Purpose of study
Learning a foreign language is compulsory for KS2 under the 2014 New National Curriculum. At Grange Primary School, we learn French and Spanish in KS2 as we see the value of learning another language especially as global citizens.
“Learning a foreign language is a liberation from narrow-mindedness and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality language education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world”. The experience of learning and using a foreign language makes it a unique contribution to the whole curriculum by taking children out of the familiar environment which is saturated by English and allowing them to discover the life-style and culture of another land through the medium of its language. This in turn provides a satisfying, enjoyable and intellectually challenging experience for children in coping with a different linguistic medium.
Details of the Programme of Study for Modern Foreign Languages can be found here:
PRIMARY_national_curriculum_Modern_Foreign_Languages
The Key Stage 2 National curriculum language programme of Study states that:
Pupils should be taught to:
• listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding
• explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
• engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help
• speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
• develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases
• present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences
• read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
• appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
• broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
• describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing
• understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English
At Grange Primary School, we offer a broad and balanced curriculum in order to ensure that the children are able to communicate for practical purposes (KS2 Programme of Study), use higher thinking skills and be confident in using the language.
Children are exposed to spoken and written language and are taught using interactive games, and accurate MFL resources such as songs, books and stories.
We aim to lay the firm foundations needed for further foreign language learning at Key Stage 3.
