Intent
As the ‘school of opportunity’ we believe that the learning of a foreign language provides valuable educational, social, and cultural experiences for our pupils. It helps them to develop communication skills, including key skills of speaking and listening, and extends their knowledge of how language works. Learning another language gives children the opportunity to gain a new perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own potential to broaden their horizons and find their place in the wider world.
In accordance with the aims of the National Curriculum, we aim, as a school, to ensure our children have the opportunity to:
- 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;
- write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learned;
- discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied.
The Attainment Targets outlined in the Programme of Study for Languages relate to: listening and speaking skills; reading and writing skills; and knowledge about grammar. The aims are:
- to enrich learning for all pupils;
- to increase linguistic competence through regular timetabled MFL sessions;
- to exploit cultural links and experiences when opportunities arise;
- to promote positive attitudes to language learning through a range of learning activities;
- to develop listening skills and phonological awareness.
Implementation
From Reception we learn Spanish with Mrs Jones. Mrs Jones has written a learning sequence for the children across Key Stage 1. We want the children to have fun learning a language and the teacher will use a variety of techniques to encourage the students to have an active engagement with the Spanish language, including games, role-play and action songs.
Pupils are taught both substantive knowledge (e.g. the translation of English words into Spanish, what attractions can be found in Madrid etc) and as they get older they will learn disciplinary concepts such as how to form an effective response to a question.
Support for children with SEND
Spanish lessons are interactive and fun, and allow for risk-taking in a non-judgemental and safe environment. The continuous overlearning and repetitive nature of the lessons are perfect for pupils with SEND. Support is given for pupils who are reluctant to express themselves verbally and they will have their responses scaffolded by an adult.
Assessment
During the lesson, teachers will engage in conversations with all pupils, as well as listening to the children practising their language skills with each other. Errors in pronunciation will be gently corrected on the spot and individual pupils will be chosen to play the various interactive games on the Smartboard so that they can be monitored and assessed in a non-threatening way.
Impact
The impact of our Spanish curriculum is measured through pupil voice, observations and learning walks.
We believe that when children leave Bowbrook Primary, they have had the opportunity to develop a natural curiosity and confidence to explore other countries, cultures and languages, knowing that in a multilingual society, it is a valuable skill to be able to communicate effectively with others in another language. They will therefore be engaged and prepared to continue their language learning journey at secondary school and ultimately out in the wider world.