MFL

MFL

Modern Foreign Languages

The MFL department consists of five members of staff, all of whom teach French and Spanish.

All students in Year 7 are currently taught Spanish for 4 lessons per fortnight and they pick up French in Year 8. Throughout Year 8 and Year 9, most pupils study both French and Spanish with five lessons per fortnight being split between the two languages.

In Year 9, pupils have the opportunity to opt to continue to study both languages, or just one language at GCSE.  Both Spanish and French are offered at GCSE and A-level.

MFL policy on homework
In accordance with the whole school policy on homework, pupils are expected to complete tasks to a high standard and on a regular basis.

Year 7
All pupils will receive two pieces of homework per fortnight. Homework tasks range from reading and listening exercises, translation, vocabulary learning, writing tasks or research projects.  Generally, students should spend around 30 minutes on each piece of homework although this may vary depending on the nature of the task.

Years 8 and 9
In Year 8 and Year 9, students study French (for 3 hours per fortnight) and Spanish (for 2 hours per fortnight). In French, they will have two pieces of homework per fortnight and Spanish, they will have one piece of homework per fortnight. Homework tasks will range from learning vocabulary, listening and reading exercises, translation or written tasks and student should expect to spend between 30 and 40 minutes on each piece of homework.

Year 10/11 for all languages
At Key Stage 4, homework is set most lessons and is appropriate to the work the students are doing. This includes regular vocabulary learning homework, work for the oral and written examinations and reading exercises. On average pupils receive between one and two hours of homework a week.

Year 12/13 for all languages
At Key Stage 5, homework is set every lesson and is appropriate to the work students are doing. This includes regular vocabulary learning homework, work for the oral examination, assessed essays and reading and listening exercises. On average pupils receive between one and two hours of homework per lesson.

Year 7
In Year 7 all pupils learn Spanish for two hours a per fortnight in mixed ability classes as well as developing a range of skills in Spanish. Pupils will gain a greater knowledge and understanding of Hispanic culture. The pupils are regularly assessed using our in-house flight paths to allow them to see their progression.
Topics studied are as follows:

  • Vamos
  • En el instituto
  • Mi familia
  • En casa
  • El tiempo libre

Year 8
In Year 8 all pupils learn Spanish for two hours a week in mixed ability classes. In Year 8 we follow the course books ‘Mira 1 and Mira 2’ and we have written our schemes of work around these books, making use of the available assessment resources, additional exercises, the workbooks and ICT opportunities. The pupils are regularly assessed using our in-house flight paths to allow them to see their progression.

Topics studied are as follows:

  • En la ciudad
  • La gente
  • ¿Vamos a salir?
  • Mis vacaciones
  • La comida
  • De moda

Year 9
In Year 9 all pupils have two lessons every two weeks and follow a revised scheme of work. We make use of the available assessment resources, additional exercises, the workbooks and ICT opportunities therein.

All work and resources are differentiated accordingly depending on the group and the abilities within each group. The pupils are regularly assessed using our in-house flight paths to allow them to see their.

Topics studied are as follows:

  • La salud
  • Ganarse la vida
  • Los medios de comunicación

Spanish in Years 10 & 11

In Years 10/11 students have 5 lessons per fortnight of Spanish following the new AQA GCSE specification. Our new schemes of work have been written around the GCSE specification, making use of the available assessment resources, additional exercises, the workbooks and ICT opportunities therein.

Classes in Spanish in Year 10/11 are based on students’ options and consequently are generally mixed in ability and in size. However, all work and resources are differentiated depending on the group and the abilities within each group, and students are entered for different tiers according to their ability. The pupils are regularly assessed using the new GCSE criteria to allow them to see their progression and their targets are set in line with their FFT aspirational predictions, with which we track progress made both in lessons and in homework.

The new AQA GCSE examination in Spanish is assessed in Yr 11 as follows:
Component 1: Speaking
Oral test: 7-9 minutes (Foundation tier)
10-12 minutes (Higher tier)
25% of qualification
Three tasks:

  • One role play
  • One photo card discussion
  • One conversation

Component 2: Listening
Written examination: 35 minutes (Foundation tier)
45 minutes (Higher tier)
25% of qualification
Listening comprehension tasks with non-verbal and written responses

Component 3: Reading
Written examination: 1 hour (Foundation tier)
1 hour 15 minutes (Higher tier)
25% of qualification
Reading tasks with non-verbal and written responses, including one
translation task from Spanish into English

Component 4: Writing
Written examination: 1 hour 15 minutes (Foundation tier)
1 hour 30 minutes (Higher tier)
25% of qualification
Writing tasks including one translation task from English into Spanish

Learners are not permitted to use dictionaries in any part of the assessment and all learners entered for this qualification must sit all components at either foundation or higher tier, in the same examination series.

