Modern Foreign Languages
Introduction
Learning a language is incredibly rewarding and it is both challenging and fun.
Learning a language improves your social skills, communication and confidence and makes you more open-minded to other people and cultures.
Language learning promotes tolerance and understanding. The ability to understand and communicate in other languages is a basic skill for all citizens.
Languages also help you to enter into college and university as well as improving your employment potential.
Intent
At the moment in Churchmead School all students take French but new Y7 will have both French and Spanish – which is very exciting news!
With the use of interactive white boards and electronically done textbooks, lessons are enriched; exercises are differentiated to meet the needs of every pupil so that they have the opportunity to get involved and have fun. Each pupil should reach but also exceed their target in learning modern language. We have a three-part lesson and make sure that everyone has a clear understanding of what they have learnt.
In addition to our textbooks, we use several web sites to enrich learning: linguascope, languages online and BBC languages sites; Duolingo and Babbel are also popular.
Implementation
- KS3 French
Pupils are in mixed ability sets with regular assessments and feedback to make sure that progression is made each term. At KS3 we use electronically done books Allez 1 and Allez 2 with differentiated tasks. Students can access both books on line on Kerboodle.
Y7 - Allez 1
Contexts and objectives:
Introduce yourself: physical description and your personality
Description of your family, including your pets
School and opinions about subjects
Places to live
Eating and drinking
Description of town
Clothes items for different occasions
Holidays and leisure activities
Activities in past/future
Y8 - Allez 2
Contexts and objectives:
Compare France and Britain
TV programme and preferences
Adventages of new technology
Teenegers and issues
Healthy lifestyle
Festivals
Transport and holidays
Types of homes
Jobs and ambitions
- KS4 French
At KS4 we use electronically done books GCSE AQA French foundation and higher with differentiated tasks. Students can access both books on line on Kerboodle.
Pupils follow the AQA syllabus.
Aims and Learning Outcomes
AQA GCSE course should encourage students to develop:
- Understanding of French in a variety of contexts
- Knowledge of French and language learning skills
- The ability to communicate effectively in French
- Awareness and understanding of countries and communities where French is spoken.
AQA Specification Subject Content
The students will sit all their exams at the end of the course.
The specification covers three distinct themes. These themes apply to all four-question papers.
Theme 1: 1: Identity and culture
(Family and friends, technology in everyday life, free time activities, customs and festivals)
Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest
(Region and hometown, social issues, global issues, travel and tourism)
Theme 3: Current and future study and employment
(My studies, education post 16, jobs, career choices and ambitions)
Assessments
GCSE French has a Foundation Tier (grades 1–5) and a Higher Tier (grades 4–9). Students must take all four-question papers at the same tier. Each paper is worth 25%.
Impact
We want our students to achieve their full potential by using a range of materials including GCSE criteria and end of Y11 targets. By learning a modern language, young people have a better understanding of world around them and values such as courage, compassion and commitment.
The results in GCSE modern languages has been a massive success with our students!
We are very proud to acknowledge that GCSE French results are excellent and in June 2017, 81% of our students achieved A*-C.
Community languages
We offer our students the opportunity to take an extra GCSE in community languages: Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Arabic, Chinese, Urdu, Italian, Panjabi, Japanese……..
In June 2017, 16 students achieved A*- B in Community languages!
To promote languages we organise several events throughout the year:
Events
EU Languages Day is celebrated on 26 September.
For KS3 students we organize a vocabulary competition and a Christmas card competition and prizes are given at the whole school assembly.
Y9 and Y10 students go to café Rouge, Windsor, where they have to order food and drinks in French.
Y7 to Y10 students have a chance to go to France for a day trip (Boulogne), a three-day trip to Rouen to visit their pen pals in “Le Cèdre collège” in Rouen (20-23 March 2018) or to a four-day trip to Paris to visit all famous monuments and practice French (planned for March 2019)
The French students also visited our school in June 2018.