Languages (French)
| Name | |
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| Languages |
Languages at St Nicolas
At St Nicolas, we celebrate languages within our learning community and beyond. The inclusion of language-learning is a vital ingredient of a 21st century broad and balanced curriculum. In 2014, over 80% of primary children in the European Union were learning a second language; at this time, this statistic did not include the United Kingdom. With Languages now as a statutory subject in Key Stage 2, it is heartening to see that our children now have the opportunity to develop into adults with the ability to adapt and succeed in a diverse, evolving global society.
‘For today’s young people, languages matter; they are an investment that can enrich their lives socially, culturally and economically’ (Languages Review, Dearing and King, 2006)
Some of the more recognizable benefits of speaking another language are:
- broadened horizons for learners- leading to further study or opening up future career possibilities in another country;
- laying the foundations for learning additional languages;
- the reinforcement and expansion children’s knowledge and understanding of their own language through learning the structure of another.
However, there are plenty of less apparent but far-reaching benefits to be found in language-learning. It opens up the children’s minds to other cultures, and allows for the exploration of the similarities and positive differences between cultures. Though the lens of another language, they can learn to look at things from another’s perspective and recognise the importance of developing an understanding of others and inclusivity. Moreover, languages help children to understand what it is to be a global citizen; this is crucial in our increasingly interconnected world. Importantly, learning more than one language encourages our brain pathways to be much more active.
Languages is the newest subject in the Primary National Curriculum, having been statutory for Key Stage 2 since 2014. However, at St Nics, we start to teach Languages right from halfway through Reception year. This provides a head-start in Key Stage 2 in developing the right attitude and frame of mind for languages as well as the multiple benefits from language learning. It makes good sense, as it is widely recognised that there is no advantage in delaying language-learning; in fact, it just gets more challenging, so the key philosophy is the earlier the better!
Language-learning is delivered through the four key skills of: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
- Speaking and listening: pronunciation, intonation and gesture is practised through songs, rhymes, games, stories, simple conversations, expressing opinions, as well as questioning and answering;
- Reading and writing: the build-up of the children’s reading and writing skills in French, with emphasis on sound-spelling links.
We understand that some children may feel unconfident about speaking another language, or may question the need to learn one. This, in part, stems from the fact that it has been a statutory part of the Primary National Curriculum for less than 10 years, so is a subject that many parents may not have learned at this age themselves. And, of course, when so many other countries speak English as a second language, it may be tempting for some children to imagine there’s little need for them to speak anything else! However, our curriculum provides the foundation that children need in order to become confident linguists by having a focus on vocabulary, grammar and phonemic awareness.
In addition to the Languages lesson that the children receive each week, we also include further opportunities to increase their exposure to French, such as registration and classroom instructions in French, and the labelling of locations around the school in French.
Links for further learning/resources:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z39d7ty
https://www.educandy.com/site/html5/bin/main.php?activity=wordsearch&quizid=624967
