Welcome to Languages

“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” Ludwig Wittgenstein 

Languages open up the world to the learner by aiding global communication and allowing access to different literature, arts, music and people. Apart from being able to communicate with more people across the world and making travelling much more accessible, language learning provides many skills that benefit students, which are desirable to employers: 

• Improved memory 

• Improved knowledge of English  

• Improved Maths ability 

• Stronger communication skills 

• Higher confidence 

• Better problem-solving skills 

• Increased creativity 

• Greater tolerance and appreciation of diversity and differences 

• Better able to see things from a different perspective 

• Enhanced multi-tasking ability 

• Faster decision-making 

The Key Stage 3 Curriculum (Year 7-9) 

There are four themes every year with time embedded to revisit, consolidate, and extend the language learnt towards the end of the year. In Years 8 and 9 there are also opportunities for interleaving prior language. All units are compulsory and build on previous knowledge; the focus is always progression in the three pillars of language learning: phonics, vocabulary, and grammar. 

The Key Stage 4 Curriculum (Year 10-11) 

Course Studied: Edexcel GCSE French or Spanish 

French Specification Link:  https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/French/2016/specification-and-sample-assessments/Specification-Pearson-Edexcel-Level-1-Level-2-GCSE-9-1-French.pdf 

Spanish Specification Link: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/Spanish/2016/specification-and-sample-assessments/Specification-Pearson-Edexcel-Level-1-Level-2-GCSE-9-1-Spanish.pdf 

Description of the course:  

The MFL GCSE course is broken down into five themes.  Each theme covers a range of skills (listening, reading, writing, speaking, translation and grammar) as well as cultural reference points and authentic literature. The five themes are:  

• Identity and culture 

• Local area, holiday and travel  

• School  

• Future aspirations, study and work  

• International and global dimension 

How the course is assessed:  

Each MFL course is broken down into four assessed components, all of which are worth 25% of the final grade. It is a tiered subject with students sitting either Foundation or Higher assessments, as appropriate.   

Unit 1: Listening and understanding in French / Spanish 

Foundation tier: 35 minutes including 5 minutes reading time; 50 marks 

Higher tier: 45 minutes including 5 minutes reading time; 50 marks  

Unit 2: Speaking in French / Spanish (Internally conducted and externally assessed)  

Foundation tier: 7–9 minutes plus 12 minutes preparation time; 70 marks  

Higher tier: 10–12 minutes plus 12 minutes preparation time; 70 marks 

Unit 3: Reading and understanding in French / Spanish 

Foundation tier: 45 minutes; 50 marks  

Higher tier: 1 hour; 50 marks 

Unit 4: Writing in French / Spanish 

Foundation tier: 1 hour 10 minutes; 60 marks  

Higher tier: 1 hour 20 minutes; 60 marks 

All jobs suit a languages graduate owing to the range of skills you gain. A few common careers for those that have studied languages are:   

• Working for an international company 

• Sales manager in the UK 

• Foreign Services Officer 

• Jobs in the travel industry (in an airport, customer service, an airline company) 

• Working for an international charity 

• Foreign Correspondent 

• Intelligence Operative 

• Working in a consulate  

A previous Google study of recruitment and career progression data since 1998 showed that skills learnt by learning a second language were seen by employers as the most desirable.