Subject Leader: Mrs C Mwamatandala
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” (Nelson Mandela)
Learn a language and become a truly global citizen. Knowing another language will improve your job prospects and your earning capacity.
Learning a language does not just enable us to improve our communication skills, it also gives us a way of understanding different perspectives and the way different cultures see the world! A good language learner is curious, inquisitive, open-minded, tolerant and confident. Learning a language is one of lifeâs great adventures!
Being able to understand and communicate in another language enhances your working memory and your knowledge of your own language. It improves creativity and problem-solving skills. Learning a language is fun and fascinating and it can change your life for the better!
Intent:
The intention of our curriculum is to provide a broad, balanced and knowledge rich language education which ensures every child is offered challenging and engaging learning experiences with Christian values at their heart. Through our four key concepts in languages (linguistic competence, knowledge about language, creativity and cultural diversity), we aim to produce a rounded curriculum that is accessible to all learners and creates a solid foundation for future study/use for real purposes in both a personal and professional context.
Our main aims are to:
- Live: Foster pupilsâ curiosity and deepen their understanding of other countries and cultures so that they can be open and adaptable to new experiences and more tolerant of different ways of thinking and living.
- Enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in a different language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and writing.
- Love: Explore different approaches to familiar thinking and develop a greater understanding of and respect for language and culture.
- Learn: Provide the foundation for the continued learning of a modern foreign language therefore equipping pupils to communicate effectively for personal and professional purposes, both at home and abroad.
- Develop the skills and confidence of language learners to consider themselves as âWorld Citizensâ who belong in a multicultural, mutually respectful world.
Implementation:
Through the four main concepts that we develop in MFL at Edward Peake, we aim to maximise linguistic competence and confidence as well as knowledge about language and cultural diversity. At key stage two, pupils study a language for one hour a week. This increases to two hours per week at key stage 3. We use the latest e-based teaching resource (Dynamo) which links directly to the national curriculum and to the Edexcel GCSE course, and which assesses against standards that prepare our pupils for the next stage of learning. We supplement our learning by using resources such as Quizlet, Linguascope, à tantôt, Blooket and Kahoot as part of a media rich broad French curriculum. This enables all pupils to access the curriculum in a varied and engaging manner. Cultural diversity is important to us here at Edward Peake so, as part of the French curriculum, we look at all of the French and German speaking world and its cultures rather than focusing on one specific country. Language learning in the classroom is enhanced by an annual trip to Europe so that pupils can practise a variety of language skills and experience the culture first-hand.
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Live: Foster curiosity and developing language skills through spoken and written expression. Enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in a modern foreign language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and writing. |
Love: Learn new ways of thinking and develop an appreciation of other cultures and customs |
Learn: Provide the foundation for learning further languages therefore equipping pupils to study and work in other countries. Develop the skills and confidence of language learners to consider themselves as âWorld Citizensâ who belong in a multicultural, mutually respectful world. |
| In the classroom | Through sequenced learning using up to date resources, pupils will understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources and speak with confidence, fluency and spontaneity. | We aim to support pupils to understand other countries and cultures so that they can be more open and adaptable to new experiences; ensuring that each topic contains an element of cultural reference to not only individual countries but the wider world. | Quality first teaching, challenging activities and subject specialist teaching. The department is committed to developing strong, lifelong linguistic skills and to encourage students to become curious and interested in the world. |
| Out of the classroom |
Appropriate and challenging home learning tasks for pupils using online and traditional resources. Intervention strategies and support. We endeavour to inspire all language practitioners/peers through collaboration, support and modelling exceptional practice. |
Annual residential trip to Europe. Accessing cultural based media to visit the wider world. |
Appropriate and challenging home learning. Access to online resources. Intervention strategies and support. We endeavour to inspire all language practitioners/peers through collaboration, support and modelling exceptional practice- no matter what stage of career journey. |
Impact:
Pupils achieve academically, are ready for their next steps in education and have high aspirations for their future. Students have an enjoyable, positive and meaningful language-learning experience which enables them to appreciate the benefits of knowing another language other than their own and to feel confident and excited about learning and using a foreign language in and beyond the classroom. Through our delivery of high-quality subject-specialist teaching and cultural insight, we will nurture students and promote a linguistic curiosity and the intrinsic motivation to explore and respect other cultures and people.
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Live: Foster curiosity and developing language skills through spoken and written expression. Enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and writing. |
Love: Learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in another language. |
Learn: Provide the foundation for learning further languages therefore equipping pupils to study and work in other countries. Develop the skills and confidence of language learners to consider themselves as âWorld Citizensâ who belong in a multicultural, mutually respectful world. |
| Pupils find ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation; can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt. |
Pupils have higher, more informed aspirations for their future. Pupils are prepared for the wider world both academically and vocationally. Pupils extend their cultural capital. Pupils will have an appreciation of how other cultures live life and as a result will be more willing world citizens. |
Pupils will discover new ways of looking at situations and apply cultural awareness to their decision making. Learning a language will enhance learning in other areas and increase opportunities for cross-curricular collaboration. Pupils will feel accomplished when they can talk confidently and with knowledge about another culture and its customs. |
