Modern Foreign Languages

Staff within the Department

Rachel Wright - Head of Department. French & Spanish

BSc (Hons) International Relations (London School of Economics, University of London)

Yolanda Barnas - French & German

BA Languages - French & German

Marielle Bendifallah – Second-in-charge.  KS4 co-ordinator.  French

MA English Literature & Civilisation

Acrise Faulkner - Latin

BA (Hons First Class) French & Italian

Catherine Hodgkins - French, Spanish and Latin. 

University of Exeter - BA (Hons) French and Spanish

At the heart of everything the MFL department does is a love of languages, and we believe our passion shines through in everything we do. We seek to inspire and nurture that same passion for languages in our students. Through the study of a language, students learn key communication skills and gain an appreciation for the culture and history of the places in the world where that language is spoken.

Our curriculum at KS3 and 4 is planned through core grammar, topic-based vocabulary and key questions. We teach explicit phonics early in KS3 and regularly revisit and practise these principles throughout KS3 and 4. We have also incorporated cultural content, including literature and art, thereby developing students’ cultural capital.

During KS3 students learn French and Spanish and we help them to make links between those languages, and English, thus improving their literacy and range of vocabulary in English too. MFL facilitates success in other subjects in other ways; by equipping students with reading strategies and essay planning skills. We ensure that during years 7 and 8 students gain knowledge and skills that will help them to succeed at GCSE languages, for example, in developing extended writing skills. We introduce KS3 students to GCSE themes and topic-based vocabulary and also focus on the transferable skills and knowledge that link up those topics. We use sentence builders to support students in forming longer sentences, as well as teaching grammar explicitly.

Curriculum

KS3

In year 7 and year 8 all pupils study both French and Spanish, with 3 lessons for each language over the 2-week timetable, equating to 3 hours of MFL each week.

	Autumn Term	Spring Term	Summer Term
Year 7 FRENCH	Qui je suis – Who I am   Ma famille et moi – My family and I	Ma vie – My life (School and home)	Mon temps libre – My free time
Year 7 SPANISH	El mundo hispano – The Hispanic World   Mi familia y otros animales – My family and other animals	¿Cómo eres? – What are you like?	Mi tiempo libre – My free time
Year 8 FRENCH	Manger et boire – Eating and drinking	En Ville – In Town	Mon Look – My Look
Year 8 SPANISH	Dónde vivo yo – Where I live	Mi Instituto – My School	Dieta y salud -  Food and health

Activities to do at home

There are an increasing variety of web-based materials that pupils can use to build on their learning and have fun with languages.  Pupils are given a password to the main interactive platform we use in class www.kerboodle.com  but we also recommend the following websites the majority of which are searchable by topic:
 

KS4

At KS4 we follow the new AQA GCSE specifications for French, Spanish and German. An overview of the topic content, assessment and keys to success is below:

	Autumn Term	Spring Term	Summer Term
Year 9	GCSE Groundwork: In depth review and extension of KS3 core vocab and grammar	Unit 1: Identity and relationships with others	Unit 2: Healthy living and lifestyle   Unit 3 part 1: Education and work
Year 10	Unit 3 part 2: Education and work Unit 4: Free time activities	Unit 5: Customs, festivals and celebrations	Unit 6: Celebrity Culture Unit 7 part 1: Travel and tourism
Year 11	Unit 7 part 2: Travel and tourism Unit 8: Media and technology	Unit 9: The environment and where people live	Revision and exams

Website links

French GCSE specification (for exams Summer 2018 onwards):
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658

Spanish GCSE specification (for exams Summer 2018 onwards):
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/spanish-8698

German GCSE specification (for exams Summer 2018 onwards):
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/german-8668

Latin WJEC specification (for exams Summer 2018

http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/latin/eduqas-gcse-latin-spec-from-2016.pdf?language_id=1

 

Activities to do at home

French

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/
Excellent website provided by the BBC, organized by skill (eg Reading or Listening) and then by topic

http://www.ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk/curriculum/modlang/
A Surrey secondary school’s website with games and listening activities.
http://www.targetlanguage.co.uk/
French: GCSE practice with verbs, exam rubrics and topics, dictionary and information from the different exam boards is also available from the site.

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/haberg/index.htm
French GCSE practice by topics: crosswords, multiple choices …

http://zut.languageskills.co.uk/intermediate/year10.html
French GCSE revision practice available after 4pm for free

http://www.aiglon.ch/langlink/frenchrev.html
French revision site for grammar and topics

http://www.revisioncentre.co.uk/gcse/french/index.html
French GCSE general revision site with revision advice

http://www.atantot-extra.co.uk/
Basic vocabulary builder including many games in French

http://www.languagesonline.org.uk/
French: grammar, topics and vocabulary practice

 

KS5

At A level, students learn the language in the context of French and Spanish speaking countries and issues and influences which have shaped them.  Topics include technological and social change, highlights of artistic culture, including a focus on regional identities and the cultural heritage of past civilisations. In French and Spanish, students will study texts and film and will have the opportunity to carry out independent research on an area of their choice. Assessment tasks will be varied and cover listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

Entry to the French and Spanish courses is subject to obtaining a minimum Grade 7.

 

 

For a detailed  overview of the exam structure at A level, please use the weblinks below:

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/as-and-a-level/french-7652
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/as-and-a-level/spanish-7692

 

Activities to do at home

 

FRENCH TV & RADIO CHANNELS

www.tf1.fr                                                        

Good general fun channel (click REPLY for iplayer) + good news reports

www.france2.fr                                                               

Lots of shows (A bit like ITV1) but the news is good

www.rfmusique.com                                    

Music video channel

www.rtbf.be                                                    

Belgian TV with lots of listening/articles

www.mtv.fr                                                      

French MTV with French & International songs/interviews

www.tv5monde.org                                      

A serious channel but good for AL type listening. Also a great section on the French language (click: langue française then click: découvrir le français for all sorts of games & exercise for foreigners leaning French)

www.rfi.fr                                                          

French international radio station with lots of listening exercises & podcasts (with exercises/answers -  look at langue française)

www.rtl.fr                                                         

Good music/news station in French (to listen online click: RTL en direct)

 

FRENCH MAGAZINES/NEWSPAPERS

www.elle.fr

Fashion magazine

www.premiere.fr

Film/cinema magazine

www.voici.fr                                                     

Gossip magazine

www.lemonde.fr                                            

The French equivalent of the Times (good but French quite challenging, especially for AS)

www.metronews.fr                                      

Like the free Metro newspapers in the UK, short articles on French & world news, more accessible than the more ‘serious’ papers

 

Enrichment Activities and Trips

 

Career Paths