Languages
" A different language is a different vision of life." (Frederico Fellini)
A high-quality languages education should foster children’s curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. At Penketh South Primary, we are committed to ensuring that teaching enables pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. We recognise that competence in another language enables children to interpret, create and exchange meaning within and across cultures.
Intent
The intent of our Languages curriculum is to inspire, nurture an appreciation of languages and fire an enthusiasm about learning a language. We want our children to grow an appreciation of other cultures, customs and ways of life. At Penketh South Primary School, German is delivered by the class teachers, supported by the Primary Languages Network Scheme of Work. Lesson content is mapped progressively within four key areas of language; speaking, listening, reading and writing. Key Stage 1 is our introduction to languages. Although non-statutory, at Penketh South CP School we believe it allows our children to have a great starting point in learning a language and provides our children with the opportunity for pre-learning in the areas of speaking and listening. From Year 3, reading and writing are embedded alongside speaking and listening which are taught progressively throughout Key Stage 2. In order to become articulate learners, children are provided with the opportunity to learn new vocabulary and phrases and to use their knowledge to take part in conversation with their peers. We will provide opportunities for our children to develop as independent, confident and successful learners who have high aspirations for the future.
The skills covered through the blocks of work will include:
1. listening attentively to spoken language and showing understanding by joining in
and responding
2. explore the patterns and sounds and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
3. speaking in sentences and engaging in conversations
4. developing accurate pronunciation and intonation
5. reading carefully and showing understanding
6. writing phrases from memory
7. broadening vocabulary and developing an ability to understand new words that
are introduced
8. understanding basic grammar
These skills will underpin the lessons we deliver.
Opportunities will be taken to positively promote equality and diversity
Please click on class pages for further information.
Implementation
Children are encouraged and supported to develop their speaking and listening skills through conversational work, singing activities, stories and games. As confidence and skill grows, children record their work through pictures, captions and sentences and paragraphs. Practical activities, songs and games are used to help improve memory and recall. In the classroom, where possible, instructions are given in German to expose children to the language as much as possible and in day-to-day contexts. Visual prompts are used to support children in translating new vocabulary.
Children are encouraged to use previous learning, cognates and near cognates in any languages they know to enhance new learning. As we follow the primary languages network scheme, progression within the four main areas of the curriculum is built in.
How it is assessed: We strive to ensure that our attainment is in line or exceeds their potential when we consider the varied starting points of all our children. Learning quizzes are being used and ensure ensure that children are accessing work at age related expectations, with regular opportunities to be challenged.
Our school follows the Primary Languages Network scheme of work but it is adapted to fit within our context and our pupils. It is a live scheme which is continually updated and revised in order to meet with current curriculum standards. Alongside the planning provided, the network also enriches this through accompanying power points, pod casts (spoken by native speakers) links to authentic literature, songs, games, culture points of reference, links to appropriate websites. The school is committed to ensuring pupils of all backgrounds and abilities can access the languages curriculum. The subject leader will review the content of the curriculum and any relevant assessment or teaching practices, and make sure any necessary reasonable adjustments are arranged so all pupils can access the school’s languages curriculum.
To promote an active learning of languages a range of teaching methods are implemented to ensure that the children are developing their linguistic skills through listening, speaking, reading and writing in order to be secondary ready. Activities can consist of actions, rhymes, stories, song, drama, grammar focus, video clips, air writing, sentence structure, dictionary work, book making and many more creative ways to extend, embed and combine language skills.
Impact
Currently, our assessment is formative across the four language skills and the progress made in these throughout KS2. Our German curriculum is planned to demonstrate progression and to ensure that the children make progress in this subject. This is done informally during the lessons in order to evaluate what the children have learned and inform the teacher about the next steps in their language planning. Assessment during the lessons is split into key areas; Listening and responding; Speaking; Reading and Responding and Writing. Through monitoring, we will measure the impact of the subject through: Pupil Voice, Book Scrutiny, Lesson observations which highlight strengths and achievement and any improvements in knowledge and skills that still need to be embedded.. Class Teachers collate images and videos of children’s learning and include these on their SWAYs, regular dialogue with colleagues is held to share good practice and reports of the standards in German are being reported to SLT and Governors.
Languages Progression Document