Hello!
I was just wondering:
- What should I focus on improving for French Units 1&2 given that I've only started learning French from Yr 9?
I think the most important things to focus on are your basic oral and writing skills, particularly pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. The rest will come with practice once you have mastered these key skills. To learn grammar and vocabulary, I would highly recommend working through grammar exercises in textbooks (e.g. Schaum's French Grammar). This can be something of a grind, but there really is no substitute for this. However, it is also very important to understand grammar and vocabulary in context, so take the opportunity to read as much as possible in French from a range of sources and understand how various grammatical structures and expressions are actually used in writing. Try to incorporate these structures in your own writing wherever possible. A point of warning though: I think it can be quite hard to jump into reading sophisticated content in French immediately, so start with relatively basic material (e.g. short chapter books and magazines) and work your way up from there. If you want more advice and suggestions for how to prepare for French over the next couple of years, I would certainly advise you to take a look at the French Checkpoints book that I wrote (
https://www.cambridge.edu.au/education/titles/Cambridge-Checkpoints-VCE-French-Units-34-2020-23/#.XfytpEczY2w) for detailed guidance on how to structure your preparation for the exam, in addition to many exercises that will enable you to practice your oral and written language skills.
- How much do you reckon I should allocate towards French daily (week days and weekends) for Units 1/2 and Units 3/4 respectively?
This is a hard question and one that unfortunately doesn't have an obvious answer. I think in general, however, regular, diligent practice is needed to achieve top marks in a language subject like French, especially given that you only started your French journey in Year 9. There is no 'magic' amount of study time that will guarantee success in French, but I would recommend spending at least 30 minutes to an hour each day on French. Ultimately, you should do as much study as you think necessary to achieve proficiency in the various language skills tested in the subject.
- What do you think you did differently to everyone else who was doing French in order to get a 50.
I think what helped me most was a genuine passion for French language and culture, a strong grasp of the language in both spoken and written forms, as well as a thorough knowledge of grammar and vocabulary.
- Do you have any advice for getting your intonation to sound natural because for me I find that I'm either too high-pitched which makes me sound like I'm asking a question or too monotone (in the context of speaking tasks)?
French intonation is without doubt one of the most challenging aspects of the language. The best advice I can give for this is to ask your teacher for some one-on-one time to get feedback on your accent and speaking style. Try to listen to podcasts and watch French films to develop a more natural accent. It is equally useful to record yourself and listen back to the tape (perhaps together with your teacher). This can really help you to zone in on your areas of weakness and get feedback on any specific types of errors that you might be making.
- What do you reckon is the best way to be prepared for Speaking SACs/ Oral Exams?
This follows on a bit from the previous question. The keys are to find a balance between preparation and spontaneity - in essence, you need to have a general idea of what you are going to talk about, but also have the ability to improvise on the spot and answer questions in a creative, original way. Ultimately, engaging content, an effective speaking style, and an excellent command of French grammar and vocabulary are the key ingredients for success in oral exams. These skills cannot be developed overnight, so take every opportunity to practice with native speakers (especially your teacher) and constantly take on their feedback to improve. At my school, a few students including myself started a lunchtime French conversation club supervised by our French teacher, something that made my speaking skills improve by leaps and bounds.
If you don't mind answering this: I was wondering what you're studying now, because you seem to have a very successful VCE!
I am currently a Chancellor's Scholar at the University of Melbourne, about to start the final year of my Bachelor of Science majoring in maths and computer science. I am very interested in machine learning/artificial intelligence and am keen to pursue a career in these areas either in academia or industry.