French
‘Learning for life’
Intent
French is the MFL taught at Thornton Hough Primary School to all children in KS2. We believe that many children really enjoy learning to speak another language. We also believe that the earlier a child is exposed to a foreign language, the faster the language in question is acquired. We strongly believe that it is a good idea to introduce a new language to children when they are at primary school, as they tend to be less self-conscious about speaking aloud at this stage of their development. The early acquisition of a foreign language facilitates the learning of other foreign languages later in life.
In line with the national curriculum for Modern Foreign Languages, we aim 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, whilst also equipping them with the skills and confidence to interact within it, certainly within French speaking countries and communities.
At Thornton Hough Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that competence in another language enables children to interpret, create and exchange meaning within and across cultures. It also helps children develop skills that will open further opportunities later in life.
The teaching of French in KS2 provides an appropriate balance of spoken and written language and lays the foundations for further foreign language learning as our pupils progress to KS3.
Implementation
French is taught to all children in KS2 in weekly lessons. We follow a French course to develop the skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing within the subject. In the initial stages of our teaching we place particular emphasis on speaking and listening. Our children are taught to listen attentively to spoken language and respond, joining in with songs, rhymes and games. They develop an appreciation of a variety of stories, songs, and rhymes in French that are delivered throughout the curriculum content.
To place their learning in a meaningful context and to develop intercultural understanding, our children follow a detailed topic on France in lower KS2. This cross-curricular topic complements their language learning with aspects of geography, culture, art and daily life in France.
Impact
As a result, all our pupils enjoy French lessons and show great enthusiasm in learning the language and about French culture. They recognise and remember key French vocabulary and can write a limited amount in French. Learning another language gives children a new perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures, their own languages, and the culture and languages of others.
Please find below information on the National Curriculum for languages at Key Stage 2 and our Long Term Plan for French.