into the final few minutes of a lesson.

Not enough time left to start a new activity? Ask students to test one another on vocabulary from the current topic or revisit a previous one. One student can give the English word while their partner provides the French, before swapping roles. Alternatively, they can take turns naming as many nouns, verbs or adjectives as possible relating to a particular topic.

This requires virtually no preparation and turns a few spare minutes into valuable retrieval practice.

Similarly, if a student finishes an activity before the rest of the class, encourage them to look through their vocabulary book, which should always be on their desk. They can review words from the current topic, revisit vocabulary recorded in previous lessons or test themselves while they wait.

Over time, this should become an automatic classroom habit rather than something the teacher needs to request each time. Students should not simply sit and do nothing once they have completed an activity. If their vocabulary book is always available, there is always something useful they can do.

Allowing students to find what works for them

Not every student prefers to learn vocabulary through an online course. Some find that they remember words more effectively when working from a traditional vocabulary list, so printable vocabulary lists are also available for each topic.

I am happy to give students the benefit of the doubt and allow them to use a different method if they believe it works better for them. They might use written lists, flashcards, self-quizzing or another approach of their choice.

What matters is that they learn the vocabulary successfully, not that everyone follows exactly the same process.

The vocabulary test provides evidence of whether their chosen method is working. If a student achieves at least 80%, I am happy for them to continue learning in the way that suits them. If they score below 80%, however, I ask them to return to the Memrise course and complete the corresponding level.

This allows students some independence while ensuring that those who need more structured practice receive it.

Vocabulary tests

I set up to three vocabulary tests during each topic. For tests covering the core Standard vocabulary, students should aim to achieve at least 80%.

This is a deliberately high but realistic target because the Standard level contains the essential vocabulary students need to understand and discuss the topic confidently. The words are provided in advance and students have several opportunities to practise them before the test.

If a student scores below 80%, this does not mean that they have failed. It indicates that some of the core vocabulary is not yet secure. They can return to the corresponding Memrise level and review the words they found difficult.

Where a student repeatedly falls below the target, I may ask them to resit the test in their own time after school. This reinforces the importance of learning the core vocabulary while giving them another opportunity to improve.

The aim is not to make vocabulary testing feel punitive, particularly at the beginning of Year 12, but to establish effective learning habits and identify difficulties before they begin to affect students’ understanding of the wider topic.

Support and intervention

I also involve Year 13 students in vocabulary intervention with Year 12.

The Year 13 students prepare a selection of vocabulary activities and work with Year 12 students during after-school support sessions. Teachers do not always have enough time to provide this level of additional vocabulary practice themselves, so peer support can be particularly valuable.

Year 12 students benefit from working with students who have already completed the topics and understand the demands of the course.

The arrangement benefits the Year 13 students too. Preparing and delivering the activities requires them to revisit vocabulary from the Year 12 topics. This reinforces their own knowledge and provides useful revision.

It therefore becomes a mutually beneficial form of intervention: Year 12 students receive additional help, while Year 13 students consolidate vocabulary they will still need for their final examinations.

Finding the right balance

There is a fine balance between holding students accountable and overwhelming them.

A-level students need to take increasing responsibility for their vocabulary learning. They should understand that regular practice will directly affect their ability to follow lessons, understand recordings, read independently and express more precise ideas.

At the same time, teachers need to make the process feel achievable. Introducing the basic vocabulary through a familiar classroom ritual, dividing homework into smaller sections, providing structured digital practice and making use of spare moments in lessons all help to reduce the initial shock.