Click on the sections below to explore and learn more about the Spanish curriculum at St Mary’s
Intent: Why we teach Spanish
Our intent at St. Mary’s for our Spanish curriculum is to have clear progression in the understanding of Spanish throughout the school. All teachers will be given support in understanding the vision and following our curriculum.
Children in school generally rarely have any exposure to Spanish outside of school so we need to begin with the basics. Our secondary feeder schools require children to have some understanding of another language and prepare children for KS3.
Learning a foreign language is a necessary part of being a member of a multi-cultural society and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster children’s curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable children to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read literature in the original language.
It is intended that when children leave St. Mary’s, they will have a natural curiosity and confidence to explore, other countries, cultures and languages, accepting that, in a multi-lingual society it is a valuable skill to be able to communicate effectively with others in another language. They will be engaged and prepared to continue language learning at High School Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping children to study and work in other countries.
Implementation:
How we teach Spanish
Pupils are 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 clear
- 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.
- Signs around the school are written in Spanish, displays of the vocabulary relating to the current topic should be displayed and the Language of the Month noticeboard is changed each month.
Impact : What Spanish gives to our children
Assessment criteria is in the process of being developed, in line with national curriculum aims, to enable teachers to assess the progress of children in their language learning as they move through Key Stage 2, ensuring that children are supported and challenged as appropriate.
Children are provided with a variety of activities to promote their engagement in the subject as well as provide them with the knowledge and skills necessary, to continue their studies successfully at High School. The Rachel Hawkes programme comprises of a booklet for each year group, which clearly shows a progression throughout the school, building on prior knowledge and extending language skills. An enjoyment of language will be fostered through a variety of activities including interactive games, singing, rhyme and traditional stories in the chosen language.
In order to recognise the diversity of languages within our school community, we promote Language of the Month. Each class in KS2 are introduced to the areas in the world where a particular language is spoken. Basic vocabulary is displayed and practised through activities such as registration and classroom greetings.
Pupil Voice is also used to further develop the FOREIGN LANGUAGE curriculum, through questioning of pupils’ views and attitudes to learning a language. Verbal feedback and pupil interviews will ensure there is an impact on children’s outcomes and that the children feel positive about languages
Mrs McCarthy- MFL Lead