Intent:

Here in Barley Close we are very fortunate to have a diverse school community where over 15 different languages are spoken. It is therefore no surprise that we aspire to expose our pupils to a broad and ambitious Modern Languages curriculum, which is rich in skills and knowledge, develops self-efficacy, kindles curiosity and promotes diversity and tolerance of other cultures. The ’ critical age theory’  suggests that young children are much more adept at learning a language before they reach puberty , have fewer inhibitions that can impede their progress in adolescence and are able to mimic pronunciation more accurately. 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. We believe quality language teaching in primary school  inspires pupils to become enthusiastic and resilient linguists and facilitates the learning of other foreign languages later in life.

Implementation:

In Barley Close, our chosen language is French. It is taught weekly in 45-60 minutes sessions in KS2. National curriculum objectives are met through carefully planned units that introduce new vocabulary, structures and concepts and develop competence in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Every French lesson provides pupils with opportunities to revisit and practice language covered previously in a variety of ways.

Teachers use  the following techniques to encourage children to have an active engagement with Languages:

• 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.

• Puppets and toys – to be used to develop communication skills.

• Mime - to associate vocabulary with kinaesthetic learning.

• Reading and writing quality materials

• ICT programs and websites; the use of ICT to develop communication skills

• 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.

Impact:

The impact of our MFL curriculum is measured in a number of ways. Our children will be able to discuss their learning and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through a range of ‘Show what you Know’ activities. These may include pupil conferencing, looking at work in books, pictorial representations or images/videos of children’s practical learning, whole school language assembly where groups of KS2 children show off their skills on the European Day of Languages.

The further impact of our French curriculum is that our children leave our school  understanding the importance of learning a foreign language and how this can benefit them  in the future. They are positive about learning a foreign language at secondary school. They  have experienced success in language learning and have developed the key basic skills,  confidence and motivation to enable them to further build on their knowledge of French or  learn a new foreign language from scratch.