Intent

The intention of the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) curriculum at Crooklog Primary School is that children are taught to develop an interest in learning other languages in a way that is enjoyable and stimulating. We intend to use the Language Angels scheme of work and resources to 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. We aim to encourage children’s confidence and creative skills through the teaching of French. Whatever the language taught, we strive to stimulate and encourage children’s curiosity about all languages.

Learning a language enriches the curriculum, providing excitement, enjoyment and challenge for children and teachers, helping to create enthusiastic learners and to develop positive attitudes to language learning throughout life. The natural links between languages and other areas of the curriculum can enhance the overall teaching and learning experience. The skills, knowledge and understanding gained make a major contribution to the development of children’s oracy and literacy and to their understanding of their own culture and those of others. Language also lies at the heart of ideas about individual identity and community, and learning another language can do a great deal to shape children’s ideas in this critical area as well as giving them a new perspective on their own language.

At Crooklog Primary School, we believe that many children really enjoy learning to speak another language. Secondly, we also believe that the earlier a child is exposed to a foreign language, the faster the language in question is acquired. We also believe that it is a good idea to introduce a new language to children when they are at primary school, as they tend to be less self-conscious about speaking aloud at this stage of their development. It is widely believed that the early acquisition of a foreign language facilitates the learning of other foreign languages later in life.

Implementation

We teach French across Key Stage 2. The school uses the "Language Angels" scheme of work to support the teaching and learning of French. This provides clear progression for the development of speaking and listening and vocabulary acquisition. There are resources to support the teaching and learning opportunities for pupils.

They use a variety of the following techniques to encourage children to have an active engagement with French:

• Games – in order to develop vocabulary through repetition, reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
• Role-play – these should relate to the situations the children may find themselves in the future.
• Action songs and rhymes – to develop phonetic skills, memory skills and to further vocabulary.
• Reading and writing quality materials.
• We build children’s confidence through praise for any contribution they make in the foreign language, however tentative.

We base the teaching on the 2014 National Curriculum through the Language Angels. We have adapted this to the context of our school. This provides teachers with clear progression grids and content for teaching and learning.

Impact

Our MFL curriculum is fun and enjoyed by learners, well-resourced and planned to demonstrate progression through Key Stage 2.

Through the high quality first teaching of French taking place we will see the impact of the subject in the following ways:

• Children will become aware that a language has a structure, and that the structure differs from one language to another.
• Children will enrich their language learning by developing an understanding of the Spanish culture.
• Children will develop their language and communication through development of the four key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
• Children will transfer to KS3 effectively and successfully and will be well prepared to continue and develop