ICSE Class 10 Syllabus 2023 Modern Foreign Languages Group 2

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
(Under Group I)
Candidates opting for a Modern Foreign Language as a Second Language in Group I may not opt for the
same language under Modern Foreign Languages in Group II and Group III.

The Question Papers will be set in Modern Foreign 3. To develop an interest in the appreciation of the
Languages on request. The rubric for all the Modern language.
Foreign Languages will be the same.
4. To develop an intercultural awareness.
The French (27), German (28) and Spanish (36) Scope
5. To enhance the ability of the candidates to express
of Syllabus of the Grammar portion has been defined
their ideas and feelings in their own words and for
in detail and the Teaching and Resource books are also
them to understand the use of correct language.
listed.
6. To appreciate the language as an effective means
Aims:
of communication.
1. To develop and integrate the use of the four
7. To understand language when spoken at normal
language skills i.e. listening, speaking, reading
conversational speed in everyday life situations.
and writing.
8. To understand the basic structural patterns of the
2. To use the language effectively and appropriately
language, vocabulary and constructions.
on topics of everyday life situations.

CLASSES IX AND X

There will be one paper of three hours duration 4. Grammar
carrying 80 marks and Internal Assessment of
This will consist of tests in vocabulary, syntax and
20 marks.
idiom, e.g., synthesis in sentence construction,
1. Composition formation of sentences in correctly embodying
given words or forms. The question will not
Candidates will be required to write, in the
require detailed knowledge of grammatical
language, one short composition which may
definitions.
include short explanations, directions,
descriptions or narratives. There will be a choice 5. Translation and/or Dialogue Writing
of subjects which will be varied and may be
 One short passage will be set for translation
suggested by language or other stimuli such as
from the language into English.
pictures or objects.
2. Letter  One passage will be set for translation from
English into the language.
Candidates will be required to write a letter from
a choice of either a formal or an informal letter.  Dialogue writing (Around 150 words) based
Suggestions may be given. The layout of the letter on situations faced in everyday life. Hints may
with address, introduction, conclusion, etc., will be given.
form part of the assessment. Annexe
3. Comprehension Communication (oral and written) skills that can be
An unseen passage of about 150 words will be covered from any book used for teaching:
given in the language. Questions based on the 1. Myself
given passage, will be set, to be answered in the  Self, Family and Friends
language, so as to test the candidates’
understanding of the content of the passage.  Important Events
 Interests and Hobbies

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 Home and Locality then answer an objective type test based on the
 Daily Routine passage, on the paper provided.
 School b) Speaking Skills
Each candidate is required to make an oral
2. Holiday Time & Travel
presentation for about two minutes, which will
 Travel, Transport and Tourism be followed by a discussion on the subject
 Accommodation with the examiners, for about three minutes.
 Restaurant Subjects for presentation may include
 Directions narrating an experience, providing a
description, giving directions, expressing an
 Holiday Activities opinion, giving a report, relating an anecdote
 Services or commenting on a current event.
3. Work & Lifestyle A candidate may refer to brief notes in the
course of the presentation but reading or
 Home Life
excessive dependence on notes will be
 Everyday Living and Health penalized.
 Work Experience It is recommended that candidates be given an
 Leisure hour for preparation of their subject for
 Shopping presentation and that they be given a choice of
subject, on a common paper.
 The Environment
c) Creative Writing Skills
Note: No textbooks are prescribed.
Each candidate is required to write short
NOTE: The Class X - ICSE examination paper will compositions based on the suggested
be set on the entire syllabus prescribed for the assignments.
subject.
SUGGESTED ASSIGNMENTS
The Class IX internal examination is to be conducted
on the portion of this syllabus that is covered during FOR CLASSES IX AND X
the academic year.
Aural: Listening to a conversation/talk/reading of a
The Council has not prescribed bifurcation of the short passage and then writing down the relevant or
syllabus for this subject. main points in the specified number of words and
answering the given questions.
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT – 20 Marks
Oral: Prepared speech/declamation; impromptu
1. Schools will prepare, conduct and record speech/debate/discussion; report/interview; elocution;
assessments of the Listening, Speaking and role-play / general conversation on selected topics.
Creative Writing Skills of candidates as follows:
Creative Writing: Students are to write short
Class IX: Three assessments in the course of the compositions, the stimuli may be:
year.
 a piece of recorded music.
Class X: Two assessments in the course of the
year.  a series of recorded sounds.

2. Pattern of Assessment  a picture/photograph.
a) Listening Skills  an opening sentence or phrase.
A passage of about 300 words is read aloud by  a newspaper/magazine clipping or report.
the examiner twice at normal reading speed
(about 110 words a minute). Candidates may  one piece of factual writing which should be
make brief notes during the readings. They informative or argumentative.

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 one piece of expressive writing which is Award of Marks (20 MARKS)
descriptive and imaginative. Subject Teacher (Internal Examiner) 10 marks
 preparation of film/book review. External Examiner 10 marks
It is also suggested that students be made aware of The total marks obtained out of 20 (Listening
contemporary forms of written communication, such Skills: 5 marks; Speaking Skills: 5 marks and Creative
as fax, memo, etc. Writing: 10 marks) are to be sent to the Council by the
Head of the School.
EVALUATION
The Head of the School will be responsible for the
The assessment will be conducted jointly by the online entry of marks, on the Council’s CAREERS
subject teacher and the external examiner who will portal by the due date.
each assess the candidate. (The External Examiner Schools are required to maintain a record of all
may be a teacher nominated by the Head of the School assessments conducted in Listening, Speaking and
who could be from the faculty but not teaching the Creative Writing Skills for candidates of Classes IX
language in the section/class. For example, a teacher and X. These include copies of the assessments tests,
of the language of Class VIII may be deputed to be an topics for presentation and marks awarded. This
External Examiner for Class X Language projects). record will be maintained for a period of up to 2
months after the declaration of the results of ICSE (10)
examinations of the candidates concerned.

