Years 7 to 8
Languages
ASLANFREF10Y78
Years 7 to 8 French Achievement Standard
9 statements aligned to content descriptors and elaborations
Achievement standard (as ACARA publishes it)
Achievement standard
Click any sentence to jump to its statement and linked content descriptors.
By the end of Year 8, students initiate and maintain interactions in French language in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts related to a range of interests and experiences. They use French to collaborate and problem-solve, and adjust language in response to others. They interpret information, ideas and opinions in texts. They demonstrate understanding of similarities and differences between languages, in both familiar and some unfamiliar cultural contexts, by adjusting and reorganising responses. They select and use vocabulary, sentence structures and expressions to create texts.
Students apply the conventions of spoken French to develop fluency. They demonstrate understanding that spoken, written and multimodal texts use different language conventions, structures and features to convey meaning. They comment on structures and features of French text, using metalanguage. They reflect on how the French language, culture and identity are interconnected, and compare this with their own language(s), culture(s) and identity.
Foundation to Year 10 sequence
The 9 achievement standard statements
Open a statement to see the content descriptors ACARA links to it, then open a descriptor's elaborations.
By the end of Year 8, students initiate and maintain interactions in French language in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts related to a range of interests and experiences.
Content descriptorAC9LF8C01 Communicating meaning in French
initiate and sustain exchanges in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts related to students’ experiences, feelings and views, adjusting their language in response to others
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration using the appropriate register when exchanging greetings and using a wider range of expressions, for example, Coucou, Allô, Quoi de neuf? Salut mon pote! Ça roule? Bonjour, Mademoiselle Charpent, comment allez-vous? Je m’excuse, Enchanté(e) Monsieur, vous vous appelez comment? Ciao, Pierre, à tout de suite! in spoken and written interactions
- Elaboration making and responding to requests or commands and asking for permission, clarification, for example, Est-ce que je peux/puis-je aller aux toilettes? Choisissez la forme négative! Copiez! Répondez aux questions! Cliquez sur l’image du/de l’/de la/des …
- Elaboration using descriptive and expressive language (inspired by print or digital photographs, videos, recordings, etc.) to talk about aspects of school, home and social life, for example, Je suis fils unique et toi?
- Elaboration discussing issues that concern young people such as l’influence de la musique, l’environnement digital or le recyclage, and sharing opinions and feelings
- Elaboration inviting people into conversations, for example, using et toi, qu’est-ce que tu dis? and expressions such as n’est-ce pas? and non-verbal strategies such as waiting for response or facial expressions to demonstrate interest or attention
- Elaboration using connectives, simple and compound sentences to structure arguments and to explain or justify a position, for example, D’abord ... et puis ... et après, ensuite ... en plus ... finalement; ce qui est intéressant c’est que …; ce que je trouve ...
- Elaboration participating in role-plays where they share experiences and feelings about their life at home and at school, for example, Mes frères m’énervent parce que …, C’est bien/dur d’être ado car …, ce que je déteste/j’adore, c’est la musique/l’informatique/les maths, s’il faut redoubler
- Elaboration inviting, accepting or declining invitations in spoken or written exchanges, for example, Tu es libre samedi prochain? Tu veux aller au/à la/aux/à l’ ..., Je t’invite. Je ne suis pas libre. C’est possible dimanche? Je suis ravi(e) de t’inviter ...
They use French to collaborate and problem-solve, and adjust language in response to others.
Content descriptorAC9LF8C02 Communicating meaning in French
collaborate in activities that involve the language of transaction, negotiation and problem-solving to plan projects and events
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration contributing ideas and opinions to plan for cultural events such as a performing a play in French for primary school students, La fête de la Musique, La fête des voisins, Le Jour de la Terre
- Elaboration organising an event such as a class vide-grenier or marché aux puces, using language to negotiate, buy, swap and bargain, for example, calculating quantities and prices, trois douzaines de …, 40 litres de …, preparing labels and fliers, un très bon prix, un prix cassé, bon marché, pas cher
- Elaboration discussing and planning promotional materials for a real or imagined excursion, exhibition, festival or performance celebrating French language and culture; proposing and justifying ideas, for example, selon moi … je suis d’accord … et toi, tu es d’accord? et vous?
- Elaboration asking, giving and following directions to real or virtual locations, continuez jusqu’à … prenez le métro jusqu’au Musée du Louvre … prenez la troisième rue à gauche … en face de ..., using electronic information devices, apps, street maps or directories
- Elaboration discussing and making arrangements for a real or imagined class event or celebration, and negotiating a date and allocation of duties, for example, who caters for the drinks, food, decorations, etc. des baguettes, des fromages, de l’eau minérale, des saucisses, du pȃté, calculating quantities, for example, trois douzaines de …, 40 litres de
They interpret information, ideas and opinions in texts.
