1 Rationale for Teaching Languages at KS2

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1 Nikki Bailey MFL Lead 2014

2 1 Rationale for Teaching Languages at KS2 1.1 As the UK is becoming an increasingly multicultural society, we have a duty to provide our children with an understanding of other cultures and languages. As part of the new primary National Curriculum, which took effect from September 2014, learning French has become a requirement for children within KS2 here at Ridgeway. 1.2 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/s 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. 1.3 Language learning stimulates children's creativity: Children enjoy taking an active part in language lessons. They join in with singing, reciting rhymes and poems, and respond to stories. They create mimes, sketches and role-play, imitating accurate intonation and pronunciation. They play games, take turns, make things, take the role of the teacher and experiment creatively with language. 1.4 Language learning supports oracy and literacy: Children spend much of their time in language lessons speaking, listening and interacting - more than in most other subjects. They take part in role-plays, conversations and question and answer work, sing songs and recite, perform to an audience and respond to a wide range of aural stimuli. This emphasis on communication, including language learning's important role in the 'education of the ear', underpins children's capabilities in oracy, which is critical to effective communication as well as a key foundation for literacy. 1.5 Language learning leads to gains across the curriculum: Children approach a broad range of learning activities in a new and challenging context; these relate to mother tongue literacy, to mathematics and other subject areas such as geography, music and citizenship. This can lead to deep learning and significant gains in their general understanding as they recycle and reinterpret existing knowledge. Through the conscious development of language learning they are also learning how to learn.

3 1.6 Language learning supports and celebrates the international dimension: Although it enjoys much more linguistic diversity than in the past, England remains a place where the motivation to learn another language is affected by the position of English as a widely spoken, world language. This makes it even more important that we give all children the chance to learn a language in order to gain insights into their own lives and those of others around the world. They need the chance to make contact with people in other countries and cultures and to reflect upon their own cultural identities and those of other people. 2 Our aims for MFL teaching are: for children to have curiosity and foster an interest in learning another language; for children to develop their understanding of what they hear and read, and have an ability to express themselves in speech and writing. for children to gain enjoyment, pride and a sense of achievement; for children to strengthen their sense of identity, exploring their own cultural identities in relation to others. 3 Teaching and learning styles and procedures 3.1 Teaching is in line with the recommendations of the National Curriculum, with modifications in place which allow for the individual and differentiated needs of the children. It takes full account of the different experiences, strengths and interests of the children whilst also complying with the requirements and guidance on inclusion. 3.2 The national curriculum for languages aims to ensure that, by the end of KS2, all pupils: - understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources - speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and 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 3.3 Our chosen language at Ridgeway is French which we teach through using the Janet Lloyd Network scheme of work. This was chosen due to its creative approach to teaching, having sound clips and resources to support staff who are

4 not confident in teaching French and also due to the level of support the network gives us with regards to training opportunities. 3.4 Below is an outline of the coverage across KS2 as suggested by the Janet Lloyd Network 3.5 As discussed in our initial support meeting with Janet Lloyd, based on the children s current level of language learning, Years 3 and 4 currently follow the Year 3 scheme of work and Years 5 and 6 follow the Year 4 scheme of work. This was done to ensure that all children cover the basics before moving on. Next year, Year 3 children will follow the Year 3 scheme of work, Years 4 and 5 children follow the Year 4 scheme of work and Year 6 will follow the Year 5 scheme and so on until year groups have caught up and are able to follow their own year groups scheme of work The lessons are to be delivered in a whole class setting by the class teacher. 3.7 Although no time scales are attached to subjects within the new curriculum, we try and provide about an hour of French a week. About 40 minutes of this will be discrete teaching whilst the rest of the time is made up transferring language to other classroom situations and routines for consolidation purposes e.g. answering the register.

5 4 Assessment for learning 4.1 Informal assessment of progress will be made by the teacher during lessons through questioning and oral feedback. Written work is also marked and notes are made on planning. 4.2 Teachers then make termly formal assessments and record children as either being below age related expectations (B), expected for age related expectations (E) or above age related expectations (A). These levels are then recorded on the Foundation subject s assessment grid on the staff area. 4.3 Year group I can statements taken from the overall National Curriculum expectations for KS2 can be used to support these assessment judgments The Subject Leader monitors the effectiveness of the procedures implemented. 5 The Foundation Stage and KS1 5.1 MFL does not currently have any requirements within EYFS and KS1 and therefore is not taught at Ridgeway for the time being. Our infant children may receive MFL teaching as a cross-curricular subject, enhancing both the EYFS and the KS1 National Curriculum. Infants may take part in any activities and in any languages - at this stage. As a whole school approach to MFL is desirable, we are aiming to bring MFL more regularly into teaching in EYFS and KS1 over the next couple of years. This has already been started with our termly Language Focus Days which have enabled the whole school to learn about a certain country, it s language and culture all together on the same day. 6 MFL and Inclusion 6.1 In all classes children have a wide range of abilities, and we seek to provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. MFL is a highly inclusive subject, however, and despite our principal aim of developing children s knowledge, skills, and understanding, the initial focus will be on enjoyment. At our school we will teach MFL to all KS2 children, whatever their ability and individual needs. Through our MFL teaching we provide learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make good progress. We strive hard to meet the needs of those pupils with special educational needs, those with disabilities, those with special gifts and talents, and those learning English as an additional language (EAL), and we take all reasonable steps to achieve this. For further details see separate S.E.N. policy.

6 7 Monitoring and review 7.1 Monitoring of the standards of children s work and the quality of teaching in MFL is the responsibility of subject leader. The MFL Subject leader monitors planning on a termly basis. The work of the subject leader also involves supporting colleagues in their teaching, being informed about current developments in the subject, and providing a strategic lead and direction for MFL in the school. Nicola Bailey MFL Leader December 2014 Document History December 2014 Policy in line with the 2014 NC. Presented to Autumn Term 2014 Curriculum Committee for approval This policy will be reviewed in 2017