Modern Foreign Languages

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Introduction

The focus of the Modern Foreign Languages team here at Loxford School is to develop the ability of our students to communicate successfully and effectively in the target language. We also put great emphasis on independent learning and achieving excellence; therefore, it is the ability to express themselves linguistically, resorting to different ways, which will be assessed in all parts of their course and eventually at GCSE level and AS and A2 Level.

Linguistic Objectives

Our intention is to provide always carefully structured activities and well chosen authentic material designed for both foundation and higher level of achievement in all Attainment Targets. We aim to offer a balanced variety of work and material allowing students to move with enthusiasm from comprehension to creation of their own utterances and written work in the target language. Thus, in our three parts lessons, we aim to cater for all the abilities through the planning of activities which are aimed to suit students’ different learning styles and develop the four auricular skills.

Our KS3, 4 & 5 Schemes of Work, which are regularly reviewed, are designed to include curricular and cross-curricular developments, in order to improve students’ language-learning skills and to provide them with strategies which aim to boost their performance. Literacy and Numeracy, as well as PSCHE orientations, are fundamental parts of our Schemes of Work too, so are regular activities developing skills strategies on how to improve listening and reading, starters requiring students to apply logic and make connections, activities to develop anticipation skills in exam contexts and ongoing opportunities for pair work and regular peer assessment.

In addition to French, Spanish and Italian taught during the school day, here in Loxford High we also offer a range of community languages, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Italian, Arabic, German and Portuguese which are taught in twilight sessions. These lessons are taught by well experienced teachers and prove to be very popular.

In order to support even further the pupils’ learning, the following extra-curricular activities are offered in our Department:
Homework club: you can get help with your MFL homework at the homework club at lunch times.

KS3

Trips

The Modern Languages Department organises an annual day-trip to Boulogne (France) for students in Year 7. The students are selected on a “first come, first served” basis. Students are withdrawn from the trip if it is felt that their presence would be detrimental to the success of the trip.
It is a cultural experience, as well as an opportunity for students to reinforce and use their linguistic skills. Throughout the trip, students have the opportunity to practise their language skills with each other, staff and native speakers.
They are encouraged to do this through a fantastic programme of activities.

What you will learn - Year 7 French

All students will start off completing an introduction to language learning and will then progress on to a variety of topics to guide them through the foundations of French language.

During the autumn term they will focus on introducing themselves and describing their family as well as talking about school. During spring term they will cover shops, presenting their local area and saying what they do in their free time and expressing opinions. In the summer term students will learn to describe their holidays and animals in poems.

During the Autumn term, the following topics will be covered:

Talking about likes and dislikes Using regular –er verbs (je, tu, il/elle)
Describing yourself Understanding adjective agreement (singular)
Talking about school subjects Forming questions (intonation/with Est-ce que …?)
Giving opinions and reasons Agreeing and disagreeing

During the Spring term, the following topics will be covered:

Talking about computers and mobiles Using regular –er verbs
Talking about which sports you play Using jouer à + a sport
Saying what you like doing Using aimer + the infinitive
Giving directions Understanding when to use tu & vous

During the Summer term, the following topics will be covered:

Talking about your holidays Using nous to say ‘we’
Talking about getting ready to go out Using reflexive verbs (singular)
Saying what you would like to do Using je voudrais + infinitive
Talking about animals the perfect tense

Year 7 Spanish

All students will start off completing an introduction to language learning and will then progress on to a variety of topics to guide them through the foundations of Spanish language.

During the autumn term they will focus on greetings, introducing and describing themselves as well as what they do in their free time. During spring term, they will talk about school and also describe their family. In the summer term students will cover shops, presenting their local area and home.

During the Autumn term, the following topics will be covered:

Introducing yourself; definite articles; verb endings
Talking about your personality; using adjectives that end in -o/-a
Talking about age and siblings; using the verb tener in the present tense; indefinite articles
Saying what you like to do; giving opinions using me gusta + infinitive

During the Spring term, the following topics will be covered:

Saying what subjects you study; using -ar verbs to say what ‘we’ do
Giving opinions about school subjects; using me gusta(n) + el/la/los/las)
Describing your family; using possessive adjectives mi/tu/su and mis/tus/sus
Saying what other people look like; using verbs in the third person; adjective agreement

During the Summer term, the following topics will be covered:

Describing your town or village; using ‘a’, ‘some’ and ‘many’ in Spanish)
Telling the time; using the verb ir in the present tense
Saying what you are going to do at the weekend; using the near future tense)
Understanding people describing their town; listening for detail)

Grammar is taught and reviewed as an on-going priority in lessons. The new GCSE has a strong focus on grammar so students need to be well prepared. Translation (both ways) is an integral part of the lesson by lesson teaching as it features in the new GCSE together with the photo description task. It is another way of reinforcing grammar as well as vocabulary. Pupils are also encouraged to develop a rich cultural appreciation of the French-speaking world through exposure to materials such as short stories, poems, films, art and music. Each unit of work is approximately 12 lessons, based on a 2 lesson per week basis.