Content descriptorAC9LF8C03 Communicating meaning in French
interpret information, ideas and opinions in a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts, and respond appropriately to cultural context, purpose and audience
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration using a range of sources to access and collate information on youth-related issues, such as la musique, la télévision, les sports, l'environnement, and classifying findings
- Elaboration comparing information about French music, movies and sporting events and sharing results, for example, La chanson numéro 1 en France est ... mais en Australie, c'est ...
- Elaboration responding in French to different expressions of humour (le mime, les blagues, les jeux de mots, les devinettes, etc.), that include diverse perspectives on social issues and comparing these with Australian expressions of humour
- Elaboration listening to, reading or viewing First Nations Australian authors’ stories and responding to them in spoken or written French
- Elaboration collecting memes and cartoons from social media that illustrate cultural elements of humour that can lead to misunderstandings, and providing an explanation using modelled expressions
- Elaboration listening to, or viewing informative texts such as television news reports or feature articles, and noting key words, specialised terms or points of information to reuse in their own newsflash or photo story/roman-photo, for example, noting keywords en direct, les dernières nouvelles, l’information continue, la météo
- Elaboration using the internet responsibly to research, or engaging with youth in France or a French-speaking community around the world via digital tools, to discover young people’s lifestyles across French-speaking cultures and contexts, comparing information from different cultural contexts to identify the influence of factors such as geography, climate, and social and community environment, les colonies de vacances, les boulots, les sports aquatiques, les jeux vidéos
- Elaboration gathering information from French online sources to inform understanding of similarities and differences of teen lifestyles in French-speaking countries and presenting findings
- Elaboration listening to, or viewing texts, such as a songs, raps, comics, cartoons, films and video clips, and responding to questions about characters, events and ideas
Content descriptorAC9LF8C04 Communicating meaning in French
interpret and adjust non-verbal, spoken and written language to convey meaning in French language in familiar and some unfamiliar cultural contexts
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration listening to authentic French texts, such as podcasts, French radio, television shows and advertisements, to identify different types of language for different audiences, and collating findings
- Elaboration comparing messages in texts from different eras, such as fairy tales, graphic novels, video clips, traditional fables, Les Fables de La Fontaine, and identifying themes and representations
- Elaboration interpreting signs, texts messages, advertisements in French and identifying language structures and features that are not easily translated and may cause misunderstandings, and writing simple explanations of meaning
- Elaboration presenting findings related to the investigation of a social or cultural issue, such as la mode et les codes vestimentaires: l’influence des marques, and summarising opinions and attitudes collected from surveys, interviews or media sources
- Elaboration translating written expressions associated with politeness and social protocols in French such as responding to requests or thanks, signing postcards or birthday cards, for example, Je vous en prie, Madame; amitiés; Je t’embrasse très fort … and comparing with typical expressions in similar messages in English
- Elaboration interpreting phrases and expressions that do not translate literally such as à tout à l’heure, pas de quoi, courage, identifying similar English expressions and considering possible consequences of the lack of equivalence in terms of intercultural communication
- Elaboration creating a glossary of examples of faux amis, for example, glossing assister à, demander, un médecin, extra, sympathique and commenting on misinterpretations in English
- Elaboration interpreting idioms in French and English, for example, il pleut des cordes (it rains cats and dogs), un château en Espagne (pipe dreams)
They demonstrate understanding of similarities and differences between languages, in both familiar and some unfamiliar cultural contexts, by adjusting and reorganising responses.
Content descriptorAC9LF8C04 Communicating meaning in French
interpret and adjust non-verbal, spoken and written language to convey meaning in French language in familiar and some unfamiliar cultural contexts
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration listening to authentic French texts, such as podcasts, French radio, television shows and advertisements, to identify different types of language for different audiences, and collating findings
- Elaboration comparing messages in texts from different eras, such as fairy tales, graphic novels, video clips, traditional fables, Les Fables de La Fontaine, and identifying themes and representations
- Elaboration interpreting signs, texts messages, advertisements in French and identifying language structures and features that are not easily translated and may cause misunderstandings, and writing simple explanations of meaning
- Elaboration presenting findings related to the investigation of a social or cultural issue, such as la mode et les codes vestimentaires: l’influence des marques, and summarising opinions and attitudes collected from surveys, interviews or media sources
- Elaboration translating written expressions associated with politeness and social protocols in French such as responding to requests or thanks, signing postcards or birthday cards, for example, Je vous en prie, Madame; amitiés; Je t’embrasse très fort … and comparing with typical expressions in similar messages in English
- Elaboration interpreting phrases and expressions that do not translate literally such as à tout à l’heure, pas de quoi, courage, identifying similar English expressions and considering possible consequences of the lack of equivalence in terms of intercultural communication
- Elaboration creating a glossary of examples of faux amis, for example, glossing assister à, demander, un médecin, extra, sympathique and commenting on misinterpretations in English
- Elaboration interpreting idioms in French and English, for example, il pleut des cordes (it rains cats and dogs), un château en Espagne (pipe dreams)
They select and use vocabulary, sentence structures and expressions to create texts.
