Curriculum Leader: Emma Becousse
Mrs Becousse is our languages leader and is responsible for this curriculum area. This means ensuring we teach an ambitious curriculum, supporting our teachers to implement our curriculum through high-quality lessons and checking that lessons are helping our children to know more, remember more and do more.
Purpose of study
Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries.
Aims
The national curriculum for languages aims to ensure that all pupils:
Progression
Here is an overview of what we expect children to be taught, know and do by the end of each year group.
Year 3
Through Year 3 the children will be taught to listen to and enjoy short stories, nursery rhymes & songs. Recognise familiar words and short phrases covered in the units taught. Communicate with others using simple words and short phrases covered in the units. Read familiar words and short phrases accurately by applying knowledge from 'Phonics Lesson 1'. Understand the meaning in English of short words I read in a foreign language. Write familiar words & short phrases using a model or vocabulary list. EG: 'I play the piano'. 'I like apples'. The children will also start to understand the concept of noun gender and the use of articles. Use the first-person singular version of high-frequency verbs. EG: 'I like…' 'I play…' 'I am called…'
Year 4
In Year 4 the children will learn to listen to longer passages and understand more of what we hear by picking out key words and phrases covered in current and previous units. Communicate with others with improved confidence and accuracy. Learn to ask and answer questions based on the language covered in the units and incorporate a negative reply if and when required. Read aloud short pieces of text applying knowledge learnt from 'Phonics Phonics & Pronunciation Lessons 1 & 2'. Understand most of what we read in a foreign language when it is based on a familiar language. Write some short phrases based on familiar topics and begin to use connectives/conjunctions and the negative form where appropriate. EG: My name, where I live and my age. The children will better understand the concept of gender and which articles to use for meaning (EG: 'the', 'a' or 'some'). Introduce simple adjectival agreement (EG: adjectival agreement when describing nationality), the negative form and possessive adjectives. EG: 'In my pencil case I have…' or 'In my pencil case I do not have...'
Year 5
Over the course of Year 5, the children will learn to listen more attentively and for longer. Understand more of what they hear even when some of the language may be unfamiliar by using the decoding skills we have developed. They will learn to communicate on a wider range of topics and themes. Remember and recall a range of vocabulary with increased knowledge, confidence and spontaneity. Understand longer passages in the foreign language and start to decode the meaning of unknown words using cognates and context. Increase their knowledge of phonemes and letter strings using knowledge learnt from 'Phonics Lessons 1 to 3'. They will learn to write a paragraph using familiar language incorporating connectives/conjunctions, a negative response and adjectival agreement where required. Learn to manipulate the language and be able to substitute words for suitable alternatives. EG: My name, my age, where I live, a pet I have, a pet I don't have and my pet's name. The children will also revise gender and nouns and learn to use and recognise the terminology of articles (EG: definite, indefinite and partitive). Understand better the rules of adjectival agreement and possessive adjectives. Start to explore full verb conjugation (EG: 'I wear...', 'he/she wears...' and also be able to describe clothes in terms of colour EG: 'My blue coat'.
Year 6
In year 6, the children will learn to listen to longer texts and more authentic foreign language material. They will learn to pick out cognates and familiar words and learn to 'gist listen' even when hearing language that has not been taught or covered. The children will also learn to recall previously learnt language and recycle/incorporate it with new language with increased speed and spontaneity. Children will also engage in short conversations on familiar topics, responding with opinions and justifications where appropriate. Children will also be able to tackle unknown language with increased accuracy by applying knowledge learnt from 'Phonics Lessons 1 to 4' including awareness of accents, silent letters etc. Decode unknown language using bilingual dictionaries. In their writing, they will learn to write a piece of text using language from a variety of units covered and learn to adapt any models provided to show a solid understanding of any grammar covered. Also start to incorporate conjugated verbs and learn to be comfortable using connectives/conjunctions, adjectives and possessive adjectives. E.g.: A presentation or description of a typical school day including subjects, time and opinions. Pupils will also consolidate our understanding of gender and nouns, use of the negative, adjectival agreement and possessive adjectives (e.g.: which subjects I like at school and also which subjects I do not like). Become familiar with a wider range of connectives/conjunctions and more confident with full-verb conjugation - both regular and irregular. E.g.: 'to go', 'to do', 'to have' and 'to be'.
