Studying a language develops pupils’ verbal, written and spoken communication skills, and enhances memory.
Section 1: General Principles
In a fast changing world where young people are true global citizens, our purpose is to equip students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to enable them to thrive, communicate and converse in the modern world. Our vision is to provide our learners with the skills to know how to learn a language through reinforcement and repetition and by developing secure knowledge foundations. We are dedicated to developing both linguistic skills and cultural understanding in our students, through a curriculum that encourages independent, resilient, reflective and curious learners and ultimately inspires a love for languages.
A competitive working market requires students with languages skills. JMCC students, who are in competition for top jobs with top private sector schools (as promoted in assembly messages) have similar MFL diet to good/excellent schools throughout the UK.
JMCC has always maintained an excellent reputation for MFL provision in the city/community, and MFL for all has always been widely accepted by students (compared to attitudes in other county schools)
All Ofsted/reviews etc. have been positive and we have been a beacon school for years in MFL. Strengths as department mean we are always selected for observations as the need arises for monitoring/learning walks etc. Most students have chance to complete EBac
Principles at Key Stage 3
- At KS3 for all MFL the principle is an introduction to the key skills expected in Listening/Reading/Speaking and Writing at the end of KS4, and exposure to these skills in lessons and assessments.
- KS3 is an introduction to basic vocabulary in a variety of topics, understanding of common words to improve the structure of speaking and writing, and the grammar elements that underpin construction and comprehension of the foreign language.
- The schemes of work are the same in both French and Spanish at KS3 (Panjabi/Gujarati follow a similar pattern in year 8&9), and in each section of the SoW it is clear the common vocabulary/structure and grammar to be taught. It highlights challenge opportunities for stretching the most able. The content is based on knowledge and understanding that will be required for GCSE, but with opportunity to develop a love and curiosity about the subjects.
- Knowledge organisers and booklets are provided for each unit, and all students are told that this vocabulary is also required for GCSE so they can understand the purpose of learning, and the future of such knowledge.
- Assessments takes place at the end of each unit and data is recorded using a central mark book. All 4 skills are covered in each year group throughout each academic year. KS3 common mark schemes are in place for speaking and writing. Students have a copies of progress information in their exercise books so they can see their progress across each academic year, as can parents/guardians. Each assessment is cumulative so that prior learning can be committed to long-term memory
Section 2: Connectedness (linking and co-ordinating)
The curriculum journey in Modern Languages is built on the triangulation of the 3 key principles of grammatical knowledge, rich vocabulary knowledge and linguistic skills, alongside the awareness, appreciation and empathy of different cultures.
Students are introduced to grammar structures which are carefully sequenced throughout the curriculum so that each new concept can act as a building block for the next and can lead to mastery. This mapping is crucial in ensuring students’ understanding and command of language later in their linguistic studies.
- Year 7 - The topics build on key vocabulary and classroom language for long term use of target language in lessons. Phonics and spellings are taught, to build on recognition of new words and how to pronounce new words when seen. The SoW then builds to sentence level which extends
- with each new unit, therefore building on progress of productive language (speaking and writing) and comprehension skills. At least 2 tenses are introduced in year 1.
- Year 8 - The topics build on key vocabulary and key grammar structures. The SoW then builds to sentence level which extends with each new unit, therefore building on progress of productive language (speaking and writing) and comprehension skills
- Year 9 - The 2 topics build on yr. 7 & 8 for content and grammar structures, and are also 2 topics essential for progress into year 10 for GCSE exams. The 2 topics mean revision of all 3 tenses, as well as introducing some key exams skills that are required at GCSE e.g.; photo cards, role plays, writing style exam questions, comprehension style exams that are GCSE
- Assessments for each unit are not just focussed on the topic learned but will contain vocab and structures from previous units in order to revisit and have retrieval practice from previous learning. A challenge element (i.e. unseen vocab in reading) for most able is essential, as skills taught in lessons will allow students to have the skills for working out the problems.
- KS4 curriculum choice - The AQA (French/Spanish?German/Panjabi) and Edexcel/Pearson (Gujurati) specifications are followed with topic areas in 3 themes. KS3 SoW designed so that there is progression of skills and grammar as well as vocab. learning to fit into GCSE. Subject areas (themes 1-3) chosen in order to go with textbook choices (where applicable), and to follow on from yrs. 7-9. Assessments built in develop to build confidence and expertise in exam style questions for GCSE
Section 3: MFL five year plan
- In addition all students in all years are offered the opportunity (cultural capital):
- To take part in a day excursion or 3-4 night language trip to France and/or Spain.
- At KS3 and 4 to work along side an FLA (French/Spanish)
- To study film as part of SoW and develop curiosity into foreign film watching
- To subscribe to extended reading magazine programme as well as recommended reading lists to widen language learning and cultural understanding
- To take part in any external course (eg University enrichment days) relevant to enhancing language learning
Section 4: Teaching and Learning
The scheme of learning is broken into core grammatical components, and vocabulary. We have a vocabulary rich curriculum, both in terms of topic specific vocabulary and high frequency vocabulary that enables students to express themselves and their opinions beyond their immediate needs and interests. The knowledge organisers and booklets, as well as high frequency word lists encourage the literacy development need on MFL.
Our teaching involves a balanced focus on all four skills; listening, reading, speaking and writing seen and tested through class work, home learning and assessments, which are fundamental to our successful Modern Languages curriculum. Questioning, oracy, guided practice and frameworks are vital to MFL lesson planning for progression and understanding of key concepts. All lessons provide opportunity for retrieval practice of prior learning linked to current learning.
We support all behaviour for learning practices that are school wide in our lessons and in our dialogue with students, using positive rewards to motivate and encourage good participation and learning in the classroom an at home.
In MFL we share the JMCC T&L common principals based on Interleaving, Elaboration, Retrieval Practice, Dual Coding, Spaced Practice and Concrete Examples. Many worksheets and Powerpoint resources, as well as classroom and homework activity is based on these principals.
- Interleaving – we will use in lessons fortnightly a starter, homework or activity that is based on prior learning topics (linked closely to retrieval practice)
- Dual Coding – image and word/phrase is the basis of MFL teaching (embedded). An effort is now made to simplify certain materials where appropriate.
- Retrieval Practice - used as titles on ppt/sheets for activity and starters
- Elaboration is promoted to encourage extension/development of language development
- Concrete examples (former modelling) used frequently for pre written work, as well as writing frames and are common in language lesson planning. Models are used and Dr Gianfranco Conti MFL training has lead to more use of concrete examples to build languages learning.