Modern Foreign Language

At Cronton CE Primary School our KEYS Curriculum is built around the National Curriculum, enriched to reflect the children and community we teach in. As a church school our Christian ethos and school values are the heart of everything we do.

We believe every child can be their BEST with our Vision statement reflecting this.

“I can do everything through God who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13

Intent

As part of the KEYS Curriculum (Knowledge and Skills Empower You to Succeed) we aim to provide children with the opportunity to reach their full potential in their learning of a foreign language. We want to create a love for language and stimulate a desire to experiment with it.  We hope to foster pupils’ curiosity and broaden their understanding of the world, promoting tolerance and respect for diverse beliefs and traditions in other cultures.   We intend to give children an insight into the similarities and differences of life in Spain, by exploring special events and  festivals that are celebrated there. 

Key attributes of a linguist at Cronton

We hope that through their language learning the children will develop the following.

• curiosity to find out about the traditions in Spain, and a desire to communicate with people in their own language
• respect and tolerance of differences, both locally and globally
• strategies to deduce meaning and pick out the gist of unfamiliar texts.
• knowledge and skills which will equip them to progress with their language learning at KS3 or as adults
• active participation in partner or group conversations, respectfully helping each other with pronunciation
• an ability to make connections and see patterns in phonics, vocabulary and grammar, so that they can independently recycle and manipulate known language in order to create their own
• perseverance in learning how to decode the different way in which sounds are represented in Spanish and courage to try them out during songs, rhymes and with others during speaking activities

Implementation

In EYFS and KS1 the children experience short taster sessions, designed to help them explore the different sounds in Spanish.  This is done through simple, age appropriate songs, rhymes and games, involving topics such as greetings, colours and numbers.  The language visited during this early stage of learning will support work met at Key Stage 2.

KS2

A revised scheme of work was created in 2020, which sets out to present elements of language in small steps, building on previous knowledge in a cumulative manner.  The Long Term Plan has been tailored to provide topics through which key vocabulary, phonics and grammar can be explored in a logical sequence. We aim to support our children's language learning with a combination of these 3 pillars of language. 

 There is a balanced progression across Key Stage 2 in the following five areas:

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
• Grammar

To provide for different learning styles, activities incorporate sight, sound and movement. This involves:

• Songs, rhymes and raps.
• Actions to represent feelings, numbers, months.
• Picture representation.
• Games to create an element of fun and competition.
• Collaborative learning which entails partner and small group activities, where mistakes can be made and language rehearsed freely without prolonged turn taking or fear of an audience.  Active participation is a key element.
• Listening activities.
• Pattern seeking.

Lessons are delivered following a consistent sequence of:

This  lesson structure has been designed to ensure the children learn more and remember, combining recapping with learning new knowledge and allowing children to make links across vocabulary, grammar and phonics. 

Impact

Children complete a short quiz to aid both retrieval and their application of knowledge, at the beginning of each lesson (Understanding Previous Learning) and at the end (Keep It!). Evidence of work, both written and spoken, is gathered and shared on the MFL blog.  Class displays reflect current learning and are a reference point for children.   

The skills acquired through learning a language are valuable and transferrable and will result in a positive impact on all areas of life.  Learning a foreign language will give children a deeper understanding of how their own language works, as they explore the similarities and differences between vocabulary, grammar and phonics.  We aim to prepare children and lay the foundations for further foreign language learning at Key Stage 3 or in later life.