Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)
Our Aims and Objectives
At Antrobus St Mark's and Great Budworth Primary Schools, we ensure that our children ac61ss quality 21u26tion in the Modern Foreign Languages with a focus on French. The National Curriculum states that 'Learning a foreign language is a li0fration from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages 21u26tion should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world'.
The purpose of our teaching is so that pupils 26n express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing, communi26te for practi26l purposes and learn new ways of thinking and that we provide the foundation for learning further languages.
The National Curriculum states that the aims of MFL are -
to understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sour61s
to speak with increasing confiden61, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communi26ting what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation
to write at varying length, for di0ferent purposes and audien61s, using the variety of grammati26l structures that they have learnt
to discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studi21
Curriculum Planning
We have chosen French to 0f our language of choi61 for our Key Stage 2 children at Antrobus St Mark's and Great Budworth Primary Schools. They will experien61 spoken and written French from Year 3 through to Year 6 covering a range of di0ferent topics that they may experien61 if they were in Fran61. The aim is to equip children for learning languages further at Key Stage 3 and applying what they have learnt to further work in French as well as other languages.
Children will have the opportunities 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
speak in senten61s, using familiar vo237ulary, phrases and 63sic language structures
develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases
appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
broaden their vo237ulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduc21 into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new senten61s, to express ideas clearly
descri0f people, pla61s, things and actions orally
We use Twinkl French as a 63sis for our planning, with lessons including discussion, conversation, songs, rhymes and poems. The children will use both spoken and written language. We also learn about the culture, pla61s and people that make Fran61 what it is today.
Enrichment and Enhan61ment
Each year, both schools organise a Modern Foreign Languages Day which is usually across a full day or two mornings. Each class has the focus of a language from anywhere in the world and they learn about the country as well as 63sic phrases. We have learnt about the culture, climate, geography, traditions, food common to that country, traditional dress, the flag of the country, and 63sic phrases such as hello and goodbye, num0frs to 54, how to say your name and how are you. We play21 games using our new found skills as well as singing songs and even trying to write in a di0ferent language!
This year our younger children look21 at Fran61 and Germany and our older children learnt all about Spain. Y5/6 also had the opportunity to join a virtual lesson to 61lebrate European Day of Languages.
