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Our Vision in MFL...

• For pupils to feel confident to speak, listen, read and write in French.
• For pupils to have an understanding of French culture and develop their curiosity of different languages and cultures.
• For pupils to develop a love of language learning and equip them for future language learning.

Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. We live in such a diverse, multicultural society, it is therefore essential that our children develop skills and attitudes which enable them to explore, understand and respect other cultures.

At Bishop Martin, children across the school learn French. In EYFS and KS1, although the discrete teaching of a foreign language is not compulsory, we feel it is important to promote an understanding of the world around us and children begin their language learning journey developing their listening and speaking skills in French, through a variety of songs and games. This promotes an understanding of the world around us and provides a positive starting point for future language learning.

In KS1 and KS2, children receive a lesson each week from our MFL trained specialist (KS2) and a dedicated French teacher (KS1), following the School Improvement Liverpool scheme. The scheme has been designed so that the three pillars of learning: phonics, grammar and vocabulary are interwoven throughout, where children remember, apply and build upon learning as they progress, using learning from a variety of topic areas in new contexts. The scheme promotes enjoyment, progressive challenge and promotes positive attitudes towards language learning in the future.

Language learning is further reinforced and embedded in a variety of ways: by the class teacher which may take a variety of formats for example, through daily routines such as answering the register; signage around school; La Journée de la Francophonie event, cross-curricular study of French artists etc.

In KS2, progression has been mapped out across the four skills for each year group based on the Key Stage 2 Languages Programme of Study which states that children 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 word
• 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 phrase
• Present ideas and information orally to a range of audience
• 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

In language lessons, we employ a varied, engaging and effective range of teaching strategies and resources in order to motivate and challenge our language learners. Students develop their knowledge and understanding of French and the francophone world through listening, speaking, reading and writing at an appropriate level, with a focus on practical communication. This language learning experience will lay the foundations for further language study at KS3 and beyond.

Learning an additional language helps to develop students’ listening skills, problem solving and critical thinking, whilst also improving memory and boosting confidence.

Please see below for our current long term plan and useful websites.

Knowledge Organisers for this half-term can be found on individual class pages.

• www.languageangels.com (children are given a log in for this)
• www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize (select primary, KS1 or KS2, French)

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