Modern Foreign Languages
Intent
Our overall aim for language learning at Lynch Hill is that pupils develop a deep interest in and appreciation for other cultures, as they learn to understand and express themselves with increasing confidence in French or Spanish. Currently Year 4 are learning Spanish, with Years 3, 5 and 6 learning French.
The MFL curriculum at Lynch Hill provides the opportunity for learners to develop positive attitudes towards language learning throughout life. We aim to help pupils to grow into curious, confident and reflective language learners and to provide them with a foundation that will equip them for further language studies. Pupils will develop specific knowledge of French or Spanish, learning words and structures that enable them to ask and answer questions, listen to, read and understand stories, songs, poems and other short texts, and to write from memory about themselves. The skills, knowledge and understanding gained make a major contribution to the development of children's oracy and literacy. 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.
Implementation
The focus of study is on practical communication, incorporating a balance of spoken and written language. Oral and aural work will expose pupils to the language spoken by a variety of people and in a variety of contexts. Games and songs will be used to explore the patterns and sounds of language. Pupils will be encouraged to engage in conversations, asking and answering questions, expressing opinions and responding to others. They will increasingly speak in sentences to present their ideas and information orally to a range of audiences. Pupils will be exposed to a variety of written texts to broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words. In Upper Key Stage 2 they will learn to use bi-lingual dictionaries confidently to support their learning. They will increasingly be able to write phrases from memory and adapt these to create new sentences to express themselves. Grammatical rules will be studied, including masculine and feminine forms, and the basic conjugation of high-frequency verbs, so that pupils are able to apply this understanding to build more accurate sentences. To support staff in the delivery of high-quality French and Spanish lessons, we use the KAPOW MFL units of study.
Impact
Impact is measured by looking at work in MFL folders, which demonstrates the acquisition of and progression in key skills. In addition, pupil discussions about their learning will show enjoyment and progression from Year 3 work to Year 6 work. Children will be able to apply their cultural understanding and tolerance across society and cultures.