Intent, Implementation and Impact of our Foreign Language Curriculum
Intent
At Hanslope we wish to develop our children’s awareness of other languages and cultures around the world and seek opportunities to explore this with our pupils. Our chosen languages at Hanslope are French and Spanish which we teach formally. Further languages may be explored as part of the wider curriculum. We aim to give our pupils a broad experience in language learning which will enhance their skills and develop a love for learning a language from an early age.
Pupils start to learn a foreign language formally in KS2, starting with French in Year Three. In order to support their language acquisition, our Year Three and Four curriculum design is based around ‘The Primary French Project’. This has progressive content in terms of vocabulary and grammar to develop pupils’ ability to recall and manipulate French words in order to form sentences. From Year Five, our pupils learn Spanish which builds on their language learning skills already acquired. They will make links with their previous knowledge of French and continue to develop key skills.
The schemes of work which we use are ambitious and match the National Curriculum Programme of study for Foreign Languages. Children are given opportunities within the curriculum to develop all of the four skills areas as well as their intercultural and language learning skills.
Language Learning Skills we aim to develop include:
- Ability to use context to deduce meaning
- Ability to look for cognates and other links (including mother tongue) to deduce meaning
- Resilience – not being afraid of mistakes, and bouncing back after making them
- Dictionary skills
- Phonics of the relevant language and the sound-spelling link
- Ability to use phonic knowledge to read aloud accurately and confidently
- Ability to adapt a model of known language to create something new and often personal
- Desire to support and be polite to other learners
- Desire and confidence to “have a go” and get the message across
- Ability to memorise and recall vocabulary
Implementation
In Year Three and Year Four children have a French lesson every week for 30-40 minutes. There are at least five lessons every half-term followed by an assessment activity. Teachers are supported by a specialist to deliver high-quality lessons. In year Five and Year Six, pupils are taught Spanish each week for 30 minutes by a Specialist language teacher. The majority of these lessons are taught in Spanish to maximise the children’s exposure to the target language and prepare them for Secondary school language teaching.
- All planning and resources are available for teachers to use and the lessons build knowledge and understanding in a progressive manner.
- Lessons focus on speaking and listening skills first which is the focus of most lessons before progressing onto written language.
- Songs and games are used to engage pupils and harness a love for language learning from a young age.
- Visual aids and speaking frames are used to support pupils to form their own sentences.
- Links with other languages, including English are made explicit to enhance our children’s understanding of where words originate.
- Teachers use the target language as much as possible and encourage the children to do the same by ensuring classroom vocabulary and instructions are taught early on.
- Teachers regularly assess pupils during lessons through questioning and specific tasks to identify those children with gaps in their learning.
- Pupils across the school have a chance to learn about different languages and cultures within the wider curriculum.
Impact
Children at Hanslope School enjoy their language lessons and are encouraged to explore further language learning outside of school. They especially enjoy playing games to embed new vocabulary and confidently speak in the target language during lessons. They are often amazed at how much they understand and are forming positive opinions on why learning another language is important as well as fun. We often see children eager to share words and phrases in their home languages or ones they have learnt whilst on holiday or from relatives.
Our pupils are given the opportunity to learn the languages that will be taught to them at KS3. This allows them to make an informed decision if they are asked to choose which language they wish to take.
Children leave Hanslope school with a positive attitude to language learning and with the skills needed to take their chosen language to the next level.
Subject Leader: Mrs Amy West