KS3 Modern Foreign Languages

Introduction

Learning a language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. It helps to equip pupils with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life, and encourages pupils to appreciate and celebrate difference.

The languages curriculum also provides the foundation for further languages learning in KS4 and beyond, enabling students to develop communication, problem solving, literacy and memory skills, and developing resilient, lateral thinking and broad-minded learners who are open to new ways of thinking, living and interacting.

In Key Stage 3 French, Spanish and Punjabi, students will begin to develop listening, reading, writing and speaking skills in the language, building competency in the three pillars of language learning: phonics, grammar and vocabulary. They will be able to introduce themselves and have introductory conversations, to describe their home, school and the world around them, and to express their opinions and develop them with reasons and additional information. In addition, students develop their understanding of cultural aspects of the French-, Spanish- and Punjabi-speaking world.

How is the course assessed?

Students are assessed in one skill (listening, reading, writing, speaking) per half term in Year 7 and 8, and up to two skills per half term in Year 9. Each assessment will include ‘throw-back’ questions to previous topics, which are designed to encourage recall and consolidation of previous learning, as well as translation questions into the foreign language and/or into English.

Homework and learning outside the classroom

We celebrate European Day of Languages every September with assemblies, activities and competitions. Past competitions have included designing a t-shirt, languages-themed baking/cooking, creating a poster, and translating poems. We also learn about different festivals within French-, Spanish- and Panjabi-speaking cultures throughout the year. Further reading is strongly encouraged to develop our students’ language skills and our library is well-stocked with French and Spanish books for a range of ages and tastes.

In Year 9, all students participate in the Foreign Language Translation Bee competition. This has 4 stages, beginning with an in-class competition, then a whole-school competition. We take up to 2 students from each language to the regional final, and winners proceed to the national final held at Cambridge University in the Summer Term.

We are committed to providing students with opportunities to use the foreign language outside the classroom, as we believe that students’ motivation and engagement will be significantly increased if they are given such opportunities and if they can see how the foreign language can be used in real-life situations.