Modern Foreign Languages
Intent
The 2014 National Curriculum for Modern Foreign Languages aims to ensure that all children:
- Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources.
- Are able to speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and that they are continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation.
- Can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt.
- Discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied.
A high quality languages education should stimulate and encourage children’s curiosity about language and creativity in experimenting with it. At Eastfield we are committed to ensuring we foster an interest in language learning by introducing children to other languages in a way that is enjoyable and accessible to all pupils. Learning another language supports oracy and literacy and develops speaking and listening skills, it helps children develop their awareness of cultural similarities and differences and lays the foundations for future language study by pupils.
Implementation
At Eastfield Primary School, we integrate language learning into everyday school life, with teachers, teaching assistants and children using and experimenting with their knowledge of different languages whenever the opportunity arises. We foster a problem-solving approach, giving children opportunities to work out language use for themselves in a supportive context where risk-taking and creativity are encouraged, and there is an emphasis on having fun with the new language. ICT is used where appropriate to enhance teaching and learning. In Key Stage 2, each class has a timetabled lesson of French each week.
Lessons across Key Stage 2 support the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening in French. The curriculum is delivered using EasyMFL a resource to support teaching and learning of French. Children are taught to listen attentively to spoken language and respond, joining in with songs, rhymes and games. The idea of the French units is to teach one full unit per half term. New vocabulary must be enforced outside of the French lesson. Pupils across the school participate in a French day each year where pupils in Key Stage 1 have opportunities to develop early language acquisition skills and pupils in Key Stage 2 can consolidate language acquisition and appreciate similarities and differences in culture.
Impact
- Children develop awareness of where different languages, as well as French, are spoken in the world.
- Develops awareness of the grammatical construction of their home language.
- Achieve high standards across the curriculum.
- Develop cultural awareness and appreciation of the wider world.
