MFL
Vision statement
At Compton, we believe that learning different languages helps children to see themselves as global citizens. It creates a love of language and interest in other cultures and therefore opens up children’s minds to the diversity of the world in which we live. In addition to this, MFL provides children with future opportunities for travel and employment.
MFL is taught in a fun, engaging and interactive way, encouraging children to ‘have a go’ and learn whilst having fun. MFL is taught throughout Key Stage 2, in weekly sessions using computer-based software called Rigolo. We also intend to begin to better utilise connections at our local secondary school to provide further opportunities.
Teaching MFL provides opportunities for inclusivity, to allow children who speak a second language to share their knowledge and to celebrate the richness of language in our community and beyond.
Curriculum Intent
Learning a foreign language is a necessary part of being a member of a multi-cultural society and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster children's curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable children to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes; learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping children to study and work in other countries.
The national curriculum for languages aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources
- Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding 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
- Discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied.
At Compton Primary School, children have regular lessons in French throughout Key Stage 2, using the Rigolo programme of study in addition to other resources. Areas covered include: numbers, colours, house and home, in town, food and drink, the classroom, clothes and hobbies.
It is intended that when children leave Compton Primary, they will have a natural curiosity and confidence to explore, other countries, cultures and languages, accepting that, in a multi-lingual society it is a valuable skill to be able to communicate effectively with others in another language. They will be engaged and prepared to continue language learning at The Downs School.
Upon completion of their journey through our school, our aims for Language learning are to ensure that all pupils will:
- 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 clear
- 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.