How to Practise French Speaking for AQA GCSE (Foundation & Higher)
The AQA GCSE French Speaking Exam Explained
Your speaking exam is worth 25% of your final grade and takes place in April or May with your teacher as the examiner.
It’s divided into three parts:
1. Role-Play (10 marks)
A short, 1–1.5 minute scenario such as ordering in a café or booking a hotel room.
You’ll be given a card with several tasks, including one where you must ask a question.
- Tip: Practise polite phrases like “Je voudrais…” and “Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ?” to sound natural.
2. Reading Aloud and Short Conversation (15 marks)
You’ll read aloud a short passage (minimum 35 words at Foundation, 50 at Higher), then have a brief unprepared conversation about its content.
This section lasts around 2–2.5 minutes (Foundation) or 3–3.5 minutes (Higher).
- Tip: Read slowly and clearly, focusing on pronunciation of silent letters and liaisons. Afterwards, show understanding of what you’ve read by answering naturally.
3. Photo Card (25 marks)
You’ll discuss a photo card based on a GCSE topic.
You’ll start with a short description of the photo (about 1 minute at Foundation, 1.5 at Higher), then have an unprepared conversation lasting around 3–4 minutes (Foundation) or 4.5–5.5 minutes (Higher).
The same photos are used at both tiers, but the questions vary.
- Tip: Use the “who / what / where / when” method — “Sur la photo il y a une famille à la plage…” — and try to include past and future tenses.
⏱ Timing & Assessment Overview
| Tier | Preparation Time | Exam Time | Total Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation | 15 mins | 7–9 mins | 50 | 25% |
| Higher | 15 mins | 10–12 mins | 50 | 25% |
What Science Says About Learning to Speak a Language
Speaking French isn’t just about memorising phrases — it’s about how your brain retains and retrieves them under pressure. Here’s what the research shows (and what it means for you):
1. Spaced Repetition Beats Cramming
Research from psychologists like Ebbinghaus shows that we forget 70% of new information within days unless we review it regularly.
When you review material after 1, 3, and 7 days, you interrupt the “forgetting curve”, locking it into long-term memory.
- For GCSE French: Review your speaking questions in short sessions every few days. Apps like Quizlet or Anki can automate this using spaced-repetition algorithms.
2. Active Recall Builds Real Confidence
Students who test themselves (instead of just rereading notes) remember up to 50% more vocabulary and structures.
- Try this: Take a random question like “Qu’est-ce que tu as fait le week-end dernier ?” — say your answer aloud without notes. Then check what you missed and try again. This mimics real exam conditions.
3. Speaking Out Loud Improves Memory
A study by the University of Waterloo found that reading aloud doubles recall compared to silent reading — a concept called the Production Effect.
- So: Don’t just think in French — speak it. Describe your morning routine, your dinner, or what you see around you in French. Every sentence you speak trains your brain and tongue together.
4. Regular Speaking Practice Boosts Comprehension
Interactive speaking doesn’t only improve pronunciation — it also sharpens listening and understanding.
- In practice: Hold mini French chats with friends, family, or your tutor. You’ll become quicker at responding and less anxious when questions are unexpected.
A Simple Routine for Daily and Weekly Speaking Practice
Daily (15–30 minutes)
- 5 min pronunciation warm-up: Read a short passage aloud or mimic a YouTube clip.
- 10 min vocab review: Use flashcards for high-frequency GCSE topics. Speak each answer aloud before flipping the card.
- 5 min Q&A practice: Pick one random question and answer it aloud. Time yourself to build fluency.
- 5 min “shadowing”: Repeat a native French speaker’s lines from a video or podcast immediately after them to copy rhythm and accent.
Weekly (1–2 hours)
- Mock speaking session: Record yourself doing a full role-play, reading aloud task, and photo card.
- Theme of the week: Pick one GCSE topic (e.g. “School life”), revise vocab and phrases, then discuss it aloud.
- Feedback loop: Book an online tutoring session for feedback. Tutors can identify pronunciation issues, missed tenses, or unnatural phrasing.
- Reflection: Keep a “speaking journal” where you jot down errors, new phrases, and improvements.
Consistent, bite-sized practice is far more effective (and less stressful) than one long cram session.
Practising With and Without Native Speakers
If You Do Have a Native or Fluent Partner:
- Hold weekly 15–20 min chats — any topic, all in French.
- Role-play exam scenarios together (one as the examiner).
- Ask for corrections and imitate their phrasing or accent.
If You Don’t Have a Partner:
- Buddy up with classmates: take turns asking exam-style questions.
- Use AI chatbots like Talkpal or ChatGPT to simulate conversations.
- Speak to yourself: narrate daily activities (“Je me lève… je prends mon petit déjeuner…”).
- Record yourself: listen back to spot errors in pronunciation or grammar.
- Join exchange apps like Tandem or HelloTalk to send French voice notes to real learners abroad.
- Remember: The goal isn’t perfection; it’s fluency. Mistakes show you’re learning.
Top Tools for GCSE French Speaking Practice
| Tool | What It Does | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Quizlet / Anki | Spaced-repetition flashcards | Build memory through short, repeated practice. |
| Forvo | Native speaker pronunciation | Hear how real French people pronounce words. |
| Talkpal / ChatGPT | AI conversation simulators | Speak to a “virtual tutor” anytime. |
| WordReference / Linguee | Dictionary + example usage | Check context for idioms or verbs. |
| Tandem / HelloTalk | Language exchange platforms | Chat with French speakers learning English. |
| French Tutoring | GCSE-specialist tutors | Get tailored feedback, mock exams, and confidence coaching. |
Your Next Step
Start today:
- Choose one GCSE topic (e.g. family, school, or holidays).
- Download the matching worksheet.
- Record yourself answering 3–5 questions.
- Book a tutoring session for detailed feedback.
Do that every week between now and the exam, and your confidence will grow faster than you expect.
Final Thoughts
Learning to speak French well is less about talent and more about training your brain and your mouth through regular use.
By combining short daily speaking, evidence-based study methods, and expert feedback, you’ll walk into your AQA GCSE French speaking exam (2024 onwards) calm, fluent, and ready to impress.
Bonne chance!