The context for learning the language is organised under three broad themes:

  • Identity and culture
  • Local, national, international and global areas of interest
  • Current and future study and employment

Each broad theme is split into sub themes as follows:

Spanish in the 6th Form

In Years 12/13 students have nine lessons a fortnight. Students follow the new AQA A Level specifications and teachers use a variety of course books, newspaper articles and magazines to facilitate the learning. The department tries to make use of ICT and other available resources as much as possible to give the students as much authentic listening material as possible.

For Year 12 and 13 classes in Spanish are based on students’ options and GCSE performance. Students are required to possess a grade 5 at GCSE level to be able to study Spanish at A Level. However, as in all years, all work and resources are differentiated accordingly depending on the group and the abilities within each group. Students are regularly assessed using the A Level criteria to allow them to see their progression and targets are set in line with their predictions, with which, we track their progress through lessons and homework.

In Year 12, students study:

The new Spanish A Level examination is assessed in the following way:

Component 1: Speaking
Non-exam assessment: 21-23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation)
30% of qualification
Task 1
(a) Presentation of independent research project (2 minutes) –topic decided by student
(b) Discussion on the content of the research project (9-10 minutes)
Task 2
Discussion based on a stimulus card relating to one of the themes studied
(5 minutes preparation time followed by 5-6 minutes discussion)

Component 2: Listening, Reading and Translation
Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes
50% of qualification
Section A: Listening
Section B: Reading
Section C: Translation – from Spanish into English and English into Spanish

Component 3: Critical and analytical response in writing (closed-book)
Written examination: 2 hours
20% of qualification
Two essays – one based on a literary work and the second on an additional literary work or film from the prescribed list – decided by the class teachers

Learners are not permitted to use dictionaries or texts in any part of the assessment.

The topics studied in Year 13 are as follows:

French in Years 10-11

In Years 10/11 students have five lessons a fortnight of French following the new AQA GCSE specification. Our new schemes of work have been written around the GCSE specification, making use of the available assessment resources, additional exercises, the workbooks and ICT opportunities therein.

Classes in French in Year 10/11 are based on students’ options and consequently are generally mixed in ability and in size. However, all work and resources are differentiated depending on the group and the abilities within each group, and students are entered for different tiers according to their ability. The pupils are regularly assessed using the new GCSE criteria to allow them to see their progression and their targets are set in line with their FFT aspirational predictions, with which we track progress made both in lessons and in homework.

The new AQA GCSE examination in French is assessed in Yr 11 as follows:

Component 1: Speaking
Oral test: 7-9 minutes (Foundation tier)
10-12 minutes (Higher tier)
25% of qualification
Three tasks:

One role play
One photo card discussion
One conversation

Component 2: Listening
Written examination: 35 minutes (Foundation tier)
45 minutes (Higher tier)
25% of qualification
Listening comprehension tasks with non-verbal and written responses

Component 3: Reading
Written examination: 1 hour (Foundation tier)
1 hour 15 minutes (Higher tier)
25% of qualification
Reading tasks with non-verbal and written responses, including one
translation task from French into English

Component 4: Writing
Written examination: 1 hour 15 minutes (Foundation tier)
1 hour 30 minutes (Higher tier)
25% of qualification
Writing tasks including one translation task from English into French

Learners are not permitted to use dictionaries in any part of the
assessment and all learners entered for this qualification must sit all components at either foundation or higher tier, in the same examination series.

The context for learning the language is organised under three broad themes:

  • Identity and culture
  • Local, national, international and global areas of interest
  • Current and future study and employment

Each broad theme is split into sub themes as follows:

French in the 6th Form

In Years 12/13 students have nine lessons a fortnight. Students follow the AQA A Level specifications and teachers use a variety of course books, newspaper articles and magazines to facilitate the learning. The department tries to make use of ICT and other available resources as much as possible to give the students as much authentic listening material as possible.

For Year 12 and 13 classes in French are based on students’ options and GCSE performance. Students are required to possess a grade 5 at GCSE level to be able to study French at A Level. However, as in all years, all work and resources are differentiated accordingly depending on the group and the abilities within each group. Students are regularly assessed using the A Level criteria to allow them to see their progression and targets are set in line with their predictions, with which, we track their progress through lessons and homework.

 

In Year 12 students study:

The new French A Level examination is assessed in the following way:

Component 1: Speaking
Non-exam assessment: 21-23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation)
30% of qualification
Task 1
(a) Presentation of independent research project (2 minutes) –topic decided by student
(b) Discussion on the content of the research project (9-10 minutes)
Task 2
Discussion based on a stimulus card relating to one of the themes studied
(5 minutes preparation time followed by 5-6 minutes discussion)

Component 2: Listening, Reading and Translation
Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes
50% of qualification
Section A: Listening
Section B: Reading
Section C: Translation – from French into English and English into French

Component 3: Critical and analytical response in writing (closed-book)
Written examination: 2 hours
20% of qualification
Two essays – one based on a literary work and the second on an additional literary work or film from the prescribed list – decided by the class teachers

Learners are not permitted to use dictionaries or texts in any part of the assessment.

The topics studied in Year 13 are as follows: