FRENCH

INTENT - OUR VISION FOR FRENCH

Our aim at Porter Croft is to develop an enthusiastic and positive attitude to other languages and language learning. We hope to encourage learning of languages among our pupils in order to enhance their understanding of the world and their future economic well-being. We believe that this will aid our pupils to have high aspirations for their future.

We use a range of approaches to develop children’s interest and understanding of French, with an emphasis on the use of practical activities that are dynamic and fun, in lessons, children will enjoy, games, songs, simple stories, food, film and drama to bring the learning of French alive.

The study of a second language also supports children’s literacy and oracy in school, by raising awareness of aspects of their own language(s). Our main objective in teaching French is to promote the early development and enhancement of children’s communication skills.

WHY FRENCH IS IMPORTANT?

At Porter Croft we believe learning a new language is an important life-skill for children and helps them to develop a cultural awareness, curiosity, tolerance and respect for the many different languages that are spoken in the world and within our school community. We are a diverse school with many languages spoken at home, through learning French together, we believe that pupils’ confidence in languages and their understanding of different cultures will grow.

.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM PURPOSE OF STUDY

To find out more information about the National Curriculum for this subject & others, please click.

The national curriculum for languages aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources
  • speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation
  • can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt
  • discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied
  • IMPLEMENTATION – FRENCH PLANNING & SEQUENCING OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

    We use the ilanguages scheme of work to support the planning and teaching of a 40-minute language session each week. In these sessions, children will develop confidence in speaking, listen and writing the language. There is repetition of the skills and topics throughout the learning journey with the work becoming progressively more challenging each year to allow for a greater depth of knowledge and understanding to be embedded.

    Adaptive teaching and learning is provided through:

    • the modification of tasks and activities that take into account individuals’ strengths and weaknesses and enable them to participate at an appropriate level;
    • the provision of support by a teacher or TA;
    • the expectations of outcomes of tasks and valuing individual achievements and contributions.

    To find out how French is planned & sequenced in order that our children can progress through the building blocks for learning, please click below

    French overview

    IMPACT OF OUR FRENCH CURRICULUM

    At Porter Croft, pupils will continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in their foreign language learning journey. Previous acquisition of language will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate so that children know more, remember more and activate prior knowledge.

    Teachers have a clear overview of what they are working towards and if pupils are meeting this criteria. They use the long-term planning documents, lesson resources and support materials provided in iLanguages folder which is centrally saved.

    The opportunity to assess pupil learning and progression in the key language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) will come from evidence collected through lesson observations and children’s responses to the lesson.

    INCLUSION

    Children with special educational needs are identified through regular assessment and supported through carefully planned programmes and targets on their support plans. Children are supported through first quality teaching and tailored learning. Consideration will be given to adapting the task or providing peer or adult support. It is important to note that pupils with learning difficulties can achieve and have a love of French and should be given every opportunity to access a broad and balanced language curriculum.