Modern Foreign Languages
MFL Curriculum
“Monolingualism can be cured!” Anthony Mollica
Why do we teach languages?
To create competent linguists who have a good understanding of how language is structured as well as instilling a broader awareness of different cultures and a curiosity about the wider world.
To build up vocabulary and key structures enabling students to communicate in the target language with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, pronunciation and intonation.
Our course will provide the foundation for further study and employment to enable students to take their studies further.
Students follow an interleaved curriculum that is carefully sequenced to allow students to build on previously taught content.
The curriculum is regularly reviewed to address areas where particular cohorts need more support.
Content is not rushed through and topics are taught at a pace appropriate to the class
Implementation
“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things but learning another way to think about things.” Flora Lewis
Our current curriculum pathway is as follows:
KS3
A language lesson comprises of a recap of prior knowledge, introduction of new language and opportunity to practise new content in a variety of ways. Learning is checked through self/peer assessment, pair tasks and exit passes.
Grammar is to language what the skeleton is to the body you can’t have one without the other. From Year 7, students are taught high-frequency language such as verbs, opinions, connectives, questioning and answering, phonics and common language links. This logical starting point gives students the building blocks to recycle and extend their skills throughout the subsequent blocks. The grammatical foundation gives students transferable skills that will be used throughout their language career up to GCSE to produce spoken and written language for a variety of purposes and audiences. This allows them to adapt and develop language to communicate ideas and points of view.
We encourage resilience and independence through revision from knowledge organisers and regular quizzing. We use songs and rhymes to help students understand tricky concepts or structures.
We study cultural content about the geography of Spain and other Spanish speaking countries, Spanish festivals, foods, types of houses, famous artists, singers and sportspeople.
Students will be engaged through the use of authentic sources allowing them to develop an appreciation of a range of texts in the language studied. Links are made where possible to the conscious curriculum and class reads.
Projects are set in Years 7 and 8 that feed directly into whole school initiatives.
Early intervention especially PP students is a key part of ensuring that all students can access the curriculum.
KS4
Resources are designed to cover all the skills reading, listening, speaking, writing, translating and applying grammar.
We encourage students to write creatively about a wide variety of topics e.g. holidays, future ambitions, health and new technologies, environment and festivals
Verb of the day builds retention of grammatical rules and challenges students to apply rules in a range of contexts and tenses.
Differentiated resources e.g. scaffolded translations and language ladders enable students to rise to the challenge.
We foster independent learning by setting regular interactive homework on the Seneca platform.
Students benefit from a pen pal scheme in year 11 which gives them the chance to use their language skills for a real life context and learn about life in other countries.
Students who need extra support are given intervention during p6 focussing on their specific area of need.
