Curriculum
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Why study French?
The study of Modern Foreign Languages helps to develop students’ cultural awareness, teaches them the fundamentals of communicating effectively in a foreign language, and equips them with the skills they need to progress to a global marketplace.
Students will learn how to convey vital information about themselves, their families and their lives, and will also master essential phrases, such as how to ask for directions, order food, and organise social engagements. Pronunciation and grammar will be key components of the course, ensuring students are able to communicate through both spoken and written mediums.
Students will also learn a variety of valuable transferrable skills whilst undertaking a MFL, such as communication, problem-solving, creativity, ICT, literacy, numeracy and performance skills.
How will I study French?
In order for our students to be successful and self-efficient in language-learning, they are taught to learn French through building blocks of language: phonics, grammar and vocabulary. Each lesson focuses on these building blocks helping learners to make connections between sounds, words, sentences and their meaning. As they progress, students are able to understand and produce more complex language across a variety of themes and contexts. From year 7 to year 11, learners develop their reading, listening, writing and speaking skills over time. This linguistic journey leads them to become more confident language learners and to develop fluency in the spoken and written word with an appreciation of Francophone countries. Students are offered opportunities to listen and to practise using the target language and also to have access to a variety of authentic and semi-authentic materials (literary texts extracts, songs, newspapers extracts etc.). We aim at bringing the country and culture into the classroom.
What will I study in Key Stage 3?
KS3 sets firm foundations of language learning. Building on their experience of language learning in Primary years, Year 7 students learn French phonics and start making links between sounds and spelling. They develop their vocabulary and grammar skills and learn how to introduce themselves, their family and pets in French. They also learn to read, write, listen and speak about various aspects of their everyday life (school, leisure activities, sports, their house and their town).
In year 8, students consolidate their language skills. Their developing knowledge of phonics, vocabulary and grammar enable them to understand, to talk about and describe more extensively about a range of themes such as holiday, festivals and celebrations, the media, their region and healthy lifestyles.
In year 9, as students become more confident in using a variety of vocabulary and a greater range of grammatical tenses, they explore themes linked to their lives as teenagers, their future plans, their individual tastes in music and their views on environmental issues. They also have the opportunity to explore specific cultural and geographical aspects of the French-speaking world.
What will I study in Key Stage 4?
KS4 further builds upon, and deepens, the basis of language learning in previous years. In Year 10 and 11, students begin to use more complex language. They are able to understand, and communicate about an increasingly wider range of themes. The KS4 themes are: Identity and culture; Local, national, international and global areas of interest, and current and future study and employment. As they become more grammatically aware but also linguistically more fluent and spontaneous in French, KS4 students are able to understand and produce longer and more complex stretches of language. They learn to use grammar efficiently, to draw inferences and begin to develop a reliable knowledge of vocabulary thus making them more creative and independent in their language skills.
Assessment
Examination Board: AQA
Paper 1: Listening | |
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Paper 2: Speaking | |
Overview | Focus |
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Paper 3: Reading | |
Overview | Focus |
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Paper 4: Writing | |
Overview | Focus |
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Foundation Tier
Higher Tier
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Enrichment Offer
The Department offers a variety of annual personal development opportunities :
- Bills French Kindness kitchen
- French boules competition
- Spelling Bee competition
- Careers in Language webinar
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International visit to Paris
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Pen pal experience with school students in France
Careers
The study of a Modern Foreign Language can lead to future careers ranging from Forensic Linguist, Translator and Technical Writer to Computational Linguist and Lexicographer. Famous language graduates include Fiona Bruce (newsreader) and J K Rowling (author).