French at Sandfield Close Primary School
At Sandfield Close Primary School we teach French from Reception to Year 6 because we believe strongly that it is necessary to provide all our children with an understanding of other cultures and languages. The children are taught weekly by a specialist teacher, our French Lead Madame Delesse, who follows a programme from Reception to Year 6 that takes into consideration the primary Modern Foreign Language (MFL) entitlement as set out in the National Curriculum 2014.
The key elements of MFL learning at Sandfield Close Primary School are that our language learning is:
- enjoyable for all
- ensures progress.
Aims and objectives
At Sandfield Close Primary School we aim to:
- lay the foundations for the future study of French
- foster an interest in learning another language
- develop an understanding of grammar
- apply and develop their knowledge of languages and language learning
- gain enjoyment, pride and a sense of achievement
- explore their own cultural identity and those of others
- increase personal aspiration.
- develop speaking, reading, writing and listening skills.
Ethos in the French lessons at Sandfield Close Primary School
We believe that language learning is best done by giving it a sense of purpose and by bringing reality into the classroom. Therefore every year we try our best to put in to place some special activities for children to enjoy. The children learn some conversation that they have to perform in order to be able to buy some food. In Year 3 the children take part in a Christmas biscuit sale and decoration and in the summer term they get the opportunity to buy an ice-cream. In Year 4, children get to buy all the ingredient they need to make their own sandwich and enjoy a picnic outside. In Year 5, we organise a French café and in Year 6 we learn a recipe to make crêpes and then eat some! The children always look forward to these special occasions and always try their best!
The children are given the opportunity to be at the front of the class, once more making language learning more interactive for our children.
Children at Sandfield Close Primary School are not worried about trying to write in French. They enjoy the challenge of writing, using a dictionary and sentence building all in their stride!
The curriculum for MFL
The curriculum for the teaching of MFL should provide an appropriate balance of spoken and written language and should lay the foundations for further foreign language teaching at Key Stage 3. It should enable pupils to understand and communicate ideas, facts and feelings in speech and writing, focused on familiar and routine matters, using their knowledge of phonology, grammatical structures and vocabulary.
The focus of study in modern languages will be on practical communication.
Pupils should be taught to:
- listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding
- explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
- engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help
- speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
- develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases
- present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences* read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
- appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
- broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
- write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
- describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing
- understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English.
Our school Scheme of Work can be found on our website.
Each class in Sandfield Close Primary School contains children from a wide range of abilities and we seek to provide suitable learning opportunities for them all by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. This means that, where appropriate, written work will be differentiated according to ability. MFL is, however, a highly inclusive subject and although the principal aim of the teaching is to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding, there is also an emphasis on enjoyment. MFL is taught to all children, whatever their ability and individual needs.
Assessment in French
Children are assessed every lesson by Madame Delesse to ensure understanding, appropriate pitch and adequate purposeful planning. In KS2, children are assessed in speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar in French. The attainment children make is reported yearly within their school report for parents.