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CREATIVE WRITING (CLASSES IX & X)
Grade Content/Analysis of Idea, Expression/ Effective Structure/ Organisation Vocabulary/ Use of Originality/ Marks
Thought/ Feeling Expression of Idea of Material Words, Phrases Imaginative/
Innovative
I The candidate analyses the ideas, The candidate expresses The work is very well The use of vocabulary The work is 4
feelings and experiences the ideas, thoughts and structured an introduction, exhibits a high level of imaginative
effectively. feelings effectively. body and conclusion, competence in handling interesting and
Reasoning is logical and effective. paragraphing and language. engrossing.
appropriate sentence
construction.

II The candidate analyses the ideas, The candidate expresses The work is very well The vocabulary exhibits The candidate's 3
feelings and experiences with the ideas thoughts and structured with some competence of word work is quite
well-defined explanations, feelings well and with sense of conclusion and of usage; correctness of interesting and
reasoning is logical and clarity. paragraph lengths. grammar and spelling. engrossing.
persuasive.
III The candidate analyses the idea, The candidate expresses The work is fairly well The candidate uses The candidate 2
feelings and experiences with a the ideas, thoughts and structured; straightforward demonstrates the
fair degree of detail and feelings fairly well and candidate follows simple vocabulary and fairly ability to sustain the
explanation. Reasoning is fairly with a fair degree of paragraphing. good pattern of interest of the
logical and persuasive. clarity. spellings. reader.

IV The candidate attempts to analyze The candidate expresses The work shows some The candidate's The candidate is, to 1
ideas, feelings and experiences the idea, thoughts and understanding of vocabulary is limited and some extent, able to
with simple explanation and feelings intelligibly and paragraphing and the spelling, punctuation sustain the interest
detail. Reasoning and arguments in simple language. structure. and grammar is of the reader.
are not very convincing. sometimes poor.

V The candidate attempts a basic The candidate is unable The candidate does not There is consistent The candidate is 0
analysis of ideas, feelings and to expresses the ideas, display an understanding weakness in spelling, unable to sustain the
experiences with few simple thoughts and feelings, of structure and punctuation and interest of the
explanations and few details. Is uses simple language and paragraphing. grammar. reader.
unable to present proper work is not very
arguments. intelligible.

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AURAL ASSIGNMENT (CLASS IX)
Grade Understanding/ Recall Vocabulary Context/ Correlation to Other Marks
Comprehension Main Idea, Areas
Central Theme
I The candidate accurately The candidate recalls all the The candidate uses appropriate The candidate clearly 3
understands the central idea of the important points made (written/ and correct vocabulary while understands the context and can
passage as well as the relevant verbal). recalling the points made. widely correlate the passage to
points in the selected passage/ the other areas.
talk.
II The candidate gives ideas fairly The candidate recalls some of the The candidate uses correct but The candidate can moderately 2
close to the central / main idea of important points made (written/ simple vocabulary while understand the context of the
the passage as well as understand verbal). recalling the points made. passage and can moderately
some of the relevant points heard correlate the passage to the other
in the selected passage/ talk. areas.

III The candidate cannot fully The candidate recalls very few of The candidate makes various The candidate can only faintly 1
comprehend the passage and the important points made errors in vocabulary while understand the context of the
gives only a few ideas related to (written/verbal). recalling the points made. passage and relate it to the other
the central theme of the passage. areas.

IV The candidate is neither able to The candidate is unable to recall The candidate uses incorrect The candidate is unable to 0
understand the central/main idea the important points made vocabulary while recalling the understand the context of the
of the passage; nor able to (written/verbal) points made. passage and is unable to correlate
understand relevant points heard the passage to the other areas.
in the passage/talk.

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ORAL ASSIGNMENT (CLASS X)
Grade Fluency of Language Subject Matter Organization Vocabulary/ Understanding Gesture Marks
Delivery
I Speaks with fluency and Matter is relevant, Content is well Uses appropriate While speaking, the Uses natural and 3
has full operational rich in content and sequenced and well vocabulary and candidate emphasizes spontaneous
command over the original. organized. pronounces words the important points. gestures that are
language. correctly. not out of place.

II The candidate speaks The subject matter The content is The candidate While speaking the Uses some natural 2
with fairly good fluency is mostly relevant, satisfactorily pronounces most candidate emphasizes gestures.
and has reasonable consisting of a sequenced and well words correctly and most important points.
operational command of few original ideas. organized. uses simple
the language. vocabulary.

III The candidate speaks The subject matter The subject content is The candidate While speaking, the Uses very few 1
with poor fluency and is irrelevant and very poor and lacks pronounces many candidate emphasizes natural gestures.
does not communicate lacks originality. organisational words incorrectly and some important
except for the most basic structure. uses inappropriate points.
information. vocabulary.

IV The candidate cannot The subject matter The subject content The candidate is While speaking, the Uses no natural 0
communicate even the is negligible. comprises of mere unable to correctly candidate is unable to gestures.
most basic information. words with no pronounce most words emphasize important
structured sentences. and has a limited points.
vocabulary.

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