A different language is a different vision of life. - Federico Fellini
curriculum vision on a page french.pdf
Intent
- At SMATT we believe that learning a foreign language provides an opening to other cultures and promotes international co-operation. High quality language learning sparks pupils' curiosity and deepens their understanding of the wider world, helping them to act as role models and enabling them to play a valuable part in our global society both now and in the future.
- We aim to inspire pupils to develop a love of languages and to grow into curious, confident, and reflective language learners, and to provide them with a foundation that will equip them for further language studies. We emphasise the importance of having a "Growth Mindset" to become resilient language learners - it will not always be easy but we will persevere and learn from our mistakes! We will support and encourage each other so that every member of the SMATT family feels valued and confident to take risks in their learning.
- When embarking on their language learning journey we encourage children to reflect on their reasons for learning other languages, and specifically French, through discussion and creating posters to share their ideas. We revisit these ideas as the children's language skills develop. As linguists this refection on personal motivation and goals for learning helps children flourish and shine their unique lights as their skills progress.
Reflecting on our reasons for learning French!
Implementation
- Children have short weekly French lessons with a specialist teacher. A carefully planned sequence of lessons ensures progressive coverage of the skills required by the National Curriculum. Prior learning is considered and opportunities for revision of new vocabulary and grammar are built in. Children are also introduced to the culture of French-speaking countries and communities and are given opportunities to listen to a range of native speakers.
- In lower KS2 a strong emphasis is placed on developing speaking and listening skills through interactive songs, games and conversations. These skills are further developed in upper KS2, alongside reading and writing. Pupils are provided with the tools to express their ideas and thoughts in French and to understand and respond to others, using increasingly complex language concepts.
- Through language learning we celebrate the diversity of children's unique experiences of languages outside school - giving them the opportunity to value and share languages spoken at home or by other friends and relatives, and also experienced on family holidays.
- We use the Twinkl Planit French scheme which includes excellent interactive PowerPoints, songs, games and additional resources and activities. We also make use of a range of other games, posters, story books, dictionaries, thesauruses and fun websites.
Curriculum Map/Long Term Plan
Progression of Skills and Knowledge
/docs/French/French_Progression_Map_and_Intent__Implementation_and_Impact.docx
Subject in Action
Our French learning!
More Learning Activities!
Adaptive Teaching Toolkit
adaptive teaching strategies french.pdf
Adaptive teaching in Practice
Take a look below at some examples of adaptive teaching strategies you will see in our teaching of French to ensure all children flourish.
We use a variety of interactive and multi-sensory resources given to aid learning:
Children are given choices and support to express their learning in ways that best suit them and their level of understanding:
Enrichment Opportunities
Children have enjoyed opportunities to take part in enriching experiences such as French cafe activities, TV weather forecasts, story-times, and singing sessions with song performance recordings.
"We can order whatever we want in French restaurants now!" (Y4)
"I enjoyed learning how to speak as if I was a weather man for France." (Y4)
"Because of today I can order in shops." (Y5)
"I can sing the whole French Greeting song to my family." (Y3)
Impact
- Our pupils benefit from the continuity of a subject teacher fostering their language learning throughout KS2. They have recently enjoyed topics such as "Holidays and Hobbies", "Food Glorious Food" and "School Life". They have been enthusiastic about our "Meet and Greet Song", the story of "The Very Greedy Dog", a French PE game, and planning fantasy holidays! Lessons often involve a variety of gestures and actions to accompany the new vocabulary.
- We endeavour to integrate French into other aspects of school life, for example greetings, registering, counting and classroom instructions. A recent initiative has been to enrich the children's school learning with increased opportunities to further their language skills at home. Customised topic organisers are sent home every term mirroring those used in class so families can get involved! Many children have also started using Duolingo regularly at home - this great app is a free, fun and easy way to reinforce and further their learning and to shine in lessons!
- Impact is measured through key questioning skills built into lessons and through our school's own termly Pilgrim Progress assessments after each knowledge unit. In addition, children assess themselves against key language skills, set their own goals, and reflect on their improvement. Pupils have also enjoyed the recent introduction of conversation videos as a way of recording and evidencing their progress.
Subject in Action
Yellow Class - French Meet and Greet Song
Our SMATT French Pilgrim Progress
Conversation Videos
Scan and watch our conversations :-)
Pupil Voice
"Learning to speak French is important because I could welcome people who are from a country speaking French."
"I love learning how to say things in French like food and clothes. I also liked learning colours so I can say my favourite colours."
"Learning French is important because you develop different areas of the brain, because the more you learn, the more you have a chance of getting your dream job."
"To get ready for secondary school and be prepared for learning languages other than French."
"Learning French means they will understand us in France and we will get what we want."
"It's good to learn French because it helps you to become familiar with the country and you can learn their culture and traditions."
"Learning about French is important for our world because we can make sure when we go to a country speaking French that we can respect them."
"It promotes understanding and peace"
"For sports tournaments!"
"Now I know masculine and feminine in French."
"I enjoy it because I can learn how they speak."
"I know how to speak in the right language."
Home Learning
Duolingo!
This is a great fun, research backed way of enriching French learning across all topics. You can click here to download the app and play every day for free :-)
https://www.duolingo.com/
Knowledge organisers
Each term we give the children a topic knowledge organiser so that they can share their new French learning with family at home. Try using them to play games and have conversations :-)
