KYSON PRIMARY SCHOOL POLICY FOR PRIMARY LANGUAGES

DfE Statutory Guidance (Sept. 2013)

DfE The 2014 Primary National Curriculum in England

Rationale

At Kyson Primary School we believe that the learning of an additional language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for pupils. It helps the children to develop communication skills, extends their knowledge of how language works and gives them an additional perspective of the world.

Aims and Objectives

  • Foster an interest in language learning
  • Stimulate and encourage curiosity about languages and creativity in experimenting with them
  • Support communication skills
  • Develop children’s awareness of other cultures
  • Lay the foundations for future language study
  • Support work in first language teaching and learning

Curriculum Organisation

French is the main Modern Foreign Language taught at Kyson through KS2. This is because it is the first language taught at Farlingaye High School in Y7, staff knowledge and expertise is strongest in French and there are many quality resources available. All the primary schools in FHS pyramid teach French at KS2 and the Foreign Language co-ordinators meet on a regular basis with the Y7 designated teacher. We have strong links with the high school and have worked collaboratively on a Y9/Y3 project for the past four years.

Primary language learning is planned following the guidelines set out in the Key Stage 2 Framework for Languages (2005); La Jolie Ronde Schemes of Work (2007) is used to provide continuity and progression in skills and content. The French co-ordinator (GK) has developed long term and short term plans to provide continuity and progression in the three core strands as well as inthe cross-cutting strands of Knowledge about Language and Language Learning Strategies.

MFL resources are kept in the PPA room. They are organised into year group containers. Published resources include fiction and non-fiction texts, dual language books, dictionaries, posters and song books. CDs, CDRoms, the BBC, and are used widely. Other resources include props for role plays, authentic materials, masks and finger puppets. The vast bank of resources available online at and other relevant sites are exploited.GK recognises that sites such as Twitter can be helpful for exchange of ideas and innovation. Ideas gained at INSET sessions are incorporated into teaching when appropriate. An area for further development is to make increased use of the i-pads and relevant apps in Y5 and Y6.

All KS2 children receive an hour of French teaching every week from French specialists and/or MFL co-ordinator, Mrs G Krisson. In addition Y2 receive a dedicated weekly lesson from Mrs G Krisson. Class teachers spend some time every week revisiting key language. Children in KS1 and EYFS receive an introduction to French and other languages and cultures through their class teachers as part of their topic work ie. Y2 India. Other topic work includes studies on St Lucia and Greece. Kyson Primary School celebrates the European Day of Languages on an annual basis.

In accordance with the Key Stage 2 Language National Curriculum 2014, the children at Kyson Primary School will learn to:

Listening and Speaking

  • Listen carefully to spoken language and show understanding
  • Explore the patterns and sounds of language, orally and in written form
  • Engage in conversations
  • Speak in sentences

Understanding and Communicating

  • Develop accurate pronunciation
  • Present their work to a range of audiences
  • Read carefully
  • Appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes
  • Broaden their vocabulary and develop ability to understand new vocabulary

Applying and developing fluency

  • Write phrases from memory and adapt them
  • Describe people, places, things and actions
  • Understand basic French grammar

In addition to this, learning French providesopportunities for supporting and enriching links with work in English literacy.

Intercultural Understanding

Primary language learning provides a basis for learning about other cultures and this may be incorporated into many other areas of the curriculum including P.S.H.E., Geography, R.E., Music, Art, History and Dance.

The children at Kyson Primary School will learn to:

  • value the languages and cultures spoken in the community
  • describe the lives of children in different countries
  • identify similarities and differences between their own lives and those of children in different countries, comparing celebrations and social conventions
  • have direct and/or indirect links with children in Francophone countries whenever possible

Teaching and learning

At Kyson Primary School there is an emphasis on purposeful and practical teaching and learning. We foster a problem-solving approach; we give the children opportunities in a supportive context where creativity is encouraged. There is an emphasis on having fun with the new language. Cross curricular links are exploited whenever possible i.e. European geography/weather/Le Tour de France, history, music and art. Whole school celebrations such as the European Day of Languages are carefully planned for. ICT is used where appropriate to enhance teaching and learning.

Language teaching and learning takes place in:

1. Dedicated one hour language lessons for every KS2 pupil every week with the content reinforced by the class teacher.

2. Languages embedded by the class teacher in other lessons, for example instructions in a P.E. lesson or end of day game.

3. Incidental language that is part of everyday life. For example, teachers may use French to give simple classroom instructions, to register their class, to ask the date or weather or to regularly count the number of children in the class.

We believe that this integrated approach is a strong model for teaching and learning, giving children the chance to re-use language regularly for real life communicating.

Inclusion

Primary Language teaching at Kyson Primary School aims to be fully inclusive. No child is excluded by reason of a learning difficulty or because they have English as an additional language. Activities are planned to encourage active participation of all pupils. Work is differentiated through the ‘Must, Should, Could’ approach. When appropriate, a pupil may receive additional support from an L.S.A. Gifted and Talented pupils are given the opportunity to shine through individualised extension activities, competitions such as ‘Suffolk’s Got Linguistic Talent’ and FHS Y6/Y7 transition tasks.

Staff Development

The MFL co-ordinator(GK) attends INSET sessions and termly twilight workshops and network meetings when possible, run by Suffolk CPD. MFL is a focus area within the school development plan for 2015/2016. Kyson Primary Schoolare in the process of applying for the Bronze level in Suffolk Linguamarque in coordination with the Suffolk Languages Adviser.

Monitoring progress and assessment for learning

Opportunities to monitor children’s progress are built into termly plans and are the MFL co-ordinator’s responsibility. Short-term assessments form part of every lesson and match the teaching intentions. These take the form of verbal or written feedback to guide individual progress. Medium-term assessments monitor progress against the three core strands of Literacy, Oracy and Multi-Culural Awareness and help monitor progress, coverage and planning.

From September 2015, Y3 children will record their own progress using the Suffolk Languages Potfolio using four ‘I can’ steps, alongside samples of their work. By Y6 there will substantial evidence which can help smooth progression into Y7.

Links Beyond Kyson

Primary Language gives us an ideal opportunity for making links outside Kyson Primary School. We encourage the children to share their experiences of visiting or living in other countries. In the past we have forged links with ‘ Ecole le Four’ as part of the Nord Pas de Calais project, have been involved in letter exchanges with French children in the Ile de France area and have welcomed the French Assistante from FHS into Y2 on a weekly basis for a year. These have been extremely positive and moyivatingexoeriences but have proved to be very difficult to sustain. We are hoping to develop links with another primary French speaking school in 2015/2016. The children learn about French school life through the ‘PiloteMoi’ CDRoms and the BBC Primary Languages clips; they are exposed to original materials such as books,cd’s, catalogues, websites such as original songs and video clips sourced from YouTube.

Future developments

We are keen to further develop links with more schools in the pyramid through regular meetings and strengthen our relationship with FHS. We are keen to increase the profile of languages on the school website. We are applying for Bronze Linguamarque . We want to make better use of the ipads.

Linked policies: S.E.N.D, Inclusion, Teaching and Learning, Assessment for Learning.

Draft produced by MFL co-ordinator May 2015

Discussed and adapted with Libby Brown 17 June 2015