Modern Foreign Languages Policy

Transcription

1 Modern Foreign Languages Policy September 2015

2 Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Policy 1. Introduction The 2002 Languages Strategy highlighted the value and importance of quality language learning, offering a life long skill to be used in business and pleasure, to open up avenues of communication and exploration, and to promote, encourage and instil a broader cultural understanding. (Languages for All: Languages for Life, A Strategy for England, DfES, 2002). The new National Curriculum (2014) agrees, describing learning a foreign language as a liberation from insularity able to provide an opening to other cultures foster pupils curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. At the Queens Federation we embrace this vision of primary language learning as a key element in children s broad and balanced education. Learning a modern foreign language should be an experience that is both enriching and enjoyable in the present and one which broadens horizons and expands opportunities for the future. 2. Aims Through teaching a modern foreign language (French), we aim to develop children s: confidence and competence in speaking, listening to, reading, and writing in a modern foreign language oral and language skills across the curriculum understanding of how languages work and their range of strategies for learning a new language interest in and understanding of people in different countries and cultures personal and social skills, particularly their empathy. 3. National Curriculum for Languages The 2014 National Curriculum makes Languages a compulsory subject at KS2 for the first time, stressing that teaching should focus on enabling pupils to make substantial progress in one language. To allow for fruitful transition from KS2 to KS3, we have decided (in partnership with our local secondary school) to focus on teaching French progressively from Year 3 upwards. Throughout the key stage, pupils are taught to: listen attentively explore the patterns and sounds of language engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary and structures develop accurate pronunciation and intonation present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words in familiar written material, including through using a dictionary write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing understand basic grammatical structures, how to apply these to build sentences and how they differ from or are similar to English.

3 In Middle Years, the focus is primarily on oral language development, with some simple reading and writing activities included (such as picture matching, talking big books, poems, cartoons, simple writing tasks etc.). Teaching then moves gradually to a balance of spoken and written language work in the Later Years. 4. MFL Curriculum Organisation, Continuity and Progression French Teaching is based on an adapted version of the Heinemann scheme of work Tout le Monde, supplemented by resources provided by language teachers at Netherhall secondary school, and by two Early Start DVDs, which offer video footage of native French speakers linked to the different topics covered. From this scheme of work, lesson-by-lesson unit plans have been created, offering significant support for nonspecialists teaching French and ensuring year-on-year continuity. French is taught in KS2 as a discrete weekly lesson, with opportunities during the week for the consolidation of key words/phrases, in routines such as taking the register. The Year 3 curriculum also includes a half-term topic on France, providing a foundation for the understanding of French culture that can then be built on in languages lessons throughout the rest of the Key Stage. 5. Teaching Strategies Language learning should be fun, active and varied, employing lots of games, video and ICT presentations, songs, stories and rhymes, as well as lots of opportunities for conversation and discussion. In teaching children new vocabulary, a wide range of strategies can be used, including: listen and repeat (ecoutez et répétez!) listen and repeat if word is correct thumbs up or down if word is correct (oui ou non) recognising word from teacher mouthing it silently vocabulary bingo drawing on individual whiteboards show me items or individual cards Once children have acquired this vocabulary, they are encouraged to use it in simple sentences, through question and answer, short presentations, role-play, songs and rhymes, etc. 6. Resources The Heinemann Tout le Monde electronic resources are available on the school server and are accompanied by large flashcards for classroom use. This is supplemented by other resources provided by secondary school language teachers and by two Early Start DVDs (Salut! Ça va? and Où habites-tu?) which can also be found on the server. The MFL leader is also building a stock of additional resources, including display items, French games and story books, and a class set of bilingual dictionaries, all of which can be used to enrich languages teaching. To support teachers in developing their own language proficiency, we also have a copy of the Teachers Talking French language up-skilling course.

4 7. Community Languages Both Queen Edith and Queen Emma are diverse school community, where over 30 different languages are spoken. We are keen to promote bilingualism as a great advantage and to celebrate and share the rich linguistic resources which staff, children and parents can contribute to our life together. Class teachers can celebrate the linguistic diversity of their classes in a variety of ways, including: displaying all the languages spoken by different members of the class answering the register in a different language (drawn from those spoken in the class) encouraging children to teach other members of the class phrases from their home language (e.g. in Show and Tell) drawing parallels in language teaching to words/phrases that are common across different languages using children s home languages in class assemblies In addition to these informal opportunities, we will periodically hold special wholeschool events (such as an International week) to celebrate the range of languages and cultures represented in the school and give pupils a taste of them. We also seek to develop links with French speaking parents and people in our wider community, who may be able to help with special events or offer small-group conversation classes. 8. Contributions to Other Curriculum Areas Language offers a window into the identity, culture, beliefs and traditions of different people in different places. As such, it offers key opportunities for children s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. In addition, learning in MFL links to other subjects in a variety of ways, including: English/Literacy: developing skills of speaking & listening, developing understanding of phonics and spelling PSHCE: exploring identity, belonging, similarities and difference, challenging prejudice and stereotypes Geography: identifying French-speaking countries on a world map and exploring our partnership with France as members of the EU The Arts (including Art and Music): studying visual artists and musicians from French-speaking cultures ICT: offering authentic opportunities for communication with peers in other countries 9. Inclusion In MFL learning, we aim to embrace the same characteristics of inclusive practice as in the rest of the curriculum by: setting suitable learning challenges responding to the diverse needs of children overcoming potential barriers to learning. We will aim to differentiate our questioning and our activities to ensure that all children can access and be challenged by foreign language learning.

5 Children with speech and language difficulties or cognitive processing issues may require additional reinforcement and consolidation activities. Children with visual or hearing impairment will be supported in line with our SEND policy, in consultation with our SENCO. For children for whom English is a second or additional language (EAL), learning an additional modern foreign language will give them the opportunity to take pride in their existing linguistic skills and see languages other than English being valued. For the small number of children who are already fluent French speakers, there will be opportunities to be the expert, modelling reading or answering questions in French, or providing additional vocabulary or cultural experiences to enrich the learning of their peers. 10. Assessment, Recording and Reporting Teachers employ a range of Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies to ensure that language teaching is pitched to meet the needs of their classes. Summative assessment in French is carried out informally, with teachers making judgements based on three aspects of the children s learning in each subject each year. These judgements indicate whether the child is working at, above or below age-related expectations and are incorporated into the child s end-of-year report to parents. Subject leaders monitor the skills that are assessed in each year group to ensure that there is good progression, to make judgements on standards being achieved in their subject, and to inform action planning. Over time, we would also hope to work together with secondary colleagues to support helpful assessment of pupils language skills as part of the KS2-3 transition process. 11. Monitoring and Review The MFL subject leader is responsible for monitoring standards of teaching and learning in French across KS2. The subject leader will review this policy regularly and will also keep the governing body regularly updated about curriculum developments. 12. Conclusion Academic Frank Smith wrote the following: "One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way. This spirit of opening doors, broadening horizons and providing children with a lifelong love of learning about different languages and cultures lies at the heart of our approach to MFL at the Queens Federation. September 2015