In This Section
Modern Foreign Languages
At the Radstone Primary School, our French curriculum aims to inspire and excite pupils, offering a relevant, broad, and ambitious foreign language education. Taught by a language specialist, our approach is built on three core concepts:
- Communicating in French: Developing pupils' ability to listen, speak, read, and write in French with increasing confidence and fluency.
- Understanding French Grammar: Building a solid foundation in French grammar, enabling pupils to construct and manipulate language effectively.
- Discovering Culture: Exploring French customs and culture, fostering curiosity and respect for different ways of life.
"Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things but learning another way to think about things" -Flora Lewis
Curriculum Intent
Through our core concepts, we strive to:
- Deliver Quality Learning: Our curriculum ensures a comprehensive and progressive approach to French education. We aim to equip pupils with the knowledge and skills to use and apply their learning in various contexts, laying solid foundations for future language learning and supporting overall attainment in other subject areas.
- Inspire Enthusiasm: We encourage curiosity and a positive attitude towards language learning. Our goal is to ignite a passion for French that extends beyond the classroom, fostering a desire to become life-long language learners. Our focus on becoming Language Detectives is a key element of this.
- Promote Global Citizenship: We recognize the importance of cultural understanding in language learning. Our curriculum emphasizes the exploration of relationships between language and identity, developing a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them.
Implementation
Our implementation strategy focuses on delivering a comprehensive, engaging French education that builds knowledge and skills progressively:
- Curriculum Structure: French is taught weekly throughout Key Stage 2 using the Kapow scheme of work which is carefully sequenced to build on previous learning, progressing from basic vocabulary and phrases to more complex language structures and cultural understanding.
- Focus on Communicating in French: Throughout the curriculum, pupils engage in activities that develop all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. We use a variety of resources, including authentic materials, to provide a rich language learning experience.
- Understanding French Grammar: Grammar is introduced gradually and in context, appropriate to the age and stage of the learners. We ensure that pupils understand how the language works, enabling them to create their own accurate and personalized responses to complex authentic French questions by the end of the primary phase.
- Discovering Culture: We incorporate cultural elements into our language lessons, including exploring traditional customs, landmarks, historical events and daily life in French-speaking countries. This approach helps pupils understand the context in which the language is used and fosters cultural appreciation.
Impact
The impact of our French curriculum is evident in the following outcomes:
- Language Proficiency: Pupils demonstrate increasing confidence and competence in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in French. They can engage in simple conversations, understand basic texts, and express themselves in writing at an age-appropriate level.
- Grammatical Understanding: Students show a solid grasp of French grammar, appropriate to their age and level. They can apply grammatical rules to construct their own sentences and manipulate language for different purposes.
- Cultural Awareness: Pupils exhibit an informed and respectful attitude towards French-speaking cultures. They can discuss similarities and differences between their own culture and those of French-speaking countries.
- Enthusiasm for Language Learning: Students show huge interest in French and a positive attitude towards learning languages in general. They are keen to use their French skills and show curiosity about further language learning. This creates a sense of confidence which allows us to use more complex authentic resources in lessons.
- Preparation for the Future: Our pupils are well-prepared for language learning at secondary school, with a solid foundation in French that will serve them in their future studies and potentially in their careers.
- Cognitive Benefits: Through language learning, pupils demonstrate improved memory, problem-solving skills, and cognitive flexibility, which positively impact their performance across the curriculum.
- Global Citizenship: Students show an increased awareness of the wider world and their place in it.
Key Information
Modern Foreign Languages Key Stage 2