MFL Curriculum
“To learn a language; is to have one more window from which to look at the window” – Chinese Proverb
“A different language is a different vision of life” – Federico Fellini
“With languages, you are at home anywhere.” – Edward De Waal
MFL Statement of Intent
Intent
The 2013 National Curriculum for Modern Foreign Languages aims to ensure that all children:
- Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources
- Are able to speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and that they are continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation
- Can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt
- Discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied
A high quality languages education should foster children’s curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. At St John the Baptist, we believe that the learning of a language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our pupils. It helps them to develop communication skills, including key skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing which will enable children to interpret, create and exchange meaning within and across culture. The children’s knowledge of how language works will be developed and extended. Lessons will enable pupils to make substantial progress in one language. The linguistic skills gained will assist and lay foundations for further language learning at KS3. It will provide pupils with the confidence and independence to explore and be able to attempt manipulation of the structure of language. Learning another language gives children a new and broader perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures and those of others.
Implementation
At St John the Baptist, children are introduced to French lessons in Year 3. Lessons across the Key Stage support the skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing:
Following the Primary Language Network Scheme of work [see appendix 1], children are taught to:
- Listen attentively to spoken language and respond, join in with songs, rhymes and games
- Engage in conversations where they are provided the opportunity to explore and develop accurate pronunciation and intonation, form sentences to justify and express opinions and statements and ask and answer questions
- Develop an appreciation of a variety of stories, songs, poems and rhymes in French
- Present their ideas in the target language orally and written
- Investigate the target language using the sounds, patterns and spellings, and apply this to allow them to read the foreign language carefully
- Discover and apply new vocabulary to their sentences in speaking and writing, including learning how to use a dictionary
- Understand basic grammar in the target language and comparing how rules in the foreign language are similar / differ from our home languages.
Impact
The teaching of French in KS2 provides rich language learning experiences that offer children the opportunity to thrive in developing all 4 key language areas, having the confidence when speaking, listening, writing and reading. These skills will support pupils to:
- Develop problem solving, critical thinking and listening skills,
- Understand and communicate in French in real life scenarios (such as on holiday, meeting someone who speaks French, being able to read signs in French),
- Deepen their understanding of the principles of language learning and being able to apply this to their first language,
- Broaden their opportunities in the future.
At St John’s, our MFL curriculum effectively supports the teaching of the British Values through broadening their knowledge and understanding of cultures, promoting respect, tolerance and acceptance.