French at Hartwell
At Hartwell, we strive to ensure each KS2 child receives high quality MFL teaching. We chose to teach the children French as this supports their transition into our local secondary school, who also teach French. Lessons should teach children the skills needed to communicate confidently in French. Children should also be able to express their thoughts and ideas both verbally and in writing. We follow a spiral curriculum designed to repeat and build upon previous learning, allowing the children opportunities to rehearse and expand knowledge across a wide range of topic areas. KS1 have the opportunity to join a French after school club, led by a native French speaker and by the end of year 2, children have discovered where France is and have a basic understanding of how to greet each other in the language. Children have individual language books that they take up through the school with hem from Year 3, they update these during lessons and know to use these in order to reduce cognitive over load.
Please click here to see information about French across Hartwell.
Link to how we remember and retain in French.
Subject Leader
As MFL lead, my role is to support teachers, promote a love of language learning and to monitor the progress of the children. I can often be heard encouraging children to use their French skills outside of lessons. I believe early language learning is important as it gives children a good understanding of the structure of other languages and it gives children the opportunity to develop their cultural understanding. It also supports the children’s transition into local secondary, which also teach French alongside other languages.
To support the progress children make across Key Stage 2, I have created a progression map focused on Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. It also shows the vocabulary learnt in each class and how it builds over the years.
In order to gain an understanding of how French is taught across the school, I ensure that my subject is monitored termly, gaining evidence from books and pupil voice. This informs the strengths and areas for development in my subject, which I share with staff individually. During the monitoring I also get feedback from staff on the areas they feel are strengths/ areas for development and will support them to the best of my ability.
Please click here to see Vocabulary progression across the years.
The National Curriculum
Pupils should be taught to:
- listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding
- explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
- engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help*
- speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
- develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases*
- 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 that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
- write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
- describe people, places, things and actions orally* and in writing
- understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English
The contribution of MFL to teaching in other curriculum areas
English
The learning of a modern foreign language contributes to the development of our children’s listening and speaking skills. It also develops the children’s grasp of linguistic features such as rhyme, rhythm and emphasises the importance of knowing the role of different word types in sentence structure.
Mathematics
Children reinforce their time-telling skills by playing time-related games in the foreign language. We play number games, too, that reinforce their counting and calculation skills, expand their understanding of date, and increase their knowledge about money.
Personal, social and health education (PSHE)
One of the main benefits to the children of learning a modern foreign language at primary school level is a social one. It gives the children the opportunity to learn about cultures from a different country. Lessons also give children the opportunity to take part in paired/ group work.
Geography
We ask the children to do research on the different countries in which the French language is spoken after they have first found them on a map or a globe. In MFL lessons, children will learn the names of cities and towns in France and will also begin to describe the weather.
Computing
Videos, games and programmes are used on the interactive whiteboard support and engage children in their French learning.
MFL and SMSC
Spiritual
MFL supports Spiritual development by getting the pupils excited about learning about the world around them.
Moral
MFL supports Moral development by encouraging pupils to recognise the importance of learning a MFL from another country to enable them to respect how difficult it is when people visit Britain and try to speak a new language.
Social
MFL supports Social development by allowing children to work with a partner or as part of a group.
Cultural
MFL Supports Cultural development by encouraging children to appreciate the similarities and differences between France and Britain.
Enrichment
Going forwards, we are going to have whole school themed days looking at the counties where French is spoken. We are looking at inviting native French speakers into school on a more regular basis.
Assessment
Pupils are assessed after each unit through speaking, listening, reading and writing activities.