Units of Work
Year 3 Autumn
J'apprends le français (I Am Learning French)
By the end of the unit, pupils will have the knowledge and skills to be able to introduce themselves, say how they feel and have a wider appreciation for the country/countries where the foreign language is spoken.
Year 3 Autumn
Les saisons (Seasons)
In this unit pupils will learn the 4 seasons of the year along with a key feature for each season in French. By the end of the unit pupils will have the skills and knowledge to say which is their favourite season and why.
Year 3 Spring
Les instruments(Instruments)
In this unit pupils will learn 10 familiar instruments and be introduced to the 1st person singular high frequency verb ‘I play’ in the foreign language. By the end of the unit pupils will be able to recognise, recall, remember and spell up to 10 instruments with their definite article. This is one of the first sentence building units where pupils will have the knowledge and skills to create short phrases with the verb ‘I play’ plus the instrument nouns and determiners.
Year 3 Spring
Les fruits (Fruits)
In this unit pupils will learn 10 fruits and be introduced to the simple opinions ‘I like’ and ‘I do not like’. By the end of the unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to be able to say which fruits they like and do not like.
Year 3 Summer
Les glaces (Ice-Creams)
In this unit pupils will learn 10 flavours of ice-cream and the transactional language required to purchase an ice-cream. By the end of the unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to take part in a role-play activity where they will order a cone or pot of ice-cream in the flavour(s) of their choice, specifying how many scoops of each they would like.
Year 3 Summer
Petit Chaperon rouge (Little Red Riding Hood)
In this unit pupils will learn to listen carefully to able to understand a familiar fairy tale recounted in the foreign language using picture and word cards. Pupils will be exposed to more language and be encouraged to use mind-mapping activities to support their learning. This unit links strongly to literacy skills.
Year 4 Autumn
Je me présente (Presenting Myself)
By the end of this unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to present themselves both orally and in written form in French. This is one of the first units where previously learnt language will be integrated with newly acquired language, encouraging all pupils to use their growing bank of vocabulary. In this unit pupils focus on asking questions as well as providing accurate replies. They will demonstrate a growing understanding of grammar to manipulate language and start to create sentences of their own using a range of personal details including name, age, where they live and nationality.
Year 4 Autumn
Ma famille (My Family)
By the end of this unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to make a presentation about their own / a fictitious family in both spoken and written form in French. Pupils will start to integrate previously learnt language with newly acquired language, encouraging more confident use of their growing bank of vocabulary. Pupils will demonstrate an increasing knowledge of grammar and the use of the possessive in French to manipulate language, thus starting to create more personalised responses as the unit supports the change from 1st person singular to 3rd person singular.
Year 4 Spring
Boucle d'or et les Trois Ours (Goldilocks and the Three Bears)
In this unit pupils will learn to listen more carefully so as to be able to understand a familiar fairy tale recounted in French using picture, word and phrase cards. Pupils will be exposed to more language and will be encouraged to use a variety of activities to support their learning. This unit links strongly to transferable literacy skills.
Year 4 Spring
Les habitats (Habitats)
By the end of this unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to present both orally and in written form about various plants and animals that live in five very different habitats in French. This is one of the first units to encourage slightly more complex and sophisticated writing using a wider range of vocabulary.
Year 4 Summer
En classe (In the Classroom)
By the end of this unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to present both orally and in written form about what they have and do not have in their pencil cases and/or school bag in French. This is a unit that focuses on recycling previously learnt grammar, using it with new vocabulary and a better understanding of the negative form, demonstrating a growing ability to create independent responses.
