Modern Foreign Languages

At St Augustine's we teach Spanish as our Modern Foreign Language

Intent:

At St Augustine’s, the MFL curriculum is designed to:

• recognise children’s prior learning,
• provide first hand learning experiences,
• allow the children to develop interpersonal skills,
• build resilience and become confident reading and speaking another language.
• ensure that children access a foreign languages (German).

German is predominantly taught in KS2 but we do introduce some principles earlier in the school as appropriate.

Throughout their MFL learning children will:

• foster an interest in learning another language
• become aware that language has a structure, and that this structure differs from one language to another
• develop speaking and listening skills
• gain confidence by trying and by asking
• gain enjoyment, pride and a sense of achievement
• explore and apply strategies to improve their learning
• explore their own cultural identities and those of others
• use their knowledge with growing confidence to understand what they hear and read and to express themselves in speech and in writing.

Implementation:

Teaching is in line with the recommendations of the National Curriculum, with modifications in place which allow for the individual and differentiated needs of the children.

Teaching is mainly undertaken by our German speaking HLTA and a German TA with support from the classteachers. They are following a designated scheme of work that allows for an appropriate progression through the necessary language development.

Most of the lessons will be oral but there will be some recording as the children progress. Particular focus is to be place upon Grammar and teachers will use the Key Skills document from National Curriculum Framework to supplement the scheme.

Each KS2 class will be given a time slot every term for language teaching by the German speaking HLTA/TA. This learning is backed up by incidental German being used during the school day by the classteacher and pupils – including on the school gate where the children are greeted in German by a member of staff.

In the early terms of 2019 all KS2 children started from the very basics and covered the same things (with the older classes progressing more quickly). Over the next 4 years the classes will progress on to higher units of work in succession.

AfL principles with regard to German teaching are maintained, with staff making ongoing formative assessments in class, and amending planning and teaching as appropriate to the needs of their class.

Timings: German is being taught formally in years 3, 4, 5 and 6. There is one weekly lesson of up to 30 minutes. German is also incorporated into daily routine e.g taking the register, giving instructions within classes:

• Pre-pandemic both TAs taught KS2 classes for 30-45 minutes a week on a ½ term rota
• During the recovery curriculum time this was vastly reduced due to not mixing staff and ‘bubbles’
• Post-pandemic we are building up teaching again with 15-20 a week for lower KS2 and 30 minutes a week for upper KS2.

Teaching a language at KS1 is not compulsory, but teachers are encouraged to teach a foreign language in their class. Topic weeks provide opportunities to promote languages throughout the school.

MFL and Inclusion:

In all KS2 classes children have a wide range of abilities; the school seeks to provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. The school will teach MFL to all children, whatever their ability and individual needs. Through MFL quality first teaching and support, school provides learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make good progress.

Impact:

Children certainly enjoy learning German. Most are confident to use it incidentally on the school gate when greeted in the morning. Impact has been hindered by the pandemic and our planned progression has been slowed. Children will be assessed at the end of each term and progress monitored.