Content descriptorAC9LF8C05 Communicating meaning in French
create and present spoken, written and multimodal, informative and imaginative texts for specific purposes, selecting vocabulary, expressions, grammatical structures, features and conventions appropriate to text type and context
Elaborations (11)
- Elaboration creating a text such as a multimodal presentation or video to capture aspects of their personal and social worlds, for example, a day in our life in school, les copains, mon quartier, le weekend
- Elaboration creating tourist brochures for young Australian travellers to French-speaking countries such as Visitez le Vanuatu! Bienvenue au Canada/en Belgique, and supplying key words, phrases and cultural protocols to assist travellers Encore une fois, s’il vous plaȋt; je vais prendre ceci, ça coûte combien? Où sont les toilettes? Je vous remercie, Madame, Je vous en prie, Madame
- Elaboration taking expressions from French stories such as Tintin et l’étoile mysterieuse: allons-y! Ah non, c’est impossible! Personne? Ah magnifique! and adapting to their own text to create suspense or excitement
- Elaboration creating a print or digital poster in French to promote travel to a significant cultural location on a First Nations Country/Place, including what to see and do
- Elaboration creating and performing texts that reflect French attitudes, for example, the French attitude to eating on time, using aspects of drama such as improvisation, gesture, movement, and props to enhance spoken performances and storytelling
- Elaboration creating glossaries for French-speaking friends, to accompany Australian images or texts, explaining outback lifestyle, inner city markets, and abbreviations such as ‘barbie’, ‘brekkie’, ‘betta’
- Elaboration creating menus or programs for French-themed events, including footnotes in English to explain key terms or items such as le plat du jour, service compris, l’entracte, la mise en scène
- Elaboration using voice recording and digital presentation software to create, perform or record imaginative texts using voice, for example, a short play
- Elaboration composing text for English captions in a multimodal presentation, documentary or short film describing places to visit (tourist attractions, etc.) in France or a French-speaking country, and aspects of culture, traditions or customs while showcasing the diversity of French-speaking communities
- Elaboration contributing to a real or imagined blog of learners of French in English-speaking communities around the world, making choices about when to use French or English depending on the context topic and nature of the interaction
- Elaboration adapting information focusing on specific vocabulary such as laïcité, Ramadan, Yom Kippour, halal to create a text that reflects the diversity of beliefs and behaviours in contemporary French-speaking societies
Students apply the conventions of spoken French to develop fluency.
Content descriptorAC9LF8U01 Understanding language and culture
apply knowledge of conventions of spoken French to enhance fluency, and to respond to and create texts in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration understanding the different levels of formality between spoken and written language on/nous, je peux pas/je ne peux pas, 'eh ben'/eh bien, ouais/oui, qu'est-ce que je vais me mettre sur le dos?/comment vais-je m'habiller?
- Elaboration recognising the form of commonly used morphemes, suffixes and prefixes la camionette, désordre, désagréable, irrégulier, inacceptable, la danseuse to assist pronunciation
- Elaboration collecting groups of words that share a common stem, for example, la bouche, la bouchée; le jardin, jardiner, le jardinage to enhance vocabulary knowledge when interacting in spoken exchanges
- Elaboration recognising the impact of non-verbal elements of French expression such as hand gestures for c’est nul, ça suffit! Quoi encore? to replace words
- Elaboration using sounds such as Oh là là! Aïe! T’as fait quoi? and facial expressions to reinforce spoken language
- Elaboration distinguishing vowel sounds, for example, recognising distinctions between nasal sounds such as cinq, sympa, manger, entre!, dont, des bonbons
- Elaboration applying phonic knowledge and grammatical knowledge to spelling and writing unfamiliar words, for example, letter combinations such as -eau, -eur or -ette, and words involving 2 or more distinct vowel sounds such as le bateau, l’aspirateur, la baguette
They demonstrate understanding that spoken, written and multimodal texts use different language conventions, structures and features to convey meaning.
