french Language B (French)

[tosom]

Hey guys, I'd like to know how big is difference between French B on standard level and on higher level. I've been studying french for a year and a half, but is it enough to handle HL ? Thanks. Now back to assignments

[cricketcrazynerd]

I'd been doing French for 7 years and topping my class before taking SL french... now it's killing me

Good luck with HL if you do decide to take it but I don't recommend you do

you r doing 3 languages!!!! OMG u must be so smart

[Nabz]

B HL is too hard tbh. I have been studying french for 4 years and i'm having, well not hard time but i'm getting 5s in SL.

[tosom]

Wow, you're like really scaring me.

I'd been doing French for 7 years and topping my class before taking SL french... now it's killing me

Good luck with HL if you do decide to take it but I don't recommend you do

you r doing 3 languages!!!! OMG u must be so smart

no, I'm not smart, Slovak is my native language (compulsory), English is study language and french is elective (I don't like sciences) .

But which class should I take in HL instead of French ?

[cricketcrazynerd]

Wow, you're like really scaring me.

I'd been doing French for 7 years and topping my class before taking SL french... now it's killing me

Good luck with HL if you do decide to take it but I don't recommend you do

you r doing 3 languages!!!! OMG u must be so smart

no, I'm not smart, Slovak is my native language (compulsory), English is study language and french is elective (I don't like sciences) .

But which class should I take in HL instead of French ?

Oh, i see... you could take business and management at hl if you don't like sciences or just biology (it really isn't that bad)

but, like if you do think you can manage french and you enjoy it, you should go for it then

[ChocolateDrop]

Hey guys, I'd like to know how big is difference between French B on standard level and on higher level. I've been studying french for a year and a half, but is it enough to handle HL ? Thanks. Now back to assignments

I'd say it depends on your current french grades.

Going in accordance with the requirements of the more selective schools, if you're getting an A equivelent you should be able to handle French HL, and if you're at a B equivelent you should be able to handle SL.

Going by years you have studied french, according to wikipedia, language B is designed for students with 2-3 years experience with the subject. So 7 years should be more than enough. Going by number of years you should be able to do HL with that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IB_Group_2_subjects

[Kinsey]

I'd suggest SL - the workload HL requires is alot: not so much in syllabus but rather a good understanding of the language and the willingness to study notes and really go out and learn when you dont "have to". Second languages are tricky - I'm doing French high level and spanish AB initio. I spent some time in France however HL still challenges me due to the constant practice a second language requires. - i watch movies, tv and read daily in french and my teacher still says i dont do enough.

I spent a good 6 and a half months over there - and i usually get a 6 on my exams/paper 2s. however a girl in my class did a 2 month exchange and gets constant 7s. Its all about the amount of work you will put in! And be honest with yourself!

Edited March 5, 2013 by Kinsey

[Dasanific]

My School doesn't even offer HL. Maybe they can't risk it but I am not sure

[HelenaJade]

I've taken french since my freshman year, 2009 and every year since then. I am in SL at the moment, and am doing perfectly fine. But, I've put forth a bit of work to get as good as I am. Depending on your personal level, you could do HL. My teacher is preparing us for paper 1 and 2 on an HL curriculum and it is very hard. However, I am perfectly prepared for SL and have a predicted 6. If you do HL, be prepared.

[RainAL]

It depends on you and how learned you are in French. Remember, HL involves a lot of vocabulary and content taken from newspapers and magazines. for instance. If you're able to understand French on a TV show or in magazines, then go for it!

[TykeDragon]

If you are tempted to get rid of French HL, but don't know which SL to promote, there is another solution. You already do English B HL, so French HL is, in effect, your Subject 6: Visual Arts (or any other from the other areas). So you could make it an Area 3 subject such as Geography, History, Philosophy etc if you like as well.

I don't think a year and a half is enough to prepare you. I've been studying Japanese since I was 11 (now 18) and I've been getting 5s in SL, and have recently put my arse into gear and got up to a 6 in it, but 7 is just... out of the picture. True, we have kanji and stuff as well which is really what screws us over, but the point is still clear... unless you have learnt an exceptional amount in that year and a half, I don't really see you being ready for it. But in response to the question of what the exact differences are between SL and HL language B:

- You'll be expected to read French Literature in class. In B SL, you just study topics (core and optional) such as Health, Leisure, Technology, Society, Environmental Issues, Media, School, etc. Just a lot of mini topics. In HL, you'll be studying Literature in Addition.

- Your exams will be longer and more difficult. Now I don't know exact word counts in these alphabet languages, but it's considered that roughly 2 characters in japanese = 1 english/french word, so halve these word counts. My Paper 2 essay is 500 character minimum, and HL is 800 character minimum. So consider that 250 word essays versus 400 word essays.

-Oral exams will also probably be expected to have longer periods of time speaking, and may be marked more harshly, I don't know.

-The written assignment is longer, in the same way Paper 2 gets extended. I think that my Japanese Written assignment was a 200 character rationale and 600-800 character essay. I believe HL's essay was 800-1000 characters. So yeah, something like that.

-The basis of the written assignment. In SL, you get 3 unseen mini-sources, like an article or website or something, and get to decide a text type, topic etc, by using (but not quoting) the unseen sources' information. In HL, all the examples of Written Assignments I see around here are that you have to write a conversation with a character in the Literature you study, or something like that?

To summarise: yes, there is a lot of difference, and if I were you I would look into doing another Group 3 subject at HL, like History or Philosophy, instead of French B HL. That way all your other subjects are fine as they are.

Good luck, hope this helped!

Edited March 9, 2013 by TykeDragon

[sebds303]

Honestly, as a Canadian I've been learning french since i was 6 and in SL I am about a 6 but HL would probably be too much for me to handle. It all depends on how well you learn languages, pick up vocabulary and if you can understand how to be coherent in another language. The marking schemes is much better in standard level because igh marks are given to people who have a good understanding of the language unlike HL which leans more towards perfect or excellent speaking and writing.