"There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning."
1 Corinthians 14:10
MFL Intent Statement
“To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world”
Here at Our Lady’s we promote a love of language learning and strive for pupils to make outstanding progress at all levels. We recognise the importance of languages and therefore aim to provide our pupils with a range of opportunities to inspire and engage them in learning French.
At Our Lady’s we believe that the learning of a language provides important educational, social and cultural experiences for our pupils, with children appreciating the linguistic and cultural diversity of the world in which we live. Learning another language raises awareness of our mulit-lingual and multi-cultural world and through our school mission an appreciation of other cultures allows children to move forward with understanding and open mindedness. We foster curiosity and creativity to encouarge them to deepen their understanding of the world.
We aim to provide a range of opportunities to support our pupils’ early development of the knowledge and skills necessary to become global citizens. Our ambitious programme of study, in line with the National Curriculum allows children to develop key skills of speaking and listening and extends their knowledge about how language works. Having a French teacher once a week provides real opportunities for the children to speak and listen to native speakers and ensures they gain the skills to communicate for practical purposes.
“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.” (NC 2014)
At our school, French has been selected as the principle foreign language to be taught as part of the curriculum. This ensures coherence with other local primary schools and secures preparation for further study at secondary schools and beyond. Furthermore, a wealth of varied and high-quality resources and training is available to support the teaching of French. There is an expectation that pupils make substantial progress in this language.
Aims
- Foster an openness to language learning
- Develop an appreciation of life and culture in another country
- Learn a range of appropriate vocabulary that is appropriate and progressive.
- Develop an understanding of the grammar of another language and be able to make connections with their own language
- Develop a secure phonic knowledge and an understanding of the rules of spelling and pronunciation to support reading and writing
- Have regular opportunities to practise reading and writing as well as speaking and listening
- Be exposed to a range of authentic texts, songs and finger rhymes to enhance their cultural awareness
- Experience language learning embedded within the creative curriculum
- Make significant progresss
- Feel confident and well prepared for further study of languages at High School.
Implementation
In line with the National Curriculum and the Programme of Study for Languages, the KS2 objectives for MFL are:
- 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, including feminine and masculine 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
Ente
Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) – Impact Statement (Year 2 and Key Stage 2)
At Our Lady of Lourdes, our Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) curriculum is designed to foster pupils’ curiosity about languages and cultures, while developing their confidence and enthusiasm for communicating in another language. Beginning in Year 2 and continuing throughout Key Stage 2, pupils build the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to become successful language learners and global citizens.
The impact of our MFL curriculum is evident in pupils’ growing confidence in listening, speaking, reading and writing in the target language. Through regular opportunities to practise and apply their language skills, children develop an appreciation of different cultures and ways of life, whilst strengthening their communication skills and understanding of language structures.
Through their learning in MFL, pupils:
- Develop confidence in listening to, understanding and responding to spoken language.
- Build an increasing range of vocabulary and language structures.
- Communicate using words, phrases and simple sentences with growing accuracy and independence.
- Develop pronunciation and intonation skills through regular speaking activities.
- Read and understand familiar words, phrases and simple texts.
- Write words, phrases and sentences using taught vocabulary and grammatical structures.
- Develop an understanding of basic grammar and how languages work.
- Appreciate and respect different cultures, traditions and communities around the world.
- Strengthen memory, communication and language-learning skills that support learning across the curriculum.
- Develop curiosity, enthusiasm and a positive attitude towards learning languages.
We evaluate the impact of our MFL curriculum through:
- Ongoing teacher assessment and feedback.
- Observation of pupils’ speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
- Pupil discussions and language-based activities demonstrating understanding and recall.
- Assessment of vocabulary retention and application of language structures.
- Subject leader monitoring, including lesson visits, pupil voice and work scrutiny.
- Evidence of progression in language knowledge and communication skills across year groups.
- Pupils’ engagement, confidence and enjoyment when learning and using the target language.
As pupils move through Year 2 and Key Stage 2, they become increasingly confident and capable language learners. They develop a secure foundation in the target language, an awareness of other cultures and traditions, and the confidence to communicate in new and unfamiliar situations. By the end of primary school, pupils are well prepared to continue their language learning journey at secondary school and beyond.