Modern Foreign Languages
Learning a foreign language is an integral part of getting the students at Brook Green Centre for Learning becoming well-rounded citizens who understand the world around them. Not only the students become more aware of their own identity but also more accepting of others and other cultures looking at similarities and differences to strengthen their ‘culture capital’.
Oracy plays a major role in delivering the Modern Foreign Languages curriculum. Playing fun and engaging games support and develop our students’ social and communication skills as well as their self-esteem and independence.
This enthusiasm for learning is thus supporting our students in other areas of the curriculum, whether it be Humanities, Mathematics or Art. They can transfer this skill effectively, especially in Literacy as reading, writing, speaking and listening are embedded in the lessons. Phonics, etymology, sentence building, ‘real’ and meaningful experiences all contribute to become better learners.
The students also benefit from a range of activities that aims to support them to look into their future and consider different career paths, for example in hospitality, tourism, call centres...
The Modern Foreign Languages Course in KS3 at Brook Green Centre for Learning follows the National Curriculum and is highly differentiated to meet the needs of our students. The MFL Department is well-resourced and the students benefit from being taught by an experienced native speaker.
KS3 students enjoy French lessons once a week. They are all encouraged to achieve to the best of their ability. Learning words and sentences to access different medium or be taught through ‘real’ material - whether it be current news, films, books…is extremely important but it is only one aspect of how the MFL curriculum is designed.
Role-play, games and Linguascope - interactive language learning platform - are also included in the curriculum to enthuse the students in learning the French language and culture.
The other aspect of how the MFL curriculum has been planned and implemented is that it supports the students to make links between their experiences and interests with those of others. The MFL lessons are taught mainly in the target language with ‘phoniques’ (phonics) so the students can become more independent when they express themselves, read, translate, etc.
Students at Brook Green Centre for Learning are very curious about different cultures and traditions. MFL lessons are the perfect time for our students to develop and ‘feed’ their enquiring mind which drives them to ask for more facts and vocabulary.
At KS4, students have the possibility to carry on with MFL study as an option in Year 10 to enhance their knowledge of the French language and culture. The curriculum is designed to contribute in achieving challenges and credits the students choose for the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness, ASDAN (i.e. Module 10: International Links) and Skills Builder.
The students have different projects throughout the two academic years that include famous French-speaking people, French-speaking music, food from French-speaking countries…These projects are tailored to the individual and can take different forms such as videos, photos stories, posters, PowerPoint presentations…
The students are all encouraged to make connections with what is available in the City of Plymouth in terms of future careers that require language and communication skills. Visits to workplaces are planned and inspiring speakers come and meet the students in order to broaden their understanding of how languages are used on an everyday basis in their community and the world of work.
French Club is also available for students on Tuesdays at lunchtime. The students enjoy making arts and craft, explore other aspects of the culture or language, listen and share music, watch and discuss programmes, have food taster…
MFL Home Learning:
French work packs are compiled and given to the students or their family to complete and return. The work packs usually comprise of differentiated visual worksheets that the student can do with some adult support and they are related to the topic that the rest of the class study at the time.
Some useful websites:
This website is used in lessons to learn new vocabulary.
Year 7 can use the Elementary section to discover or re-discover new and learned vocabulary. Year 8 and 9 can use the Beginner section. The students can print worksheets if they have the facility and test themselves on Control final as well as print certificates to show their progress.
As a challenge, Year 9 can also explore the Intermediary section.
All students can watch some video clips on demand; ‘Bistrot Escargot’ and ‘La Boutique Magique’ are great to start with, so why not explore more.
Most of all, have fun repeating and listening carefully to the vocabulary as well as play all the games proposed on this fantastic website.
www.littleredlanguages.co.uk/stories/fr
A good website for stories, songs and poems in English and French.
www.bigseventravel.com/places/france/
This website is set up to enrich your child’s cultural awareness.
They can visit French museums, find quirky facts about landmarks, traditional dishes from different regions…
www.digitaldialects.com/French.htm
Online games on different topics. There are even a picture dictionary and flashcards! Worth a look!
www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/index.shtml
From holiday phrases to slang, news to radio, videos to grammar, this website is rich with culture and practical hints to learnt the lingo!
A must to look at and listen to!
www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/recipes/collections/french-recipes
A website for chefs, big or small, who want to impress with typical French recipes.
www.lightbulblanguages.co.uk/estrellas-french-index.htm
The LightBulb website offers flashcards, a learning area with writing, spelling and testing.
The French experiment website is good for listening to French children’s stories by a native speaker and translated in English.
This will support your child with reading, listening and pronunciation.
Other learning activities you could do with your child
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Use post-its or flashcards from Twinkl on familiar items in the house with the English and the French writing which can be translated on google translate
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Use a word of the day from linguascope every morning and see how many times it can be used in a day/a week
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Watch or listen to French music, French cartoons, karaoke on YouTube
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Make it a routine to cook one simple French dish a week.
Amusez-vous bien et bon courage!
‘C’est bon la galette des Rois! Miam, miam!’
Amusez-vous bien et bon courage!
