Strategic Lead of French: Mrs S Barker | sbarker@themast.co.uk
The intent of our Modern Foreign Languages curriculum at Kirkburton Middle School is to develop confident, resilient language learners. Languages are part of the cultural richness of our society and the world in which we live and we aim to develop language learners with a strong awareness of the culture of French speaking countries. Our aim is for our students to have a sound understanding of French grammar, which includes the ability to apply it in new contexts. By the end of Year 8 we aim for our students to understand and use three tenses confidently and to be ready to progress to the next stage of their language learning.
The intent of our curriculum is implemented through the delivery of our knowledge rich curriculum. The MFL department has introduced the use of knowledge organisers which ensures that all pupils are aware of the grammar and vocabulary required for each unit. Knowledge organiser allow for work to be scaffolded and to provide home learning opportunities.
Units are taught using chunks of language and high frequency sentence patterns which are drilled with rigour before pupils practise their own spoken and written work. Pupils are encouraged to learn chunks of language to be committed to long-term memory . Skills and knowledge are revisited and language is recycled throughout the units. Retrieval activities have been introduced at the beginning of lessons to recycle language from previous units and years.
Scheme of Work
Year 6
Pupils have one French lesson per week and the aim is to build upon the experience and enjoyment of language learning that pupils have encountered in their First Schools.
| Autumn Term | This term we focus on personal information. We contiue to develop the language skills first introduced in first schools. We introduce pupils to using French in the classroom environment. |
| Spring Term | In this term we focus on information about family and pets. We cover talking about our birthdays and learn how to say the date. Much of the content is linked in with literacy skills, so that we can think about how to make nouns plural in French and how adjectives differ in where they are placed. |
| Summer Term | This term the focus is on life in school. We find out more about schools in French speaking countries and learn how to describe our classroom. We learn to describe the subjects on our school timetable and and how to give our opinion of them. There is focus on beginning to use conjunctions write more complex sentences. |
Year 7
In Year 7 we move to two lessons per week in French. As pupils have become more proficient in working in the first person in Year 6, we now move into using third person verbs and then gradually into all persons.
| Autumn Term | Pupils start by beginning to talk about their family. They learn how to describe their personality and physical appearance of family members. The grammatical focus is on adjectival agreement. |
| Spring Term | Our focus this term is on verbs to describe our hobbies and interests. Pupils are introduced to regular –er verbs in the present tense to talk and write about what themselves and others do in their free time. They are introduced to the irregular verb faire. |
| Summer Term | Pupils continue to develop their grammatical skills using the home and local area as context. They begin to write more complex sentences using a range of verbs and conjunctions. Hobbies and interests are revisited in order to use the infinitive as a second verb. |
Year 8
Pupils continue to have two lesson per week of French. We prepare pupils for the skills and knowledge required in Year 9 and KS4. Our focus throughout the year is on giving justified opinions and using past, present and future tenses.
| Autumn Term | Our focus this term is on describing our local area. Pupils learn how to describe what there is in their village and what they can do locally. They are introduced to the future tense. |
| Spring Term | This term, pupils begin to describe their life as a teen. They are able to give preferences about clothing. We revisit the topic of family and pupils are able to describe how they get on with family members. Pupils begin to use the past tense to describe what they did at the weekend. |
| Summer Term | Our focus this term is on ensuring confident use of past and future tenses in the context of food and drink. Pupils learn how to describe what they eat and drink for each meal and to refer to past and future events. They continue to give justified opinions and to write more complex structures. |
French Documents
Democracy
For the Council of Europe “language learning is a key component of education for democratic citizenship.” One of the aims of language teaching is to “prepare people to live in a multicultural society and to deal with difference knowledgeably, sensibly, tolerantly and morally; it also strengthens social cohesion, mutual understanding and solidarity (Council of Europe 1999)
In lessons, pupils are given the opportunity to consider the consequences, advantages and disadvantages of cultural issues relating to MFL, how people relate to each other and how an understanding of other languages can be helpful in understanding the opinions and reasoning of others as well as how language can change perceptions, opinions and can cause reactions.
The rule of Law
Through general discussions and study of texts in the target language, pupils gain a better understanding of rules and laws in Britain and in France. The implementation of the school’s behaviour policy within lessons enables pupils to recognise right from wrong and to respect the need for rules for a society to function.
Individual Liberty
Freedom of speech: pupils are encouraged to give their opinions when comparing aspects of culture in French-speaking countries with that of their own experience. For example: in year 6, pupils learn about differences and similarities in school-life; in year 7, there is comparison of food and of sporting activities in the French-speaking world; in year 8, there is consideration of the role of media in the lives of young people. If and when the opportunity arises, discussions around current events in France help them to understand the consequences of radical and extremist views and the implications of such actions (eg les gilets jaunes). At all times, students are reminded of the expectation of respect for others.
Mutual Respect
As the various topics that we study centre mainly around our pupils’ lifestyles, personality, identity, aspirations and family, we have to establish from the beginning in the classroom an atmosphere of trust and respect for each other. We try to use resources from a wide range of sources to help pupils to understand different cultures across the world.
Pupils must be able to share information about their background, their beliefs, or simply their way of life, safe in the knowledge that their peers will accept and respect them for the way they are. Pupils are encouraged to recognise an individual’s strengths and to support their development. They are also encouraged to embrace diversity and to treat each other with respect inside and outside the classroom.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
In French, we actively promote pupils’ understanding of their own culture through comparison with the cultures of French speaking countries around the world. Learning a different language is all about feeling comfortable in a different culture and being willing to understand and accept different sets of values, religious and otherwise. School trips in KS3 in Europe contribute greatly to promoting pupils’ understanding and acceptance of a different culture.
