Modern Foreign Languages

WHAT WILL A LANGUAGE TEACH ME?

Studying French, German and Spanish, amongst other languages, will teach you to attend to the meaning of words and sentences, to recognise differences in concepts and usage, and develop an awareness of the nature of language.

It will enhance your ability to interact with others and you will learn to appreciate other people’s roots, concerns and cultures. You will also learn to appreciate your own culture. Learning a language will allow you to respect others more and promote greater tolerance. The developments in computer technology mean that the world is becoming ‘a smaller place’ and you can have instant access to French, German and Spanish culture, as well as to native French, German and Spanish speakers.

WHY SHOULD I STUDY FRENCH, GERMAN AND SPANISH?

The experience of learning and using French, German and Spanish makes a unique contribution to the curriculum by allowing you to explore the life-style and culture of countries in which these languages are spoken. It can give you the experience of entering a foreign environment and existing within it. Coping for a while in a different language, whether in the classroom or in a foreign country, will be an enjoyable, rewarding and intellectually challenging experience. If you are able to communicate competently in French, German or Spanish this will enhance your ability to travel, make a wide circle of friends and gain a job in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world. You will need to be prepared for a world where greater skills in modern foreign languages will be very much in demand.

THE COURSE

In Year 7 you may choose one language from French, German or Spanish and you will be allocated your second modern foreign language. There are significant structural differences between French, German and Spanish and this gives real breadth to the language learning experience. You follow a very accessible and practical series of textbooks in the two languages you study which come with an impressive online blending learning package, which allows staff to monitor your progress. You will be able to do listening and reading comprehension exercises, in addition to grammar consolidation for prep. We have a digital language laboratory, which allows you to engage in listening tasks, often linked to the courses studied, at your own speed, and record yourself speaking in the foreign language. This means that you will have personalised feedback on pronunciation from your teachers, as well as offering more opportunities for independent learning. We also use music, DVD and the Internet, including subscriptions to a number of excellent websites which can be used in class and at home. The Pearson course books we use across Years 7-9 have excellent online resources to support all four skills and the grammar. Staff can analyse pupil progression in great detail and use this information to inform future teaching. Pupils who currently use this material have responded very favourably.

WILL THERE BE OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAVEL?

Yes, but the circumstances of the past year have meant we have not been able to travel abroad as usual. However, our intention is to continue with trips to Germany, Spain and France in Year 8 and Year 9 on a biennial basis. Traditionally we have visited Paris, Seville and the Rhineland, but these are subject to change. The trips are designed to give pupils a taste of the culture and language before hopefully participating in an exchange in Year 10 and above to Germany and/or France and/or Spain.

Some setting of French, German and Spanish takes place at Key Stage 3, where the timetable allows. Progress in class and end of year examinations in Years 7 to 9 are used to establish ability sets.

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

YEAR 7: You will learn to make yourself understood through studying some of the following topics, depending on the language: personal descriptions, family, leisure activities (including holidays) and school. In terms of tenses, the focus is on the present tense.

We currently also run a Linguistics & Culture course in Year 7 which pupils attend once every two weeks. This course allows pupils to learn about linguistic and cultural intricacies of different cultures and is a great supplement to their language learning as it gives them a greater appreciation of world cultures. Amongst the topics studied are: how we communicate, sign language, baby sounds, Caribbean carnivals and learning how languages change over time.

YEAR 8: You will refine your language skills and explore different tenses through studying some of the following topics depending on the language: family, where you live, holidays, film, reading and TV habits, health and daily routine. Throughout this course you will gain a wider appreciation of the French, German and Spanish speaking worlds. You will also learn skills to state advantages and disadvantages, as well as phrases to persuade another person to accept your point of view.

YEAR 9: Your competence in French, German and Spanish will increase and you will learn to use more complex grammar and have at least four tenses in your repertoire. You will also become more familiar with elements of the GCSE in terms of translation skills and gain exposure to abridged literary texts. Depending on the language studied, topics might include: celebrities; role models; music and film tastes; future jobs and ambitions; reflecting on your childhood; discussing global issues, rights (children’s and human) and responsibilities; social media; healthy living; celebrations; environmental issues and social concerns.

(Where a topic is mentioned more than once, the coverage incorporates consolidation and extension work.)

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP?

Within the focus on listening, reading, speaking and writing, you will also acquire many transferable skills. The predominant language in the classroom will be the target language which will encourage you over time to respond in this language.

