Modern Foreign Language (MFL) - French

• “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” - Nelson Mandela

At St John’s, we believe that learning a foreign language is a necessary part of being a member of a multi-cultural society and ignites an interest in learning about other cultures.  Our aim is to build a high-quality languages education that fosters children’s curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world.     

We provide children with stimulating and fun learning opportunities, which enable them to build their resilience and confidence to express their ideas and thoughts in French, and to embed the essential skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening.     We have chosen to use the Salut programme to underpin our French curriculum that is accessible to pupils and provides a clear progression through KS2.

All classes from Year 3-6 have a weekly French lesson following the Salut! scheme of work and resources.  We have a half termly overview in place, which serves as an overall ‘teaching map’ outlining for all teachers within the school what each class will be taught and when it will be taught.   Each class has an overview of units to be taught during the academic year to ensure substantial progress and learning is achieved. 

• Teaching units are planned progressively and by year group, building on prior knowledge.  
• Each teaching unit is divided into 6 fully planned lessons. 
• Each unit and lesson has clearly defined objectives and aims. 
• Each unit includes, reading, writing speaking and listening tasks aligned to the National Curriculum programme of study statements.   
• Reading and writing activities are offered in all units. 
• Units contain a range of activities, including, songs, quizzes, activities, and stories.  
• Extending writing activities are provided to ensure that pupils are recalling previously learnt language and, by reusing it, will be able to recall it and use it with greater ease and accuracy. These tasks will help to link units together and show that pupils are retaining and recalling the language taught with increased fluency and ease. 
• Grammar is integrated and taught discreetly throughout all appropriate units.  

As well as each subsequent lesson within a unit being progressive, the teaching type organisation of the units also directs, drives and guarantees progressive learning and challenge. 

Units increase in level of challenge and stretch.  Units in each subsequent level of the teaching type categories require more knowledge and application of skills than the previous teaching type.  

Activities contain progressively more text (both in English and French) and lessons will have more content as the children become more confident and ambitious with the foreign language they are learning. 

Pupils will continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in their foreign language learning journey through the primary phase. Previous language will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate. 

Pupils will be aware of their own learning goals and progression as each unit offers a pupil friendly overview so that all pupils can review their own learning at the start and at the end of each unit. 

The opportunity to assess pupil learning and progression in the key language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) is provided at the end of each 6-week teaching unit. Pupils will also be offered self-assessment grids to ensure they are also aware of their own progress which they can keep as a record of their progress. 

The subject leader monitors the effectiveness of the language teaching provided throughout the school to ensure the progress of knowledge and skills being taught.