Modern Foreign Languages
At Lutterworth College the MFL curriculum across Key Stage 3 and 4 provides students with the opportunity to study a wide range of language, increasing their knowledge of vocabulary and set phrases while at the same time building their understanding of structures and how language works. We want our students to feel enthusiastic about language learning and to realise that learning a language will open many doors: when travelling or on holiday but also in their future working lives where the skills acquired will enable them to work with worldwide teams. Through languages, we believe that our students will be able to develop their concept of being a global citizen by increasing their understanding of the cultures where the languages are spoken.
We work alongside our Church of England CHRIST values to enrich how our students experience languages, preparing them for a life outside of education. Students are able to demonstrate these values at various points across the three years in the following ways:
- Being Courageous in the way they try to use the target language in lessons
- Being Hardworking in the way they approach all of their work notably vocabulary and grammar
- Being Reflective in self-assessment and their Directed Improvement Reflection Time (DIRT)
- Being Inspirational by adapting patterns to express what they want to say
- Being Supportive of their peers when working in small groups in the target language
- Being Tenacious in their attitude to learning vocabulary to enable them to build longer sentences
Lutterworth College French Learning Journey
Lutterworth College Spanish Learning Journey
Key Stage 3
We aim to make language learning a rewarding, confidence-building and enjoyable experience. Students will develop a wide range of transferable and lifelong learning skills including: collaboration, independence, resilience, tolerance, creativity, development of memory and oral skills. Students will learn to look for and spot patterns in language, and learn how words are connected and can be put together successfully. They will develop a wide range of vocabulary and their knowledge of the target language will encourage them to be reflective about their own language, thus improving their literacy skills and vocabulary. Our Key Stage 3 curriculum will give students the necessary foundations for beginning the GCSE course but will also motivate them to learn other languages in their adult lives.
Key Stage 4
Languages are an option at GCSE, and students who opt to study a language will continue with the language they started in Y7. Through a variety of topics, students develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, necessary to communicate effectively. In both languages, the specification covers three distinct themes. These themes apply to all four question papers.
Theme 1: Identity and culture
Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest
Theme 3: Current and future study and employment
Students are expected to understand and provide information and opinions about these themes relating to their own experiences and those of other people, including people in countries/communities where French/Spanish is spoken.
A typical language lesson incorporates all 4 skills and high frequency vocabulary and grammar are being taught to develop fluency and understanding of the language, as well as accuracy. Systematic revisiting and recycling of grammar and vocabulary throughout the academic years aim to ensure long-term memorisation and retention.
Students in their language lessons will also be able to reflect and appreciate the different cultures of French or Spanish speaking countries, while gaining some transferable skills which will add to their employability, whether or not they choose to continue with a language past KS4.
GCSE French Year 10 Curriculum Map
GCSE Spanish Year 10 Curriculum Map
GCSE French Year 11 Curriculum Map
GCSE Spanish Year 11 Curriculum Map
Key Stage 5
At the college we are able to offer French and Spanish to A level, students who opt to do a language at A level will have studied the same language from Y7 and will sit the A level exam. The A level specification builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. It constitutes an integrated study with a focus on language, culture and society and fosters a range of transferable skills, including communication, critical thinking and creativity, which are valuable to the individual and to society.
In our language lessons, students will develop their understanding of themes relating to the society and culture of the countries where French or Spanish are spoken, and their language skills; they will do this by using authentic spoken and written sources in the target language.
The approach is a focus on how French/Spanish-speaking society has been shaped, socially and culturally, and how it continues to change. Students study aspects of the social context together with aspects of the artistic life of French/Spanish-speaking countries. This will equip students with a sound knowledge and understanding of the target language and culture of the country, preparing them for their university course and a longer stay in a foreign country if they choose to embark on a language degree.
Students following this specification will develop their language knowledge, understanding and skills through:
- using language spontaneously to initiate communication
- applying knowledge of pronunciation, morphology and syntax, vocabulary and idiom to communicate accurately and coherently
- using language-learning skills and strategies
- listening and responding to spoken passages including some extended passages from a range of different contexts and sources
- reading and responding to a variety of
- understanding the main points, gist and detail from spoken and written material
- inferring meaning from complex spoken and written material
- assimilating and using information from spoken and written sources
- summarising information from spoken and written sources, reporting key points and subject matter in speech and writing
- translating an unseen passage from the TL into English
- translating unseen sentences from English into the TL.
Students will also study one book and a film from the AQA specified list. They must know, understand and be able to respond critically in writing in the TL to the work they have studied.
A Level French Year 12 Curriculum Map
A Level Spanish Year 12 Curriculum Map