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Modern Foreign Languages - French and Spanish
Welcome to the wonderful world of languages! Learning a foreign language is a life skill and provides an opening to other cultures.
Students build a communicative repertoire, enabling them to express their ideas and thoughts in another language. Their learning at Key Stage 3 provides a foundation for learning further languages in the future, and as students learn how the new language works, they become much more aware of the structure of English, which improves their overall literacy.
Language learning is a continual process that builds constantly on previous vocabulary and grammar mastery. We actively promote regular vocabulary learning, revision and consolidation from class notes.
Students are assessed on an ongoing basis. Assessment tasks test listening, reading, speaking and writing skills and also grammar manipulation and take place at the end of every cycle of learning towards the end of term.
Key stage 3
In Years 7, 8 and 9 French or Spanish is taught for two lessons a week. During the course of Year 9, students are given the opportunity to opt for French or Spanish as a GCSE in Years 10 and 11. In Years 7 and 8 students follow a Mastery Curriculum and in Year 9 they follow a Bridging Curriculum to ensure they are well prepared for the GCSE.
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Likes and dislikes, describing myself, my family, my friends and other people | Media | Social media |
| School | Holidays and the perfect tense | Healthy lifestyle |
| Free time | Music and fashion | Future plans |
| Where I live | Life at home | Tourism |
| Going out | Meals and buying food | Rights and responsibilities |
| Food and drink | French speaking countries | Project work |
At the end of each learning cycle towards the end of the term, students are assessed in three of the four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. Data is captured three times throughout the year to measure progress and identify areas of support.
Students are set a variety of homework activities on a regular basis. Vocabulary learning homework is tested formally throughout the course. Other homework focuses on listening, speaking, reading or writing skills or grammar structures.
In the first term, there is a homework project to complete which helps students learn more about the countries that speak the language they are studying. In further terms, we employ a homework booklet which encourages creativity, independence and challenge.
Key Stage 4
French and Spanish are studied in Years 10 and 11 for three periods a week. The GCSE is made up of four skill areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing. All four skills are tested externally at the end of Year 11.
Students study a broad range of topics and subtopics within five main themes:
- Identity and Culture
- Local area, Holiday and Travel
- School
- Future Aspirations, Study and Work
- International and Global Dimension
All skills are terminal exams sat in the summer of Year 11 and each paper is worth 25%. The speaking exam takes place with subject teachers and is marked by an external examiner.