Modern Foreign Languages

Head of Faculty - Ms S McDonagh

Head of Department - French: Ms G Smith

Head of Department - German: Miss L Mercer

Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact in MFL

Intent

Introduction to subject

Our ethos of Be the Best You Can Be is built upon three distinct strands which are woven into every aspect of life at St Martin’s: Traditional Values, Learning For The Future and Outstanding Personal Achievement.  The study of a foreign language broadens horizons and opens minds to a world of opportunities and at St Martin’s our aim is to equip students with skills and passion for life-long language learning as well as fuel interest in different cultures and customs.  By learning a foreign language, students can broaden their understanding of how the English language works and provide a foundation for learning other languages.  We aim to celebrate diversity and encourage students to be open, accepting and curious about difference.  Our ambition is that students will view themselves as global citizens with the confidence to embrace opportunities and experiences beyond British boarders.

In year 7 students study both French and German and at the end of year 7 choose one language which they then continue with into years 8 and 9 and beyond into Key Stage 4.  Both French and German are offered at A-level with many of our students going on to university to further their language studies at universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and Exeter.

At St Martin’s our aims are:

  • To enable students to understand the spoken and written forms of foreign language at a level appropriate for their ability.
  • To enable the student to communicate in the foreign language both through the spoken and the written word.
  • To form a sound base of skills, language and attitude required for further study, work and leisure.
  • To develop an awareness of the nature of language and language learning.
  • To develop the ability to use a language for the purpose of practical communication.
  • To provide the skills, attitude and expertise to use the language for further study, work or leisure, according to the ability of the student.
  • To develop an awareness of both the foreign language and the mother tongue.
  • To encourage positive attitudes to foreign language learning and to speakers of a foreign language and a sympathetic approach to other cultures and civilisations.
  • To promote more general learning skills such as analysis, memorising and drawing inferences.
Why is the study of languages important?
  • Technology, globalisation and ease of international travel are bringing more of the world within our reach. English alone is not enough – only 25% of the world speak it.

Learning a language:

  • enhances confidence;
  • enables you to think more flexibly;
  • enhances your problem solving and abstract thinking skills;
  • gives you a wider understanding of world affairs;
  • widens your career / job options;
  • improves international relations;
  • makes travelling easier and more enjoyable;
  • connects the world and promotes peace;
  • helps make friends in new countries;
  • shows tolerance and open mindedness;
  • helps to make yourself more indispensable;
  • Studies have shown that people who utilise their brains more through furthering their language tend to have lower rates of dementia and memory problems later in life regardless of education levels, gender or occupation.
How does the study of languages develop your skills, knowledge and understanding?

The study of a foreign language develops the skills of communicating and listening.  It gives students insights into other people and cultures, including different values and points of view.  It encourages empathy towards others as awareness of others’ views and perspectives is developed.  Respect and understanding for diversity and otherness evolves.  Students of languages become good critical thinkers and problem solvers and are encouraged to make connections across complex ideas.  Students’ resilience and independence are enhanced through the study of languages as they cope with the challenges of learning a new language and navigate different ways of thinking, being and living.  Through the study of languages, students’ multicultural knowledge grows, and they begin to develop a global mindset which in the future will help them become team workers in the workplace and to deal effectively with people from different backgrounds.

How are students assessed in languages?

Assessments in Key Stage 3 are carried out at the end of each unit of work and throughout the academic year students will be assessed in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.

All assessments at Key Stage 4 are carried out at the end of each topic and assessments mirror exam style questions to help students to focus on knowledge and understanding and exam techniques.  Listening, speaking, reading and writing are assessed throughout the Key Stage with PPEs taking place at the end of year 10 and midway through year 11.  These exams are based on previous exam papers.

In Key Stage 5 assessments are based on previous topics studied and encompass the wider range of skills needed at A-level including speaking, translations, essay writing, reading and listening questions and the writing of summaries based on a listening passage or a text. 