You will learn to become more creative and spontaneous in the foreign language being studied and your ability to mimic sound (phonics) will be a real focus of your language learning. You will be encouraged to respond to visual stimuli and role-play situations involving practical situations, which will require you to develop conversations, cope with unfamiliar language and unexpected responses.

You will learn to deduce meaning from an audio or written text and develop analytical strategies to access more complex, authentic and adapted texts by skim reading and looking carefully at key words and questions. Such texts might include letters, poems, songs and stories. Your ability to tease out the key facts from authentic audio extracts will make you a better and more intuitive listener. You will learn to transcribe words and short sentences with increasing accuracy.

Learning the art of questioning is a key feature of foreign language learning. You will improve your personal and social skills by communicating, co-operating and contributing in class as well as considering the views of others.

The art of translation into English and the foreign language is also a key feature, which encourages accuracy, linguistic sensitivity and analytical skills. Finally, effective foreign language learning equips pupils with a skill which is crucial to future careers. Competence in foreign languages will be of huge importance in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world.

Whilst the main aim of the Language Faculty is to provide you with the opportunity to learn a language, if you are a native speaker of French, German or Spanish you will be able to sit the GCSE early under the supervision of and with the agreement of the Language Faculty.

While an A Level in the language might be linguistically possible for you, the topics discussed might be too demanding to pursue without formal teaching. If you are a native or nearly-native speaker, we would encourage you to study other European languages on offer.

The Faculty can also offer activities to enhance your knowledge of the language of which you are a native, or near native, speaker. There may be scope for a (near) native speaker to have a privately arranged weekly conversation class with a language assistant. We employ first rate Foreign Language Assistants. In 2021-22 we will have French, German and Spanish assistants in school.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO TAKE A MODERN LANGUAGE GCSE EARLY AS A NON-NATIVE SPEAKER?

The Modern Language Faculty is wary of you taking GCSE early simply for the sake of being fast-tracked. The benefit of fast-tracking must be that you will gain a 9. The decision to accelerate a whole group is dependent on an identifiable cohort making exceptional progress in Year 8.

MANDARIN

WHY SHOULD I STUDY MANDARIN?

Mandarin is a new subject available in the Kingswood curriculum. Studying Mandarin is becoming a more popular option in British Schools, due in part to the rise of China as one of the world’s leading economic powers, along with an increasing interest in the rich traditions and heritage of the Chinese people. Like studying any language, learning Mandarin enables pupils to develop their communication skills as well as their cultural awareness and knowledge.

In some ways, Mandarin could be a more challenging option compared to the European languages we offer, partly due to the Chinese written character system as well as the tonal nature of the spoken language and the lack of cognates. Pupils who choose to study Mandarin will certainly find it a stimulating option and quite different from the languages they may have experienced before coming to Kingswood. Pupils who are novices will be given the chance to learn some foundational Mandarin in Year 7. This will take the form of a series of taster sessions. In addition, all Year 7 pupils will be given some taster lessons in the latter part of the summer term in Mandarin during their main curriculum language classes. This will give them a sense of whether the subject could be a good choice for them.

Mandarin will then be available for pupils to choose as an option in Year 8, as an alternative to Latin. In order to choose Mandarin, pupils will have either shown an early interest in Mandarin through attendance at the Mandarin activity, or will have demonstrated a particular aptitude for languages.

Those choosing Mandarin will need to commit to an additional, weekly lesson outside the main timetable.

WHAT IF I AM ALREADY PROFICIENT OR FLUENT IN MANDARIN?

Some pupils will join Kingswood with a good level of proficiency and fluency in Mandarin due to having studied the language at an earlier age. Pupils who are already proficient or fluent in Mandarin will be able to continue their study of the language, and pursue appropriate qualifications, in small groups or one-to-one lessons with our Mandarin specialist. This arrangement will be organised on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the level of the pupil’s Mandarin and qualification ambitions. Some pupils may wish to study Mandarin in this way outside of normal lessons (and continue to study two other European languages), or they may be able to have Mandarin tutorials in place of a timetabled language lesson, if deemed appropriate in discussion with the Deputy Head Academic.

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

As with the other Modern Foreign Languages, pupils who take Mandarin will learn to speak and write confidently on a variety of topics, such as: family, school, hobbies, health and holidays. They will also learn to talk and write about Chinese society and culture.

WHERE WILL THIS LEAD?

The aim is to enable pupils who begin Mandarin in Year 8 to be able to sit a GCSE / IGCSE qualification in Year 11 or Year 12. This means that the first mainstream cohort of pupils sitting a Mandarin GCSE / IGCSE exam is likely to be in 2023. Pupils who have advanced prior knowledge may be able to take a qualification earlier.