Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) at Rockbeare enable children to explore diverse cultures, learn essential vocabulary and develop communication skills in French.
'One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way'
Frank Smith.
Our MFL principles underpinned by our school values:
Cultural awareness- MFL lessons expose children to different cultures, traditions and perspectives.
Acquisition of language skills- children learn to listen, speak, read and write in other languages.
Resilience- learning a new language requires effort and persistence, fostering resilience.
Enhanced cognitive abilities- MFL learning improves memory, problem-solving and creativity.
MFL lessons offer much more than language proficiency- they nurture curiosity and global understanding.
Intent
Rockbeare C of E Primary School uses the Language Angels scheme of work and resources to ensure we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. All pupils will be expected to achieve their full potential by encouraging high expectations and excellent standards in their foreign language learning - the ultimate aim being that pupils will feel willing and able to continue studying languages beyond key stage 2.
The intent is that all content will be continuously updated and reviewed annually, creating a dynamic programme of study that will be clearly outlined in both long-term and short-term planning. This will ensure that the foreign language knowledge of our pupils progresses within each academic year and is extended year upon year throughout the primary phase and, in so doing, will always be relevant and in line with meeting or exceeding national DfE requirements.
The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across the primary phase. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and also helping the children improve overall attainment in other subject areas. In addition, the children will be taught how to look up and research language they are unsure of and they will have a bank of reference materials to help them with their spoken and written tasks going forward. This bank of reference materials will develop into a reference library to help pupils recall and build on previous knowledge throughout their primary school language learning journey.
The intent is that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language will also offer pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.
Implementation
All classes will have access to a very high-quality foreign languages curriculum using the Language Angels scheme of work and resources. This will progressively develop pupil skills in foreign languages through regularly taught and well-planned weekly lessons (with an aim of covering 4 units per year in the first instance) in Willow, Beech and Oak classes, which will be taught by the class teachers. Children will progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes - building blocks of language into more complex, fluent and authentic language.
The planning of different levels of challenge (as demonstrated in the various Language Angels Teaching Type categories) and which units to teach at each stage of the academic year will be addressed dynamically and will be reviewed in detail annually as units are updated and added to the scheme. Lessons offering appropriate levels of challenge and stretch will be taught to ensure pupils learn effectively, continuously building their knowledge of and enthusiasm for the language they are learning.
Language Angels are categorised by ‘Teaching Type’ and Suzanne Drew, French lead, has selected units that will offer the appropriate level of challenge and stretch for the classes taught. Children will be taught how to listen and read longer pieces of text gradually in the foreign language and they will have ample opportunities to speak, listen to, read and write the language being taught with and without scaffolds, frames and varying levels of support.
Early Language Units (entry level) and Core Vocabulary lessons are designed to run for approximately 30 minutes. Intermediate, Progressive and Creative Curriculum units are designed to run for approximately 45 minutes.
Children will build on previous knowledge gradually as their foreign language lessons continue to recycle, revise and consolidate previously learnt language whilst building on all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Knowledge and awareness of required and appropriate grammar concepts will be taught throughout all units at all levels of challenge. Teachers are provided with a Progression Map and Grammar Grid to ensure all children are progressing their foreign language learning skills and are taught the appropriate grammar at the right time in their foreign language learning journey.
Grammar is integrated and taught discreetly throughout all appropriate units. Teachers can also use the specific Grammar Explained units to ensure pupils are exposed to all of the appropriate grammar so they are able to create their own accurate and personalised responses to complex authentic foreign language questions by the end of the primary phase.
Within each theme taught, there are 6 fully planned lessons:
Each unit and lesson will have clearly defined objectives and aims.
Each lesson will incorporate interactive whiteboard materials to include ample speaking and listening tasks within a lesson.
Lessons will incorporate challenge sections and desk-based activities that will be offered will three levels of stretch and differentiation. These can also be used as Home Learning tasks.
Reading and writing activities will be offered in all units. Some extended reading and writing activities are provided so that native speakers can also be catered for.
Every unit will include a grammar concept which will increase in complexity as pupils move from Early Language units, through Intermediate units and into Progressive units.
Extending writing activities are provided to ensure that pupils are recalling previously learnt language and, by reusing it, will be able to recall it and use it with greater ease and accuracy. These tasks will help to link units together and show that pupils are retaining and recalling the language taught with increased fluency and ease.
Units are progressive within themselves as subsequent lessons within a unit build on the language and knowledge taught in previous lessons. As pupils progress though the lessons in a unit, they will build their knowledge and develop the complexity of the language they use. We think of the progression within the 6 lessons in a unit as ‘language Lego’. We provide blocks of language knowledge and, over the course of a 6-week unit, encourage pupils to build more complex and sophisticated language structures with their blocks of language knowledge. Where possible, French is used throughout the school day – e.g. classroom instructions, greetings, colours during the lunch register etc – as a tool to embed. The aim is for French to be integrated as much as possible, rather than it being seen as ’just’ a lesson that is taught.
Pupil learning and progression will be assessed at regular intervals in line with school policy. Teachers will aim to assess each language skill (speaking, listening, reading and writing) throughout each year to be able to provide reference points against which learning and progression in each skill can be demonstrated.
In addition to following the lessons provided in the Language Angels scheme of work and resources, teachers are encouraged to also do some of the following:
Foreign language celebration assemblies.
Cookery sessions of traditional foods from the country of the language being studied.
Weather forecasts based on maps from the country of the language being studied.
School celebrations of national feast days from the country of the language being studied when appropriate to facilitate a whole school approach to foreign language learning along with improved cultural awareness.
Impact
Children will develop their skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. This ensures a solid foundation for future language learning and overall attainment in other subjects. We want children to develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about the language, exploring relationships between language, identity and culture. We inspire children to continue studying languages beyond KS2, fostering a lifelong love for language learning and a better understanding of the world around them.
The Language Angels curriculum enhances French education by nurturing skills, engagement and cultural awareness among children.
Pupils will continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in their foreign language learning journey through the primary phase. Previous language will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated.
By building knowledge step by step, our children will create longer pieces of spoken and written language and are encouraged to use a variety of conjunctions, adverbs, adjectives, opinions and justifications.
Teachers will have a clear overview of what they are working towards and if they are meeting these criteria. They will use the long-term planning document to ensure the correct units are being taught to the correct classes at each stage of the school year. Short-term planning is also provided in the form of unit overviews (covering the learning targets for each 6-week unit) and individual lesson plans laying out the learning aims and intentions of each individual lesson within a unit. These planning documents ensure that teachers know what to teach and how to teach it in each lesson, across whole units and across each term.
Pupils will be aware of their own learning goals and progression as each unit offers a pupil friendly overview so that all pupils can review their own learning at the start and at the end of each unit. They will know and will be able to articulate if they have or have not met their learning objectives and can keep their unit learning intention sheets and unit core vocabulary sheets as a record of what they have learnt from unit to unit and from year to year.
If pupils are not progressing in line with expectations, this will be identified in the End of Unit Skills Assessments provided in the Language Angels Tracking & Progression Tool. This will enable teachers to address any areas that require attention in any of the language learning skills.