INTENT
Bonjour et bienvenue à l’école Skyswood!
We believe that Modern Foreign Languages are an essential part of a broad, balanced curriculum. French is taught at Skyswood Primary & Nursery School. However, this language is encompassed within an awareness of languages around the world.
Our vision is to ensure that language learning is fun and to foster a desire to continue with languages into Key Stage 3 and beyond. Skyswood children will be supported to achieve their full potential, inclusive of all abilities and backgrounds.
Our aim for Modern Foreign Languages is:
To instil a passion for languages
To encourage children’s curiosity and understanding of the world
To develop an understanding of what it means to be a linguist
To provide a strong foundation including a depth of French vocabulary, along with the grammatical skills to use this language in, so that children are able to converse at a basic level across a range of different topics.
IMPLEMENTATION
Modern foreign languages are taught incidentally during the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, the areas of learning – ‘communication & language’ and ‘people, culture & communities’ – provide an essential introduction to a range of skills and concepts that are later built upon within this subject.French ‘taster’ sessions are offered at Key Stage One, these being shared alternately between the two years. The children are introduced to world languages before focusing on French. Through a range of speaking and listening activities, the children learn basic French, including greetings, numbers and colours. We also take a first look at French geography and culture
Throughout Key Stage Two, the children have a one hour weekly lesson with our dedicated Modern Foreign Languages teacher, Madame Cheshire. These lessons are supplemented with a few shorter, informal activities to consolidate their learning throughout the week, involving ‘French Friday’ and support from the class teachers along with our French Ambassadors, who are pupils taking on this role on a termly basis.
In French, the children are exposed to a variety of progressive classroom language.
Our Modern Foreign Languages scheme of work has been compiled, implemented and continues to be developed by Madame Cheshire. It adheres to all of the end points outlined in the National Curriculum Programme of Study. Our curriculum is logically sequenced to ensure progression across the four key language learning skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing – and challenges every child at their own level. Topics are chosen to provide our children with the ability to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts.
The curriculum includes a strong emphasis on French phonics, vocabulary and grammar; this in turn reinforces the children’s understanding of the English language. The children begin learning through speaking and listening, then move on to reading and writing. We encourage them to confidently engage in lessons and feel uninhibited when exploring new sounds and words. They develop linguistic skills through learning about context and cognates to predict translation. They learn how to use bi-lingual dictionaries, develop pronunciation and memorise vocabulary for recall. As a linguist they learn to be resilient and foster their growth mindset setting them on the right path to be able to communicate with more people across the world, in languages that are not their own.
All children have access to the Modern Foreign Languages curriculum. Lessons are differentiated using levelled activities, visual aids, support materials, scaffolding and peer/teacher support. This ensures that the children feel successful and recognise their achievements. A variety of resources and types of media are used to bring the French language to life. These provide many opportunities for children to read at an age-appropriate level, in both French and English.
Previous knowledge and skills are continuously revisited and built upon as they progress through Skyswood School. For each new unit, we reflect on what we already know that may support our learning and then use this as an opportunity to revise.
Cultural understanding is a key area within the teaching of our MFL curriculum; we are educating our children for a successful future as global citizens. Learning about festivals and traditions from other countries helps our children to appreciate other people and places, developing tolerance and respect. Lessons are supported through a range of enrichment activities, such as:
a trip to an authentic French market
languages days
penpal letter exchange
French visitors
French cuisine
IMPACT –
At the end of their Skyswood learning journey, our children leave with a positive attitude towards language learning, feeling confident and successful as linguists. They will have gained a sense of achievement from learning to say something in a foreign language, thus boosting their self-esteem, confidence and communication skills. Through pupil and parent feedback, we are assured that our children enjoy the range of topics and activities delivered.
The children will have a solid foundation in French phonics, vocabulary and grammar, enabling them to express themselves in a foreign language.
We have ensured that our scheme of work provides the knowledge and skills needed to enable a smooth transition into secondary school.
Pupils’ progress is recorded within children’s books, audio files and teacher assessment books. Children are given written and verbal feedback to address misconceptions. Formative assessment is used to inform planning and starting points for future lessons..
We educate our pupils to realise that, as the world becomes more global, businesses and organisations will need more people who can communicate in other languages. They appreciate that we are equipping them to access study and work internationally.
Merci et à bientôt!