Modern Foreign Languages

The Modern Foreign Languages department is committed to giving students the opportunity to discover new cultures through an enjoyable experience of learning a foreign language.

We believe that the study of a foreign language helps students develop a sense of cultural pluralism, an openness to and appreciation of other cultures. In a globalised world characterised by international links and intercultural connections, linguistic skills are crucial for employment and career as proficiency in a foreign language enhances career opportunities. Learning a foreign language will help young people explore other cultures and get a better understanding of their role as global citizens.

Our MFL department is an enthusiastic and dedicated team of linguists who encourage students to progress in all four skill areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing while bringing languages alive though a range of interactive and varied lessons.

Learning Languages will allow students to learn facts and skills, as well as learning how to interpret and apply that knowledge to new situations. Students will develop linguistic competence in the target language in a range of situations and contexts. They will also develop knowledge about language, such as grammar and syntax.

Students learning a language also develop other skills: they learn about cultural awareness and may develop an ability to see the world from different perspectives; they also develop creativity and problem solving as they find new ways of understanding and communicating a message. Learning a modern foreign language can also help students in the development of their mother tongue literacy skills, as well as other cross-curricular features such as numeracy and thinking skills.

Attainment

At Key Stage 3, students study French or Spanish and have the opportunity to continue studying their allocated language at Key Stage 4. At both Key Stages, students follow the Studio course in French and the Viva course in Spanish. At GCSE, students will sit all of their exams at the end of year 11 with the AQA exam board. Throughout both Key Stages, students use Active Learn, an online resource for students to access to reinforce their learning, complete set homework and revise at their own pace. Students are also offered opportunities to attend the languages clubs as additional support.

Appreciation

The MFL department is committed to raising the profile of language learning through house competitions and assemblies as well as through the use of Language Ambassadors. Encouraging students to attend languages lunch Clubs and Club d’excellence for French and Club de excelencia for Spanish. Clubs are open to all students with the aim of broadening their cultural and linguistic horizons. Students learn to appreciate other cultures and embrace cultural capital.

Reflection

At St Simon Catholic School, language lessons incorporate cultural and creative projects, grammar and translation activities, vocabulary learning games as well as activities, which develop the four skills to enable students to achieve their potential and become confident independent young linguists. Our students enjoy working in groups, pairs and independently, within the classroom and in ICT suites. There is a positive learning environment in our classes, whereby students willingly step out of their comfort zone and actively take part in lessons. Students learn to develop a passion for language learning and the love of the subject.

Assessment

To support and challenge our students, we provide them with additional resources such as vocabulary, grammar and revision booklets, which develops and extends their classwork and homework via Microsoft Teams. They also have access to interactive language learning resources, Duolingo, Linguascope and Quizlet, which provide a fun way to learn a language independently. The department follows the school’s assessment cycle and assesses students in the four skills throughout the academic year.