A mixture of teacher, peer and self-assessment is used throughout each Key Stage enabling both teacher and student to reflect and review on areas of strength and areas for improvement.

How does MFL support learning in other areas of the curriculum?

The study of any modern language plays a central role in the development of literacy skills and increases a student’s knowledge of how their own language works.  It reinforces fluency, grammar and syntax, sentence structure and verbal precision.

Learning a modern language can also contribute to the development of numeracy skills through, for example, learning and exploring the use of the number system in a new language.  It provides opportunities for interdisciplinary work by providing a global dimension to a variety of curriculum areas and, particularly, to the areas of active citizenship and cultural awareness.

How can students extend and deepen their knowledge in French and German?
  • We have subscriptions to Linguascope and Language Gym which students can use to practise grammar and vocabulary
  • We run several trips to France and Germany to broaden the students’ cultural awareness and which allows them to practise their language skills in a real life situation
  • Year 7 – day trip to Boulogne
  • Year 8 – residential trip to Paris
  • Year 9 – residential trip to Cologne to visit the Christmas markets
  • Year 10/ 12 – trip to Berlin or Munich
How do German and French link to the world of work?

We live in an age of globalisation, international markets and an increasingly competitive labour market, where the ability to speak a second language can make your CV stand out from the crowd. 

Germany is Europe's largest economy and the United Kingdom and France are Europe's 2nd and 3rd  largest economies respectively.  The ability to speak the languages of these major economies could boost your employment prospects both in the UK and abroad.

Being able to speak French or German means that you will have developed problem-solving skills.  You will also be creative and empathetic, all skills which are highly sought after by today’s employers.

Having the ability to speak another language shows that you are more accepting of other people’s points of views which is a valuable skill to have when establishing business relations with international firms.

How do Modern Foreign Languages link to the three strands of our core values?

Our ethos of Be The Best You Can Be is built upon three distinct strands which are woven into every aspect of life at St Martin’s: Traditional Values, Learning For The Future and Outstanding Personal Achievement.  

MFL traditional values – treating others with respect, treating people from different cultures with respect,

Learning for the future – learning a language is equipping students with valuable skills for today’s global job marketplace,

Outstanding personal achievement – excellent exam results over time.  Students carry on with A-level and then go off to top universities to continue their MFL learning.

Implementation

The MFL curriculum at St Martin’s aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to become confident and independent speakers in French and German.  We follow a three-year Key Stage 3 and every year learning is built upon from the previous year.  Retrieval practice is an integral part of language teaching and learning and students are provided with a wide range of opportunities to practise, re-use and recycle language which they have previously learnt.  From the start of their MFL learning journey, students learn the specific skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the target language, which are needed at GCSE and A-level. 

Learning at Key Stage 3 focuses on communicating and understanding information in the target language on a personal level and in Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 this develops to discuss wider international issues, abstract concepts and literature.  Teaching is focused on providing a strong grounding in grammar and vocabulary acquisition to enable students to communicate confidently and with increasing levels of spontaneity and accuracy.  The teaching of phonics is woven into every lesson to improve accuracy of spelling and pronunciation.  Dedicated Improvement and Reflection Time (DIRT) is firmly embedded into the curriculum and MFL students at St Martin’s reflect on and analyse their work, setting targets for improvement enabling them to reach their full potential.

The school’s ethos of traditional values, learning for the future and outstanding personal achievement is at the heart of our pedagogy.  We aim to enrich students' learning with opportunities to visit the target language countries and through exposure to a range of authentic materials, activities and competitions linked to festivals which take place in France and Germany throughout the year.  These extra-curricular activities help our students to develop their skills in teamwork, honesty, resilience, independence, versatility and empathy (THRIVE).

Impact

As a result of the high quality teaching and the consistent approach across the MFL department, this has helped to foster the engagement of students in language learning and the resultant enjoyment and achievement.  Trips to France and Germany are extremely popular.

