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Curriculum
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What?
MFL
stands for Modern Foreign Languages and at Gateway we presently teach
Spanish. Outside of school hours Arabic classes are also offered for
Junior children.
Why?
The Government has made
a commitment to give every child between the ages of 7 and 11 the
entitlement to learn a new language by 2010.
“Every
child should have the opportunity throughout Key Stage 2 to study a
foreign language and develop their interest in the culture of other
nations. They should have access to high quality teaching and
learning opportunities, making use of native speakers and e-learning.
By age 11 they should have the opportunity to reach a recognized level
of competence on the Common European Framework and for that
achievement to be recognized through a national scheme.”
Who?
Since
September 2006 all the Year 3 children receive a 40 minute Spanish
lesson a week along with another 30 minutes of Spanish teaching time
which is integrated throughout the week. From September 2007 both
Year 3 and Year 4 children will receive Spanish lessons, from
September 2008 years 3, 4 and 5 will have Spanish lessons and by
September 2009 all Key Stage 2 children will receive weekly Spanish
lessons.
When?
Spanish
lessons are taught once a week for 40 minutes. However Spanish is
also integrated in the school day in those classes where the children
are learning Spanish, for example; registers are taken in Spanish,
classroom commands are given in Spanish and Spanish songs are often
sung at the end of the day.
How?
In the
first year of teaching the focus is largely on fostering and enjoyment
and interest in learning a new language and much of the focus is on
conversational Spanish. There is a great deal of singing, role play
and games used to deliver the curriculum and as the children become
more competent and confident then they will begin to read and write in
Spanish.
1)
Oracy
Oracy
(listening, speaking and spoken interaction) has a more prominent
place in language learning than in most if not all other areas of the
curriculum. In the early stages children will spend a large majority
of their time listening, speaking and interacting orally, this will
largely be through the use of songs, rhymes and games. In the first
year of language teaching, in this case when the children are in Year
3, they will spend the majority of their teaching time focusing on
oracy.
2)
Literacy
The
Literacy skills of reading and writing are supported by, and in turn
reinforce, the development of oracy. The Literacy objective will have
a more prominent role once they have already learnt a language for
about a year. By the time the children a re in Year 4 they should be
able to write simple sentences and short texts for different purposes
and audiences, often using a frame or model to help them structure
meaning.
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3) Intercultural understanding
Intercultural understanding is an essential part of being a citizen.
Children develop a greater understanding of their own lives in the
context of exploring the lives of others. Children become more aware
of the similarities and differences between peoples, their daily
lives, beliefs and values. Objectives in this strand can be
integrated into language lessons as well as taught separately in
non-language teaching time, through other subjects.
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