Modern Foreign Languages

What does this look like in French?

At English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, our firm desire is to nurture the potential in each individual. This is achieved through the fulfilment of statutory requirements; we want all children to leave us at the end of KS2 with a solid foundation of linguistic skills which can be applied at KS3 and beyond as well as a love of language learning and a thirst for knowledge.

Learning a language, is an important opportunity to foster compassion for other countries and develop a sense of curiosity about different cultures. Through Rigolo, children in KS2 develop their confidence of listening, speaking, reading and writing in French.

Curriculum Intent:

Through our curriculum planning, linguists at English Martyrs engage with a variation of opportunities, in discreet weekly lessons following the ‘Rigolo’ scheme of work.

We aim for all pupils to:

• Be aspirational in their work; to challenge themselves to develop fluency, learning new vocabulary and using it effectively. To be reflective and evaluate their work, thinking about how they can improve their pronunciation.
• Develop curiosity, asking questions about different cultures, experiences and how to communicate in another language. To compare and contrast cultures from around the world.
• Be fully engaged in French lessons, developing a love of the language and an understanding of the French culture.

Curriculum Implementation:

Each lesson focusses on a manageable step of new learning based on the National Curriculum.

What a typical lesson looks like:

Flashback: an opportunity for pupils to retrieve and build upon previously acquired skills, through a ‘Last Lesson, Last Unit, Last Year, Challenge’ approach.

Teach it: introduction to new learning with live modelling and explicit addressing of potential misconceptions. All Pupils participate through active learning strategies.

Practise it: Pupils practise listening, speaking, reading and writing in French. This includes my turn, your turn; partner talk; participating in stories, songs and games.

Prove it: Children can record their learning into their French books. Children have opportunities to develop accurate pronunciation and intonation and read aloud using familiar words and phrases. Pupils show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing, broaden their vocabulary, write phrases from memory, describe people, places, things and actions and understand basic grammar.

Dig Deeper: Children can take their learning further and outside of the classroom or research around the area taught.

Following the Rigolo programme, the children study six units in each year group. Each unit and each new year aims to build on the knowledge from the previous.

Assessment

The termly data drop on Bromcom is informed by the assessment procedures below:

• On going formative assessment, within every lesson via questioning, speaking and listening, quizzes or puzzles
• Live marking and feedback
• Book scrutiny

Curriculum Impact:

During French lessons we encourage the children to use the new vocabulary for each unit both orally and in written work. Through the scheme the children develop their knowledge of the French language and increase their understanding of a wider range of vocabulary. Teachers give verbal and written feedback throughout a unit of work. At the end of each unit of work, teachers assess pupils using the schemes assessment grids, indicating whether they are working at the expected level for the year, towards the expected level, or at greater depth

Monitoring, Evaluation and Review

English Martyr’s approach to Monitoring, Evaluation and Review in French which comprises of the following:

• Learning walks and lesson drop ins

• Pupil voice
• Book trawls
• Data analysis