“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:
-
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