Year 8 French

During the Autumn term, the following topics will be covered:

Leisure time – first half term
Discover Paris – second half term

In the Spring term, the following topics will be covered:

My identity – first half term
My local area – Second half term

In the summer term, the following topics will be covered:

France Got Talent – first half term
French speaking world – Second half term

Year 8 Spanish

During the Autumn term, the following topics will be covered:

Holidays – First half term
My life and Leisure time – Second half term

In the Spring term, the following topics will be covered:

Food – First half term
Going out – Second half term

In the Summer term, the following topics will be covered:

Operation summer – First half term
Project: My town – Second half term

Year 8

Year 9

All French and Spanish topics have a focus on listening, speaking, reading and writing, increasing vocabulary and knowledge and application of grammar. The Year 9 course aims to widen pupils' communicative skills through the acquisition and consolidation of new or previously learnt language. The course book and SoW that we use meet the needs of the range of pupils in Year 9. They are preparing pupils for GCSE style questions and exam papers through a varied range of carefully planned lessons.

Year 9 French

In Year 9, students of French will cover the following topics each term:

Autumn Term:

Describing yourself Using the verbs avoir and être

Talking about Facebook Using present tense verbs
Describing a music event Using on in the perfect tense
Talking about healthy eating Using du, de la and des

Spring Term:

Discussing your future Using the near future tense
Talking about your job More practice with common irregular verbs
Talking about your ambitions Using masculine and feminine nouns.
Discussing holidays Asking questions using question words/ Using perfect tense verbs

Summer Term:

Discussing what you are allowed to do Using j’ai le droit de + infinitive
Explaining what’s important to you Using mon, ma and mes
Talking about things you buy Using three tenses together
Describing what makes

Year 9 Spanish

In Year 9, students of Spanish will cover the following topics each term:

Autumn Term:

Talking about things you like; using gustar with nouns in the present tense)
Talking about your week; using regular -ar, -er and -ir verbs in the present tense)
Talking about films; using the verb ir in the present tense)
Saying what you have to do at work; using tener que + infinitive
Saying what job you would like to do; using correct adjective agreement

Spring Term:

Talking about diet; using negatives; expressions of frequency
Talking about your daily routine; using reflexive verbs
Talking about getting fit; using se debe/no se debe
Talking about children’s rights; using the verb poder
Talking about environmental issues; using the ‘we’ form of verbs in the present tense

Summer Term:

Meeting and greeting people; using expressions with tener
Hispanic studies – Discovering Madrid
Describing a day trip; using the preterite of irregular verbs
Discussing the final day of a visit; using three tenses: present, preterite, near future

KS4

The assessment system in Modern Foreign Languages reintroduces transactional/functional language into the GCSE, retains topics that work well with students, allowing for students of all abilities to access and progress in the qualification. The GCSE covers topics that have been touched on in KS3, but go into more depth. This includes family and relationships, hobbies, holidays, town and environment, the working world and education. There are also opportunities to learn about cultural festivals.

Mock exam results are used amongst other assessments as a basis for decisions on level of entry for the examination tier. Mock exam papers are marked according to the EDEXCEL examination board mark schemes and therefore give an accurate indication of grades achieved.

GCSE Results 2023

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on achieving

57% grades 9-4 in French

53% grades 9-4 in Spanish

GCSE Results 2022

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on another successful year

Future Careers for Modern Foreign Languages:

Language skills can be used in almost any career, and particularly in businesses that trade internationally.

Some modern language graduates work on a self-employed basis as interpreters or translators. However, many others are employed by companies who trade or offer services internationally, or to non-English speaking customers and suppliers.

Secondary education teaching professional is the top job held by graduates in employment in the UK. Other jobs in the top ten include marketing associate professional, PR professional, business sales executive, admin, human resources and industrial relations officer, business and related associate professional, business and financial project management professional and finance investment analyst and adviser.

Extra Curricular

Study support club: aimed mostly at KS4 students, this informal space allows students to go over and consolidate their learning either at lunchtime or after school.

Google Classroom: KS3 & 4 students benefit from the use of this fantastic and exciting Managed Learning Environment, an online school building with different rooms inside. Students can only access Google Classroom using their personal username and password and are only allowed to see rooms they have been made a member of.

Beyond the classroom

The MFL Department is keen to provide students with the chance to visit the country where the language they study is spoken. Each year we aim to take at least one trip abroad, although the Covid restrictions have meant no trips have taken place over the past two years.

This year, we are thrilled to offer our students a residential stay in Paris at the end of June and also a 4-day trip to Barcelona in northern Spain at the beginning of July. Previous trips to these locations have been highly successful and we hope that parents will support their children in making the most of these opportunities.