Modern Foreign Languages
Kate Hayhurst - Head of Modern Foreign Languages - kate.hayhurst@swale.at
To have another language is to possess a second soul
CHARLEMAGNE
Subject Overview
Our aim at Peacehaven Community School is that all of our learners consider themselves ‘World Citizens’ who belong to a mutually cultural and respectful world. We support our students in understanding new cultures and link these to our own personal experiences. We encourage our students to be curious and interested in the world. We want our students to love languages. All of our modules from Year 7 -Year 11 contain cultural references and the use of authentic materials.
We believe that the ability to understand and communicate in another language is a lifelong skill for education and employment in this country and throughout the world.
Key knowledge and skills
Our curriculum delivers the key knowledge and skills through a broad topic-based curriculum. The Key Stage 3 curriculum begins with topics relevant to the individual student that they can relate to in the world around them. Through these topics they develop personal communication skills (S/L/R/W), awareness of the wider world and opportunities open to them, tolerance of other cultures through understanding its language, literature and tradition.
Essential Knowledge in MFL:
- Phonics: paced and explicit teaching of sound symbol correspondences initially in year 7 then revisited. Within the Swale East Sussex network this is tailored to a high number of students with lower reading ages.
- Vocabulary: 400 new words per year that need to be revisited, 10 words0 per week. These words are taken from different parts of speech within topic areas to aid retention.
- Grammar: no more than one new grammatical concept is introduced every two weeks. Tenses are introduced and revisited constantly from early in year 7.
KS3 French and Spanish
Students will follow the Studio Course books. They will have 2 lessons a week in either French or Spanish in years 7, 8 and 9. At the end of each unit of work they will undertake an assessment across a selection of the 4 skill areas - speaking, listening, reading, writing. (S,L,R,W)
Year 7 French
In terms 1 & 2 students will have an introduction to French and learn simple classroom commands and instructions. They will be able to talk about themselves, their likes and dislikes and learn all about school life.
In terms 3 & 4 students will be learning about their hobbies and free time activities, including use of computers and mobile phones. They will also learn about towns and villages, giving directions, and inviting someone out.
In terms 5 & 6 students will talk about holiday plans and activities and experience some cultural awareness projects.
Year 7 Spanish
In terms 1 & 2 students will give a description about their life with simple facts and will be able to talk about what they like doing in their free time.
In terms 3 & 4 students will give a description about their life in school and will be able to talk about their families and home
In terms 5 & 6 students will be able to describe their town, local area and what plan they have for the weekend
Year 8 French
In terms 1 & 2 students will learn about TV, film and books. They will be able to talk about internet use and activities they have undertaken in the past. They will have an introduction to regular present tense verbs as well as the verbs aller and faire. Students will find out all about Paris and be able to use the perfect tense.
In terms 3 & 4 students will have an introduction to reflexive verbs and the future tense. They will be able to talk about themselves and the things they like to do. They will be able to describe where they live and discuss food. They will also have an introduction to events.
In terms 5 & 6 students will use language to talk about talent and ambition. They will work on a variety of grammatical concepts - infinitives, imperatives, superlatives and the language of persuasion.
Year 8 Spanish
In terms 1 & 2 students will be able to give a description of their last holidays. Also, they will talk about what thing they do with their phones and music/tv interests
In terms 3 & 4 students will give opinions about food and order in a restaurant. They will discuss and arrange plans too.
In terms 5 & 6 students will describe and discuss summer holiday homes, activities, destinations.
Year 9 French
In terms 1 & 2 students will discuss their social lives and going out, as well as healthy living. They will be able to use 3 tenses.
In terms 3 & 4 students will talk about jobs and future plans, followed by holidays.
In terms 5 & 6 students will study the language relating to themselves in today’s world.
Year 9 Spanish
In terms 1 & 2 students will be able to give a description of the things they like, talk about a special event, films and celebrities. Also, they will learn about the world of work and future careers
In terms 3 & 4 students will talk about healthy lifestyle, food and meals, getting fit and daily routines. They will continue working on the topic of recycling, fair trade, children’s rights and world issues
In terms 5 & 6 students will be able to talk about an adventure abroad, greet people, design a treasure hunt. Also they will organise future plans
KS4 French and Spanish
At KS4 (years 10 & 11) students will have 3 lessons a week
They will be working towards the:
Year 10 French
In terms 1 & 2 students will have an introduction to GCSE Theme 1 - Identity and Culture. Qui suis-je?
In terms 3 & 4 students will continue with Theme 1 - Identity and Culture. Le temps des loisirs et Jours ordinaires, jours de fête
In terms 5 & 6 students will have an introduction to Theme 2 - Local, National and International areas of interest. De la ville à la campagne
Year 10 Spanish
In terms 1&2 students will work on GCSE Theme 1: Identity and culture. Intereses e influencias
In terms 3&4 students will continue with Theme 3: Current and future study and employment. Mi vida en el insti and Theme 1: Identity and culture. Mi gente
In terms 5&6 will work on Theme 1: Identity and culture. Intereses e influencias
Year 11 French
In terms 1 & 2 students will continue with Theme 2 - Local, National and International areas of interest. Le grand large…(Les vacances). Students will start Theme 3 - Current and Future study and employment. Au collège.
In terms 3 & 4 students will complete Theme 3 - Current and Future study and employment. Bon Travail and complete Theme 2 - Local, National and International areas of interest. Un oeil sur le monde.
In terms 5 & 6 They will revise over all topics covered, prepare for and complete the GCSE exam.
Year 11 Spanish
In terms 1&2 students will work on GCSE Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest. Ciudades. They will continue with Theme 1: Identity and culture. De costumbre
In terms 3&4 students will cover Theme 3: Current and future study and employment. ¡A currar!. Also, they will work on
In term 5&6 students will do revision of the GCSE content, complete mock exams and do their GCSE exams.
Homework
Homework is set once a fortnight in years 7, 8 & 9 and once a week in years 10 & 11. Students are encouraged to use their independent skills when completing homework tasks. Examples of tasks are: ‘To teach someone at home a language structure or vocabulary, completion of worksheets relating to previous lessons work to consolidate learning, creation of a resource to support in class learning or the revision of vocab for low stakes quizzes. KS4 homework tasks are related to GCSE tasks. There is also an expectation that students will learn new vocabulary independently for regular class testing.
All homework will be set on Google Classroom.
Additional Resources
Text books
KS3 French Studio 1, 2, 3
KS3 Spanish Viva 1,2,3
KS4 French Studio AQA
KS4 Spanish Viva AQA
Websites
(most of these can be downloaded onto a Smartphone)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/french/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/frenchpastpaper=truesubject=Spanish&level=gcse
ttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/spanish/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish
Quizlet
Tailor made resources by staff relevant to vocabulary areas that students struggle to recall.
Free phone apps to download:
Seneca
REVISION GUIDES:
Are available to purchase £5.00 for a guide and a workbook. The workbook is extremely useful as it has GCSE graded questions and is self-marking as well as having lots of listening activities - an area the students still find very difficult, but they can work through them at their own pace. They can redo these as many times as they need to.
