We are a team of specialist linguists who teach all three languages, French, Spanish and German, from Year 7 to Year 13. We not only believe in providing languages for all, but we also want to empower our students to choose the languages they love to learn.

Our curriculum is based on the principles of language learning being phonics, vocabulary, and grammar: these are the key components in allowing students to develop their linguistic ability and self-efficacy.

Vocabulary acquisition is an important component of language knowledge. To support vocabulary learning, regular vocabulary revision and testing across all Key Stages is consistent. Vocabulary is carefully selected to include high frequency vocabulary, topic specific vocabulary and cross topic vocabulary. Grammar is taught explicitly throughout our curriculum, tailored to the complexity and ability of the students, and practised through listening, reading and in productive use in writing and speaking.

Retrieval practice is embedded in our lessons to promote distributed/spaced learning to allow students to gain and consolidate vocabulary and revisit grammatical understanding, learning more, remembering more.

Our use of classroom target language not only develops students’ understanding of phonics but encourages students to use and practise target language themselves. Teachers’ use of target language is carefully planned and tailored to students’ ability level, whilst building on prior knowledge. Target language is intentional for classroom routines, praise and more.

Our curriculum allows for the four modalities of language (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) to be developed and reinforced through authentic resources; the use of the language lab further enhances this experience.

The MFL department’s passion for languages for all is pivotal in the running of our department. We believe in the opportunities that languages offer our students, not only during their time in school but also the horizons they broaden in later life. Languages give our students experience and confidence like no other subject; a freedom to explore, appreciate and celebrate other cultures. Our students have been enthused to go on to not only study languages at university, but also languages in their careers, working in Martinique, Nicaragua, Mongolia and Austria amongst others, all whilst keeping in touch and doing their bit to enthuse future linguists.

 

Teaching staff

• Mrs Liz Colclough: Head of Department lizcolclough@jkhs.org.uk
• Mrs Helen Bolt 
• Mrs Susan Gunter
• Mr Chris Regan
• Mr Jordan Salway

 

Key stage 3 MFL

At KS3 students are fortunate to be able to study 3 languages – French, German and Spanish. In preparation for a GCSE in French, German and/or Spanish we offer a 3,1,1 route through KS3 to allow students to opt for the languages that they prefer to study. All students study three languages in Year 7 in a carousel format; one language per term. At the end of this year they will opt for their favourite language to specialise in in Year 8 and 9. This will then be the language they will study for GCSE.(There is still an option for dual-linguists at GCSE)

This choice is invaluable, and languages are perfect facilitating subjects that offer employers a wide range of skills. We provide a thorough curriculum, which focuses on knowledge, vocabulary, grammatical understanding, and practical skills. We like to offer students the opportunity to use their language skills outside of the classroom, therefore we run a Christmas Markets Trip to Cologne and a French Culture Trip to northern France, with other future trips in the pipeline.

Students participate in a wide range of activities which aim to develop their linguistic competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing in a range of situations and contexts. They apply linguistic knowledge and skills to understand and communicate effectively, and understand how a language works and how to manipulate it. They learn a variety of problem solving skills to recognise that languages differ but may share common grammatical, syntactical or lexical features. We would like our KS3 languages students to use their imagination in expressing thoughts, ideas, experiences, feelings and opinions and to gain enjoyment and intellectual stimulation through a variety of teaching and learning styles and activities.

Assessments at KS3 are based on the four modalities, including translation L1-L2 and L2-L1. Speaking assessments are built to develop skills needed at GCSE to develop confidence and self-efficacy whilst consolidating and practising vocabulary and grammatical structures planned in the KS3 curriculum.

 

Key stage 4 MFL

The curriculum we follow is that guided by the WJEC Eduqas exam board. We then build our curriculum time around these topics.

Assessment at KS4 and KS5 is planned carefully to ensure that both exam technique and skill is developed throughout the course using past papers, Kerboodle and authentic resources.