Year 4 Summer
Chez moi (My Home)
By the end of this unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to present both orally and in written form about where they live and which rooms they have and do not have in their homes in French. This is a unit that focuses on recycling previously learnt grammar, using it with new vocabulary, conjunctions and grammar, demonstrating a growing ability to create independent responses.
Year 5 Autumn
As-tu un animal? (Do You Have a Pet?)
By the end of this unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to present both orally and in written form about the pets they have and/or do not have in French. They will move from 1st person singular to 3rd person singular verb usage so they are able to say what the pet is called and use conjunctions more confidently.
Year 5 Autumn
La date (The Date)
Days of the week, months of the year and numbers 1-31 will be introduced, revised and consolidated so, by the end of this unit, pupils will have the knowledge and skills to say the date and when their birthday is in French.
Year 5 Spring
Quel temps fait-il ? (What Is the Weather?)
By the end of this unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to describe the weather and to also present a weather forecaster pretending to be on television. This enables us to link the weather vocabulary with map work, compass points and general geography. This unit improves both language and cultural knowledge.
Year 5 Spring
Les Romains (Romans)
Through the medium of this familiar period of history, pupils will be taught the skills to understand slightly longer and more complicated text in French. Pupils will learn to ‘gist’ read, listen and understand more by using cognates and more familiar language to decode unknown language. This unit ties in with literacy, promoting a deeper understanding of the role of verbs, nouns, determiners and adjectives in sentences. This unit links strongly to transferable literacy skills.
Year 5 Summer
Les Jeux olympiques (The Olympics)
Through the medium of this familiar and very popular event, pupils will be taught the skills to understand slightly longer and more complicated text in French. They will learn to ‘gist’ read, listen and understand more by using cognates and more familiar language to decode unknown language. Pupils will learn ten Olympic sports and the adjectival changes required when describing athletes.
Year 5 Summer
Les vêtements (Clothes)
By the end of this unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills necessary to describe what they are wearing in French. This is a unit that brings together much of the grammar covered in our Intermediate teaching type (nouns, gender, determiners, plurality, possessives, adjectival agreement, 1st person conjugation) so that pupils can say and write what they are packing in their suitcase for a holiday.
Year 6 Autumn
À l'école (At School)
In this unit pupils will learn the nouns and determiners/definite articles for ten school subjects in French. They will also learn how to conjugate the verb ‘to study’, an introduction to time and an expansion of opinions. By the end of the unit pupils will have the knowledge and skills to talk about the subjects they like and dislike at school (along with a justification) and at what time and on which day they study various subjects. This will enable pupils to create more detailed and personalised responses by the end of the unit.
Year 6 Autumn
Regular Verbs
In this purely grammar-based unit pupils will learn how to conjugate regular verbs. They will learn the terminology and patterns involved in regular whole verb conjugation.
Year 6 Spring
Le week-end (The Weekend)
In these four sequential lessons pupils will learn a selection of the key phonemes to facilitate accurate and authentic pronunciation as part of their language learning experience. Each of the four lessons is accompanied by a song that pupils will be encouraged to actively participate in.
Year 6 Spring
La Seconde Guerre mondiale (World War 2)
Through the medium of this familiar period of history, pupils will be taught the skills to understand longer and more complicated text. Pupils will learn to ‘gist’ read, listen and understand more of the foreign language by using cognates and language they are familiar with so as to decode unknown language. This unit ties in with literacy, promoting a deeper understanding of the role of verbs, nouns, determiners and adjectives in sentences. This unit links strongly to transferable literacy skills.
Year 6 Summer
Les Vikings (Vikings)
Through the medium of this familiar period of history, pupils will be taught the skills to describe themselves. They will do this as a character from the Viking period, exploring the vocabulary, adjectives and grammar involved in character and physical descriptions, allowing pupils to describe themselves and also another person by the end of the unit.
Year 6 Summer
Moi dans le monde (Me in the World)
In this unit pupils will learn about other countries around the globe that speak French. They will also learn about the currencies, flags, cultural celebrations and traditions of those countries. This is a great unit, bringing together all the language covered in the various teaching types.