MFL
Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) - French
Subject Lead: Miss H Boult
Within our MFL curriculum, our vision is to foster an interest in and enthusiasm for learning about other languages and cultures through enjoyable and fun activities. We want to ensure that all pupils are given an opportunity to learn a foreign language and have an exposure and understanding of different languages and countries so that they will have a deepened ability to show respect and play a valuable part in our global society.
Learning a foreign language helps them to develop communication skills, including the core skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. The children’s knowledge of how language works, phonology and elements of grammar will be developed and extended. Lessons will enable pupils to make substantial progress in one language. The transferable language learning skills gained will assist and lay foundations for further language learning. It will provide pupils with the confidence and independence to explore and be able to attempt manipulation of the structure of language. Learning another language gives children a new and broader perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures and those of others.
Our school follows the Primary Languages Network scheme of work but has been adapted by the subject leader to suit the needs and interests of our children. This combined planning has resulted in a thorough and ambitious scheme which ensures progression in language learning across the four core skills, the three pillars of progression (vocabulary, phonics and grammar) and also the DfE 12 Attainment Targets. The curriculum is continually updated and revised in order to meet with current standards. It holds at its core the Intent, Implementation and Impact of MFL whilst maintaining a ‘primary’ focus. Alongside the planning provided by PLN, staff are supported by accompanying videos, PowerPoints, audio files (spoken by native speakers), links to authentic literature, songs, games, cultural points of reference, seasonal events and cross-curricular links. Please find the long term plan and progression of skills documents attached below.
To promote an active learning of languages a range of teaching methods are implemented to ensure that the children are developing their linguistic skills through listening, speaking, reading and writing in order to be secondary ready. Activities can consist of actions, rhymes, stories, song, drama, grammar focus, video clips, air writing, sentence structure, dictionary work, book making and many more creative ways to extend, embed and combine language skills. Written work is kept on Showbie, although formal writing is not the outcome of every lesson. The skill of writing is developed through use of whiteboards and air writing leading to writing on worksheets. Speaking, listening and reading activities are also kept on Showbie and children can take responsibility for their learning and edit, assess their own work more independently. We also use a multi-sensory and kinaesthetic approach to teaching, i.e. we try to introduce a physical element into some of the games, as we believe that this serves to reinforce memory. We make the lessons as entertaining and enjoyable as possible, as we realise that this approach serves to develop a positive attitude in the children to the learning of modern foreign languages. We build children’s confidence through constant praise for any contribution they make in the foreign language, however tentative, to ensure that all children enjoy learning languages!