Content descriptorAC9LF8U02 Understanding language and culture
apply understanding of grammatical structures and expressions to compose and respond to texts
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration extending knowledge of negative constructions such as ne … plus, ne … rien, ne … jamais, ne … que
- Elaboration understanding and using infinitive verb forms and phrasal verbs such as avoir besoin de faire quelque chose, commencer à faire …
- Elaboration using le passé composé and le futur proche
- Elaboration consolidating conjugation skills of regular verbs in le présent (present tense) and le passé composé (past tense), and of high-frequency irregular verbs such as avoir, être, aller, faire, venir, pouvoir, vouloir, mettre, devoir
- Elaboration recognising and using avoir expressions such as avoir soif, avoir sommeil, avoir peur
- Elaboration understanding the form and use of reflexive verbs such as il se lève très tard, nous nous promenons chaque soir, je veux m’asseoir à côté de toi.
- Elaboration understanding how to use modal verb forms to express possibility, obligation and ability je peux m’imaginer …, il doit partir demain, and impersonal expressions il faut +infinitive … and on doit +infinitive …
- Elaboration introducing the use of direct object pronouns in conjunction with the present tense, je m'appelle, je t’écoute, elle les mange tous les jours, je t'aime.
- Elaboration reinforcing understanding of grammar rules such as adjectives that precede the noun, and adjectives versus adverbs - bon/bien, negation
They comment on structures and features of French text, using metalanguage.
Content descriptorAC9LF8U03 Understanding language and culture
reflect on similarities and differences between French and English language structures and features, using metalanguage
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration continuing to expand the use of metalanguage to describe grammatical concepts in English and French to organise learning resources such as sentence builders, verb charts, vocabulary lists with groups of pronouns, adverbs and adjectives
- Elaboration explaining self-corrections and editing choices, using metalanguage
- Elaboration identifying elements of different types of texts (le courriel, la météo, les slogans, etc.) and explaining the relationship between the language, the structure used and the purpose of the text
- Elaboration building metalanguage to talk about grammar and vocabulary, for example, les formes négatives, interrogatives, masculin, féminin, singulier, pluriel, and comparing with the equivalent English term
- Elaboration comparing diversity in accents, dialects and vocabulary in French-speaking communities with similar diversity in English-speaking countries
They reflect on how the French language, culture and identity are interconnected, and compare this with their own language(s), culture(s) and identity.
Content descriptorAC9LF8U04 Understanding language and culture
reflect on and explain how identity is shaped by language(s), culture(s), beliefs, attitudes and values
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration comparing students' own culture(s) to the cultures in French-speaking countries by looking at attitudes towards public holidays, leisure activities, and the importance of sports
- Elaboration explaining the multicultural differences and similarities in Australia and the French-speaking world such as religious beliefs, music styles (techno, hip-hop, rap, etc.) body art (tattoos, piercing, etc.), and fashion styles (BCBG, hippie, school uniforms, etc.)
- Elaboration examining how their own cultural etiquette may be interpreted when interacting with French people, noticing their own body language and gestures, for example, understanding the Australian tendency to be informal with people of all ages
- Elaboration examining how First Nations Australians’ languages have strong connections to Country/Place and how these can be compared to language variation across French-speaking countries and regions
- Elaboration understanding French secular concept laïcité by analysing the different beliefs, attitudes and values, and how they change over time, for example, les vacances de Pâques/vacances de printemps
- Elaboration reflecting on how their cultural perspectives may have changed since learning French and discussing how this has impacted on their sense of identity
- Elaboration discussing and reflecting on diversity and how generalisations and stereotypes can affect communication and sense of identity
- Elaboration explaining their own tastes, interests and language use that have been shaped by intercultural influences such as social media, fusion food, and especially by learning French and about French beliefs and attitudes
This achievement standard describes the expected learning for Years 7 to 8 French · Foundation to Year 10 sequence. Use it to plan teaching and assessment with the Australian Curriculum v9.
At a Glance
| Strand | Substrand | CDs | Elaborations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicating meaning in French | Interacting in French | 2 | 13 |
| Communicating meaning in French | Mediating meaning in and between languages | 2 | 17 |
| Communicating meaning in French | Creating text in French | 1 | 11 |
| Understanding language and culture | Understanding systems of language | 3 | 21 |
| Understanding language and culture | Understanding the interrelationship of language and culture | 1 | 8 |
| Total | 9 | 70 | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should students know by the end of Years 7 to 8 French?
By the end of Year 8, students initiate and maintain interactions in French language in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts related to a range of interests and experiences. They use French to collaborate and problem-solve, and adjust language in response to others. Read the full standard
How many Content Descriptors support this standard?
9 Content Descriptors support this Achievement Standard (Communicating meaning in French: 5, Understanding language and culture: 4).
How does this compare to Years 5 to 6?
The Years 5 to 6 French standard (ASLANFREF10Y56) covers the preceding curriculum level. Standards build progressively, with Years 7 to 8 expectations extending what was introduced in Years 5 to 6.
Is this from the latest Australian Curriculum?
Yes, this Achievement Standard is from the Australian Curriculum version 9.0 (AC v9), the most current version published by ACARA.