MFL

Overview

At BIS, teachers, children and parents all recognize the value of learning a foreign language. The BIS community is composed of a multitude of nationalities and native languages, therefore MFL has a significant importance in the curriculum. The benefits of learning a foreign language are endless, from cognitive skills enhancement to career or life opportunities.

The MFL department delivers lessons which are tailored for each age group, allowing students to feel comfortable yet challenged at the same time.

Students are learning languages from F3 to Y6, gradually increasing the lesson times and the difficulty throughout the years. BIS offers French, Spanish and Mandarin at a Primary level, and all students are given the opportunity to be exposed to all three languages.

Aims and Objectives

F3, Year 1 and Year 2

In this carousel of Mandarin, French and Spanish, children are taught basic vocabulary and greetings through songs and games, stimulating them mentally but also physically. The aim is to foster a love for learning languages, therefore play and ludic lessons are the core of our planning at this stage. In addition, we hope to help the children make a carefully thought decision when choosing their language for Y3.

Year 3 and Year 4

In Years 3 and 4, the exposure increases to 45 minutes a week of the same language all through the school year. The focus is mostly on communication, giving the children the tools to have basic conversational skills, and trying to develop their vocabulary knowledge. Writing is part of our lessons, but the emphasis remains on Listening and Speaking skills, as we want the children to gain confidence in their oral skills.

 Year 5 and Year 6

Students in Year 5 and Year 6 receive two lessons of 45 minutes a week, allowing us to teach more content as well as the structure of the language. We aim for the students to finish their primary education with a strong vocabulary base and an understanding of how their chosen language works. Grammar is gradually introduced in Year 5 and reviewed and reinforced in Year 6. Whereas oral communication was predominant in previous years, Writing becomes more important in MP3 in order to facilitate the transition to Year 7.

Curriculum - Organisation of MFL in Primary

 Early Years & Infant Campus

• F3                                                                     French, Spanish & Mandarin on carousel basis. 

• Y1                                                                     1 lesson per week (30 mins)

• Y2                                                                      

Junior Campus

• Y3                                                                      Chosen language 

• Y4                                                                      1 lesson per week (45 mins)

• Y5                                                                      Chosen language

• Y6                                                                     2 lessons per week (45 mins each)

How your child will be assessed 

In F3 and MP1, children are not assessed in MFL as the focus in these years is solely to expose the children to the three languages.

As the MFL curriculum in Years 3 and 4 revolves around communication, children will mostly be assessed through oral participation in the classroom.

In Years 5 and 6, students will carry on being assessed formatively by the teacher during lessons, and by looking at their work. In addition, children sits end of unit tests, where Listening, Reading and Writing skills be assessed.

HOMEWORK AND HELPING YOUR CHILD AT HOME

Ask your child what they have been learning

Encourage them to use languages websites Quizlet, Linguascope to reinforce vocabulary learning

Help your child to experience the culture and to use the language in situation (on holidays, in restaurants..)