Intent

We use the Language Angels scheme of work and resources to ensure we offer a relevant, broad and vibrant curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes.  We aim for all pupils to be willing and able to continue studying languages beyond key stage 2.

The intent is that all content will be continuously updated and reviewed annually, so that the foreign language knowledge of our pupils progresses within each academic year and is extended year upon year.

The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across KS2. Our teaching will also reflect our diverse pupil community for whom Spanish will be their third or fourth language. We will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down the foundation for future language learning. Themes and vocabulary link to the wider curriculum for example WWII or habitats.

Learning another language will also offer pupils the opportunity to develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language will allow pupils to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences which will complement our work in RE and PHSE. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.

Implementation 

KS2 classes will use the Language Angels scheme of work and resources. There are also additional resources in school such as Espresso. Spanish will be taught through weekly lessons by class teachers or HLTAs. Annotated planning will record pupil progress and next steps based on teacher assessment of fluency, accuracy and confidence. Language Angels, ‘Teaching Type’ facilitates effective differentiation,

 staff choose units that will offer the appropriate level of challenge for the classes they are teaching.

Children will use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes.

Early Language units are entry level units for Year 3 pupils or pupils with little or no previous foreign language learning. Intermediate units increase the level of challenge by increasing the amount and complexity (including foreign language grammar concepts) of the foreign language presented to pupils. We will use the intermediate units for Year 4-6 pupils. Progressive and Creative Curriculum units are the most challenging units and are suitable for Year 6 pupils with a good understanding of the basics of the language they are learning. Grouping units into these Teaching Type categories ensures that the language taught is appropriate to the level of the class. Children will listen and gradually read longer pieces of Spanish text. They will speak in increasingly complex phrases and have the opportunity to record vocabulary or sentences.

Teachers are provided with a Progression Map and Grammar Grid (downloadable from the “Curriculum Guidance” area of the Language Angels website). Grammar rules and patterns will be taught by level of challenge:

• We start with nouns and articles and 1st person singular of high frequency verbs in Early Learning units.
• We move on to the use of the possessive, the concept of adjectives, use of the negative form, conjunctions/connectives and introduce the concept of whole regular verb conjugation in Intermediate units.
• We end with opinions and introduce the concept of whole high frequency irregular verb conjugation in Progressive units.

Grammar is integrated and taught discreetly throughout all appropriate units. We aim for children to use this knowledge with increasing accuracy across KS2 in their own responses.

The school has a unit planner in place which will serve as an overall ‘teaching map’ outlining what each year group will be taught and when it will be taught. Each teaching unit is divided into 6 planned lessons with:

• clearly defined objectives and aims.
• interactive whiteboard materials to include ample speaking and listening tasks within a lesson.
• challenge sections and desk-based activities that will be offered will three levels of differentiation.
• some extended reading and writing activities are provided so that if there was a native speaker they could be catered for.
• grammar concept increasing in complexity through Early Language, Intermediate and Progressive units.
• writing activities enable pupils to use previously learnt language and through repetition to recall vocabulary and grammar with increasing fluency and accuracy.

Assessment will be termly and recorded to reflect if pupils working at either exceeding, at expected or below expected. The subject coordinators will use this to inform CPD needs and monitor the quality of MFL teaching across KS2.

Impact

Early Learning Units

• basic noun and article level
• speaking and writing of short phrases

Intermediate Units

• increasing vocabulary
• grammar concepts of adjectives, possessive first person, conjunctions, positive & negative form and the conjugation of regular verb

Progressive Units

• exposure to increasingly longer texts
• writing using a wider bank of vocabulary, linguistic structures and grammatical knowledge
• spoken and written language using a variety of conjunctions, adverbs and adjectives
• previous language will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate