Westbury School Modern Foreign Languages Policy

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2003

Aims and Obectives

The Modern Foreign Curriculum at Westbury offers all Year 6, 7, 8 and 9 pupils the opportunity to study French. Years 10 and 11 follow a French Course as part of the Youth Award Scheme Wider World module. The curriculum reflects the Curriculum 2000 orders for Modern Foreign Languages. We follow a communicative approach with an emphasis on the development of pupils’ ability to speak and listen in the target language. In lessons, pupils are expected to use the target language whenever possible.

The Westbury Modern Foreign Languages curriculum aims to:

Develop practical competence in using the target language.
Increase an awareness of how languages have developed.
Help break down intolerance and cultural prejudice through a greater understanding of others’ cultures.
Enhance pupil self-confidence through opportunities to speak in the target language.
Foster personal and social development through co-operative activities.
Provide a base for further study.

All Westbury pupils should have regular opportunities to:

Understand, respond to and communicate in the target language.
Develop language learning skills.
Develop the ability to work with others and to learn independently.
Use their ICT skills to use and enhance their language skills.

Teaching and Learning

There are four main attainment targets:

Listening - The development of the pupil’s ability to understand and respond to the spoken word.
Speaking - The development of the pupil’s ability to communicate through speech in the target language.
Reading - To develop the pupil’s ability to read, understand and respond to the written language.
Writing - The development of the pupil’s ability to communicate in writing.

Each of these attainment targets are covered through the study of a variety of topics, taught in termly modules, and covering all of the required areas of experience. The communicative teaching approach involved the maximum use of the target languae by both staff and pupils. Skills and understanding are developed through a range of activities, many practical, usch as role-play, games, ICT reinforcement, CD ROMs and using the target language within other lessons, eg Maths and Food Technology. Either the whole class, in pairs or as individuals, undertakes all these activities to ensure all pupils are fully involved in lessons at all times.

Recently we have tried to increase the number of authentic materials and resources we use, to enable us to develop cultural as well as linguistic awareness. This has included giving pupils access to French reading books. The school has also aimed to offer all pupils the opportunity to visit France at least once during their time as Westbury.

Assessment

Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils are assessed by staff throughout each module with planning and evaluation of lessons reflecting individual pupil needs and progress. At the end of a module pupils are given a formal assessment, which has oral and written elements to access vocabulary acquired and confidence in using the target language in a variety of contexts.

Key Stage 4 pupils are assessed through the Youth Award Scheme.