Northill's Approach to the French Curriculum

We believe that children enjoy learning to speak other languages and that the earlier a child is exposed to foreign languages the faster that language is acquired. It is beneficial to introduce children to languages while at primary school as they tend to be less selfconscious about speaking aloud at this stage of their development. It is widely believed that the early acquisition of a foreign language facilitates the learning of other foreign languages later in life.

Our MFL curriculum will:

• Foster an interest in learning languages
• Develop children’s speaking, listening and writing skills
• Enhance children’s awareness of language structure
• Introduce children to another language in a way that is enjoyable and develops their confidence
• Lay the foundations for future study
• Provide a life skill that will be useful as they grow older and eventually enter the world of work
• Help children develop awareness of cultural differences in other countries, and help them to see the world through different lenses.

The key concepts in MFL we plan a progression for are as follows:

• Listening and responding
• Speaking
• Reading and responding
• Writing

Initially we place more emphasis on listening and speaking skills than on reading and writing skills. We build children’s confidence through constant praise for any contribution they make in the foreign language, however tentative.