Modern Foreign Languages

MFL is taught in a way that aims to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum, which will engage their curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world around them. Teaching should enable pupils to express their thoughts and ideas in another language and be able to respond in both speech and writing. It should also allow them to communicate for a range of practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read literature in the original language.

The aims of teaching Modern Foreign Language are:

• To foster an interest in learning other languages
• Understand and respond to both spoken and written language from a variety of sources
• To speak with increasing confidence and fluency, finding ways to communicate what they want to say to others through discussion and asking questions whilst continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation through the spoken language
• To develop a wider range of speaking and listening skills which can then be applied into both speech and writing
• Write at a varying length for different audiences and purposes using a variety of the grammatical structures and features they have learnt
• Discover and develop an appreciation for cultural differences and structures in the language studied.

We implement a curriculum that is progressive from Year 3 to Year 6. MFL is taught every other half term, covering one unit per half term, with a fifteen minute ‘French Focus’ weekly. This is to ensure knowledge and understanding of basic skills is thoroughly embedded. Teachers use the CGP Salut programme to support the planning and implementation of MFL.

In MFL, skills in speaking, reading and writing in another language are developed through rhymes, songs, stories and repetition, which are built on as the children progress through Key Stage Two. Children also develop their understanding of the grammatical structures of the taught language and how these structures differ from language to language.

The weekly ‘French Focus’ enables pupils to continuously practise and embed previously taught knowledge, in particular when MFL is not being taught during a half term, through repetition of spoken and written language. It emphasises the core units being revisited on a regular basis so children can build on their basic understanding throughout the different year groups.

Policy for MFL