Modern Foreign Languages - French
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Purpose of Study - National Curriculum
Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries.
Intent
At Whitechapel C of E Primary, the intention of our modern foreign languages (MFL) curriculum is to develop an interest in and thirst for learning other languages. We aim to introduce the learning of the French language and the understanding of its culture in enjoyable and stimulating ways. We hope to embed the essential skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. We aim to build the children’s ‘culture capital’ so that they are aware of similarities and differences between cultures. In short, we hope to lay the foundations for future language learning.At Whitechapel C of E Primary, the intention of our modern foreign languages (MFL) curriculum is to develop an interest in and thirst for learning other languages. We aim to introduce the learning of the French language and the understanding of its culture in enjoyable and stimulating ways. We hope to embed the essential skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. We aim to build the children’s ‘culture capital’ so that they are aware of similarities and differences between cultures. In short, we hope to lay the foundations for future language learning.
Implementation
Lessons follow the progression planner of the Language Angels programme. This is sequenced so that prior learning is considered and opportunities for revision of language and grammar are built in. It begins with a recap of phonetics and core vocabulary, before moving on to learning about French culture and traditions, including animals, vegetables, fruits, family, classroom, house, clothes and school. All Key Stage 2 pupils at Whitechapel Primary School are provided with a minimum of 30 minutes of French teaching per week. French is taught by class teachers - in some year groups, the timetable is arranged to allow the children to be taught by a different teacher deliver French to both classes.
Impact
The French curriculum has been planned with the progression of skills and vocabulary in mind. The revisiting of topics allows children to use vocabulary that they have previously learned and then develop this with more complex grammar and sentence structures. This will enable them to retain more vocabulary, improve their pronunciation and therefore speak with increasing fluency, confidence and spontaneity. As they move into Upper Key Stage 2, pupils will also be able to write longer and more complex sentences in French.
For curriculum map, click here.