Attainment at GCSE and A-level is excellent and is significantly above the national average.  40% of our year 10 students follow the EBacc pathway which includes the study of a language at GCSE. 

Both A-level French and German are offered at St Martin’s and every year, students receive top grades and continue their studies at universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, Durham and Exeter.  Former St Martin’s language students have gone on to pursue careers in medicine, banking and insurance, a testament to the many and varied transferrable skills MFL learning has to offer.

Why Study A-Level German?

Many think that the only jobs available for language students are in translation, interpreting and teaching but with 75% of the world population not speaking English, UK companies now need foreign language speakers to compete in global markets.  A wide range of careers opportunities are enhanced, whether based in the UK or abroad, in a variety of fields including:  international business, politics, education and travel.

Students studying A level German at St Martin’s benefit from small class sizes and students often leave St Martin’s to continue studying German at undergraduate level at top universities such as Durham and Exeter. 

The German A level course aims to enable students to express themselves proficiently in conversation and in writing on a variety of topical issues, as well as developing research skills. It will develop their ability to extract information from a range of spoken and written texts, to recognise points of view and opinions and develop their awareness of other cultures, including their literary heritage.

This is a two-year linear course during which time students will study topics under the following four themes:  Aspects of German speaking society (family, digital world and youth culture – music, fashion and TV), Artistic culture in the German speaking world (festivals and traditions, art and architecture, film and literature), Multiculturalism in German speaking society and Aspects of political life in the German speaking world.  There will be a focus on knowledge and understanding of the target language culture.

Whilst acquiring a much broader range of vocabulary, students will also consolidate their grammatical knowledge of the subject developing their communication skills.

The skills of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing remain at the core of Language Teaching and students will be engaged in a variety of activities, including presentations and group projects, as well as independent research and teacher led tasks.

The course will continually develop accuracy in language and students must be able to discuss one of the above themes orally, explaining their views. They will analyse aspects of the theme by developing arguments and form conclusions. The course will also develop students’ ability to research a theme of their choice independently which they will then present orally demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of the cultural and social context of their research.

In addition, we study two literary texts – one film (Das Leben der Anderen) and one book (Der Vorleser).

Many think that the only jobs available for language students are in translation, interpreting and teaching but with 75% of the world population not speaking English, UK companies now need foreign language speakers to compete in global markets.  A wide range of careers opportunities are enhanced, whether based in the UK or abroad, in a variety of fields including:  international business, politics, education and travel.

Because languages are an invaluable asset in today’s multicultural world the course aims to enable students to express themselves proficiently in conversation and in writing on a variety of topical issues, as well as developing research skills. It will develop their ability to extract information from a range of spoken and written texts, to recognise points of view and opinions and develop their awareness of other cultures, including their literary heritage.

This is a two-year linear course during which time students will study topics under the following four themes:  Aspects of French speaking society: (family, technology and the role of voluntary work), Aspects of French speaking society, Artistic culture in the French speaking world (music, cinema, heritage), Aspects of political life in the French speaking world (teenager’s politics and immigration). There will be a focus on knowledge and understanding of the target language culture.

Whilst acquiring a much broader range of vocabulary, students will also consolidate their grammatical knowledge of the subject developing their communication skills.

The skills of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing remain at the core of Language Teaching and students will be engaged in a variety of activities, including presentations and group projects, as well as independent research and teacher led tasks.

The course will continually develop accuracy in language and students must be able to discuss one of the above themes orally, explaining their views. They will analyse aspects of the theme by developing arguments and form conclusions. The course will also develop students’ ability to research a theme of their choice independently which they will then present orally demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of the cultural and social context of their research.

In addition, a literary text and a film will be studied over the course of the two years.

Useful Websites


http://www.linguascope.com/
Revision resources:
username: stmartins,
password: voyage


http://www.languagesonline.org.uk
Revision resources


http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/german/
Bitesize German


http://www.yjc.org.uk
Revision resources