Foreign Languages Curriculum
Kettlefields Primary School
The study of Languages prepares children to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities are increasingly carried out in languages other than English. At Kettlefields Primary School we believe that the learning of a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our children. It helps them to develop their ability to communicate, including key skills of speaking and listening and extends their knowledge of how language works. It provides excitement, enjoyment and challenge for children and teachers, helping to create enthusiastic learners and to develop positive attitudes to language learning throughout life. Learning another language gives children a new perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures and those of others. The natural links between languages and other areas of the curriculum can enrich the overall teaching and learning experience.
All Key Stage 2 children are entitled to foreign language learning in school time. We recognise the value of this initiative and provide age-appropriate Primary Languages learning opportunities for all children in Years 3 – 6. The focus language taught in our school is French and they have at least one hour per week. The children are taught French in their class groups and lessons are delivered by a specialist languages teacher.
Aims and objectives of Primary Languages education at Kettlefields Primary
The aims of Primary Languages teaching at Kettlefields Primary are to
Oracy
The children will learn to
Literacy
The children will learn to:
Intercultural understanding
The children will learn to:
Teaching and learning Primary Languages at Kettlefields Primary
At Kettlefields we make Foreign Language learning an enjoyable learning experience. Children develop their language skills through techniques to encourage children to engage actively, these include: rhymes, stories, role-play, games and songs (action songs), with written activities to reinforce and extend language.
We foster a problem-solving approach, giving children opportunities to work out language use for themselves in a supportive context where risk-taking and creativity are encouraged, and there is an emphasis on having fun with the new language.
Primary Languages is planned following the broad guidelines set out in the Key Stage 2 Framework for Languages. The school’s Scheme of Work (which is updated regularly) ensures that there is continuity and progression in both skills and content across all classes. Lessons are often supplemented with other materials.
The use of ICT is a key part of Foreign Language teaching, using interactive games and where possible, we enhance the teaching and learning with the use of DVDs in the target language and approved French internet sites. We also use a range of language teaching websites to help children work independently and improve their language and ICT skills.
Intercultural understanding
Primary Languages provides a basis for teaching and learning about other cultures, and this is incorporated into many areas of the curriculum including personal and social education and citizenship, design and technology, music, art and topics.
Cross Curricular Links
Learning another language present opportunities for the reinforcement of knowledge, skills and understanding developed in other curriculum areas. These opportunities can be exploited through aspects of:
Inclusion
Primary Languages teaching at Kettlefields Primary is fully inclusive. No child is excluded by reason of a learning difficulty, or because they have English as an additional language. Experience has indeed shown that such children can derive particular benefit from taking part in Primary Languages learning activities in which they may be less disadvantaged than in other areas of the curriculum.
Language learning activities are planned in such a way as to encourage the full and active participation of all children. Work is differentiated as appropriate to the needs of individual children. We achieve this through a range of strategies. In some lessons this is through differentiated group work while in other lessons we ask children to work from the same starting point before moving on to develop their ideas.
Monitoring progress and assessing attainment
Opportunities to monitor the children’s progress in Primary Languages are built into our programmes of study. Most assessment is formative and is used to support teaching and learning and inform future planning. Children’s progress is assessed informally during the lessons. Assessments are based on observation of children working on different oral activities and some written product.
We have introduced the Junior Languages Portfolio, which gives children the opportunity to self-assess their progress based on a series of statements from the KS2 MFL PoS, linked to the content and skills based objectives. This takes the form of a passport which accompanies the child through school.
Links outside school
Primary Languages gives us an ideal opportunity for making links outside school. We encourage children to share their experiences of visiting or living in other countries. We make use of ICT and approved sites on the Internet, to find out about life in other countries.
We are currently working towards making links with primary schools in French-speaking countries so that the children can have a direct insight into other cultures and the will be able to communicate directly with children from these cultures.
Maria Marsh