Modern Foreign Languages

At Padiham Primary School we learn Spanish as our Modern Foreign Language. 

Since last year we have followed a brilliant scheme from a company called Language Angels, which is an online programme which gives children the opportunity to hear real Spanish speakers, practice their own speaking and listening, sing songs to practice vocabulary, complete worksheets to show understanding and play games.

The programme also helps the teachers to ensure their plans meet the needs of the children in each year group in a progressive way which builds on their skills and knowledge each year. Lessons can be adapted to suit the needs of all children so those with SEN have access to the full curriculum as well as more able learners being challenged accordingly. 

We work as whole classes over a 2 year cycle to ensure the children learn a broad range of vocabulary. The overview of what the children will learn is shown below. Cycle A is one year and Cycle B the next. This ensures all children in a year group, no matter if they are in a straight or mixed class, learn the same vocabulary. 

Intent:

Through language lessons we hope that children at Padiham Primary School gain and develop a love of learning the language and about the culture of another country. We teach MFL in Key Stage 2 as set out in the National Curriculum, but hope and aim to teach some basic words, phrases and understanding of another language in Key Stage 1, through songs, games and ‘the core’ areas of the KS2 programme. We have recently changed to learning Spanish as our foreign language. We want pupils to learn to listen, speak, read and write in our chosen language and most importantly, enjoy doing so, in order to inspire them to continue learning a language in KS3.

Implementation:

We use a scheme of work from Language Angels which is an extensive programme which delivers lessons in a fun, engaging way. The programme ensures that teachers have thorough plans, lesson ideas, games, activities, worksheets and assessment documents to allow the children to learn to speak, read and write in their new language, as well as ensuring coverage of a broad range of topics. Teachers can monitor progress after each topic. Language Angels works in 3 ‘language types’ – Early Language, Intermediate and Progressive. They are not bound to specific year groups and this year we will continue with building on ‘the basics’ learnt last year, progressing to Intermediate units for Year 5 & 6 children particularly. Children in EYFS and KS1 will also learn some core language to give them a foundation to build on in KS2. Class teachers or teachers who do PPA cover and teach language lessons can feel comfortable doing so as the Language Angels programme gives them everything they need to feel confident to teach a languages lesson.

Impact:

Children will enjoy learning about a new country, culture and language in a fun but thorough way. The Language Angels programme provides assessment documents for teachers to assess the children regularly. The subject co-ordinator will complete termly file scrunities to ensure curriculum coverage and the use of the resources is good. Photocopies of work, displays, feedback from pupils and staff completed over the year. Class teachers will complete an end of year assessment which will be given to the co-ordinator who will then forward this to the next teacher.