Why do learners at The Nethersole Academy need to study French (MFL)?
At Nethersole Academy we believe learning a modern foreign language is a vital part to ensuring that pupils are prepared for the world around them. We provide our pupils with an international dimension to their learning which enables them to learn about different countries and cultures and empowers them to see the world as responsible global citizens. We have chosen to teach French as our Modern Foreign Language (MFL) across Nethersole as this ensures pupils have a good foundation in the subject before moving into the next phase of their education. As some pupils in our school have not had the chance to travel abroad or meet people from a variety of cultures, through studying French, they will develop an understanding of different cultures around the world as well as respect and acceptance of these cultures. It also allows pupils to develop their written, auditory and verbal skills.
French is the second most widely spoken language in the world after English. French is the official language (or one of the official languages) in 29 countries. English, for comparison’s sake, is the official language or one of the official languages in 45 countries.
What are the aims for the French (MFL) curriculum?
By the time pupils leave Nethersole they should be able 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 audience
- 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 clearly
- 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.