French at Cusgarne
At Cusgarne we have chosen French as the second language we teach. The children are introduced to this language through songs and games and then begin to develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
Our whole school progression map (see below) for teaching French at Cusgarne is based on the Twinkl Planit scheme of work and comprehensively shows the progression of skills and knowledge from year 3 to year 6. It is based on the following National Curriculum end of kS2 expectations:
Pupils should be taught to:
- listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding;
- explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words;
- engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help;
- speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures;
- develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases;
- present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences;
- read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing;
- appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language;
- broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary;
- write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly;
- describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing;
- understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English.
Intent
Our French curriculum offers a carefully planned sequence of lessons, ensuring progressive coverage of the skills required by the national curriculum. In addition, two of our chosen topics: Let's Visit France and This Is France - provide an introduction to the culture of French-speaking countries and communities. Our curriculum aims to foster children’s curiosity and help deepen their understanding of the world. Our curriculum has been designed to allow opportunities for children to gradually build on their skills. It also enables children to express their ideas and thoughts in French and provides opportunities to interact and communicate with others both in speech and in writing. At the heart of our French curriculum is the desire to expose children to authentic French, so we give regular opportunities for the children to listen to native speakers.
In Lower KS2, children acquire basic skills and understanding of French with a strong emphasis placed on developing their Speaking and Listening skills. These will be embedded and further developed in Upper KS2, alongside Reading and Writing, gradually progressing onto more complex language concepts and greater learner autonomy.
Through our French curriculum, we intend to inspire pupils to develop a love of languages and to expand their horizons to other countries, cultures and people. We aim to help children grow into curious, confident and reflective language learners and to provide them with a foundation that will equip them for further language studies.
Implementation
Lessons are sequenced so that prior learning is considered and opportunities for revision of language and grammar are built in.
Our lessons and the resources we use help children to build on prior knowledge alongside the introduction of new skills. A series of lessons are taught, providing structure and context as well as offering an insight into the culture of French-speaking countries and communities. The introduction and revision of key vocabulary and grammatical structures is built into each lesson. This vocabulary is then included in display materials and additional resources so that children have opportunities to repeat and revise their learning.
Impact
We want to ensure that French is loved by the pupils at KS2, therefore encouraging them to embark on further language studies. The impact of our curriculum is measured through key questioning skills built into lessons, child-led assessment such as success criteria grids, and summative assessments aimed at targeting next steps in learning.
