Learning a foreign language unlocks a world of opportunity for our pupils and provides an opening to other cultures. Our aim is to foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. We recognise that competence in another language enables children to interpret, create and exchange meaning within and across cultures. Many of our children come from households where English is the second or third language and much emphasis must be put on the development of their English in all its forms throughout the school.

However, MFL teaching at Brettenham is important for our children since it gives them the foundations for future language learning, as well as a means to access international opportunities for study or work in other countries. All Children First Academy schools teach Spanish. Not only is Spanish spoken across the world, but a focus on this language also allows us to explore a variety of different cultures. Teaching Spanish at our Primary schools lays the foundations for our children’s future study of MFL at Key Stage 3 because in the main Spanish is also taught at our feeder schools.

Key concepts:

1) Speaking: Children will engage in conversations, ask and answer questions, be able to express an opinion and respond to those of others. They will speak in full sentences and use familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures. Children will develop accurate pronunciation and intonation when speaking aloud, presenting ideas and information orally to a range of audiences.

2) Listening: Children will listen attentively to spoken language and be given the opportunity to listen to native speakers either in person or remotely. They will be able to show their understanding by joining in and responding to this. Children will explore the pattern and sounds of the language through song and rhyme using this to make the link with spelling, sound and the meanings of words. Every lesson will involve some aspect of listening be it to the teacher, peers or a native speaker.

3) Reading: Children will read carefully and show an understanding of words, phrases and simple writing. Children will be exposed to a range of simple texts and start to read these independently.

4) Writing: Children will be able to write simple phrases from memory and use these create new sentences. They will be able to express their ideas clearly. In KS2U children will describe people, places, things and actions both orally and in writing. They will understand basic grammar, the key features and patterns of the language and how to apply these when building basic sentences.

Vocabulary: Children will be exposed to a broad and varied vocabulary and develop an ability to understand new words that are introduced. They will have the opportunity to use a dictionary.

MFL Capital: We will introduce the children to a range of stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language they are learning to develop their appreciation of the language the resulting cultures in the countries where that language is spoken.