The MFL Department (Spanish and French)
We are a lively department where student engagement is at the core.
The MFL Curriculum is designed to develop and support linguists. It aims to foster an understanding of different cultures and traditions as well as tolerance of other communities and beliefs in a global society and provide an engaging and stimulating environment to encourage pupils to study languages.
We wish to develop confidence in a range of communicative and transferable skills such as listening and conversing, vital for success in any professional field. so that students can be confident at expressing themselves with a high degree of accuracy. They should be able to develop their ability to communicate confidently and coherently with native speakers in speech and writing, conveying what they want to say with increasing accuracy, express and develop thoughts and ideas spontaneously and fluently. They should also be able to listen to and understand clearly articulated, standard speech at near normal speed. Regarding their reading skills, they should be able to understand and respond to different types of written language, understand general and specific details within texts using high frequency familiar language across a range of contexts.
Key Stage 3
During Key Stage 3, pupils begin to understand, speak, read and write in the target language. Pupils become familiar with the sounds, written form and grammar of the language, and use this knowledge with increasing competence to express themselves in role plays, conversations and writing. They also increase their cultural awareness by communicating with people who speak the language and by using materials from countries and communities where the language is spoken.
Key Stage 3 runs through Year 7 and Year 8 with a huge focus on the 4 disciplines of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.
Students cover a range of topics throughout this key stage including meeting with friends and socialising, family, food and holidays. Teaching is lively and dynamic with lots of drama, music and kinaesthetic learning used to bring the topics alive!
Key Stage 4
At Key Stage 4, both Spanish and French are three-year courses taught in mixed ability groups.
The Year 9 course is designed to prepare pupils to meet the requirements to complete their GCSE exams by the end of Year 11. In Year 10, students will be fully prepared for their exams by completing a series of mock exams with a particular focus on Speaking and Listening skills. The GCSE specification is designed to engage teenagers and enable them of all abilities to develop their French/Spanish language skills to their full potential, equipping them with the knowledge to communicate in a variety of contexts with confidence. In our first year of teaching the new 9-1 specifications, we were incredibly proud that 17 students attained level 9s at GCSE. This equates to 15% of the cohort compared with 3% nationally.
Key Stage 5
Since 2013, we have been running French & Spanish A-level at Bishop Douglass, we have consistently kept a successful track record of results.
We endeavour to give our 6th form students the opportunity to enjoy some extra-curricular activities such as attending Flamenco shows, visits to the French Institute and the Instituto de Cervantes where students can be immersed in the language by attending concerts, shows or viewing a film in French or Spanish.
Curriculum Map - French
Engendering a love for languages is central to our department ethos! We have run various trips to Europe: Amsterdam in 2016, Athens in 2017, Malaga in July 2018, Valencia in March 2019 and Lisbon in July 2019.
This is to ensure that students get the opportunity to live an unbelievable and unique experience by finding out about local customs, being exposed to the language and experimenting the local food. This is the best way to expand pupils ’worldview and for them to become more culturally aware.
Last February, there was a Latin Fiesta organised by Y10 & Y11 students in order to raise money for Mind mental health charity.
We also run a Spanish Cine club for KS3 students at lunch time along with a Bachata and Salsa dance club for the more mature students organised by one of our Spanish teachers.
For further information please contact us via email - firstname.lastname@example.org