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Our Ethos
The Modern Foreign Language department at Trinity encourages all learners to consider themselves as global citizens, the curriculum we teach fosters a more encompassing interest in the world around them and we strive to help our students understand the world beyond their own cultural experience. We support our students to help them to appreciate that they belong in a multicultural and mutually respectful world and encourage them to become curious and interested in the world beyond their front door.
Through dynamic and passionate teaching, the enthusiastic MFL faculty is committed to developing strong, lifelong linguistic skills, and encouraging learners to have confidence and resilience in learning a foreign language. We aim for our students to develop a love for languages, nurture a linguistic curiosity and an intrinsic motivation to understand, explore and learn more about the language itself and for other cultures and people.
Through the teaching of a knowledge based curriculum, with core concepts of grammar, communication, comprehension and culture being intertwined throughout, students are given an excellent foundation of vocabulary and grammar skills and progression is mapped out carefully to build on existing knowledge, revisiting of work and the learning of new content.
In Year 7 students begin with the basics (greetings, numbers, colours, dates) then move on to family, pets and opinions. From January, students study school and hobbies and begin to gain confidence in adding reasons. Finally, students learn about the local area while strengthening all that has been seen before.
The year 8 French course covers a wide range of language that is relevant to students in their everyday life. This includes topics such as family and friends, free time, going out, holidays and there is also an excellent whodunit module where students use their logic skills to solve a crime! During the year 8 French course, students learn some key grammatical elements which allow them to hold short conversations and write paragraphs in French which readies them for extended writing pieces at GCSE. By the end of the year 8 course, students are able to use three different tenses and express their own opinions and give reasons.
Students are assessed fortnightly on vocabulary they have been set to learn, to allow them to expand their vocabulary and comprehension. All students are assessed each term in the four skills, listening, reading, speaking and writing in end of unit assessments.
Culture is intertwined with each module, including students learning about school in France, hobbies and interests of young people in the Francophone world and how shopping habits differ in France compared to in England, this allows the students to see a world beyond their own and enables a more complex understanding of the language.
In years 7 and 8, students also have the opportunity to study Spanish and German on a carousel, the rotations are for 10 weeks at a time which allows students to have a taster of these languages.
The focus is on allowing students the opportunity to speak in the target language, in order for them to have a good foundation of key vocabulary and structures. There is also a focus on being able to pick up links with their own language, therefore allowing them a greater knowledge of English through their language studies.
German
Rotation 1 – All about me
Rotation 2 – My family and my free time
Rotation 3 – My school
Spanish
Rotation 1 – All about me
Rotation 2 – My free time
Rotation 3 – My family
Students are assessed at the end of each rotation in listening, reading and writing.
At Key Stage 4 we offer GCSEs in French, Spanish and German. The GCSE courses we offer consist of topics involving general communication and comprehension. In Years 9 to 11, students will study the language and culture of the target language in greater depth, building on topics already studied at Key Stage 3.
What is taught
There are three broad topic areas ‘Identity and Culture,’ ‘Local, national, international and global areas of interest’ and ‘Current and future study and employment’ We work from a variety of resources, including textbooks, authentic texts and online resources.
Theme 1
Theme 2
Theme 3
Examination
The courses are divided into 4 skill areas with the equal weighting;
Listening (25%),
Speaking (25%),
Reading (25%)
Writing (25%).
Listening, Reading and Writing are assessed at end of the course, with three exams in the summer of Year 11. Students will also take a 7 to 12 minute speaking assessment in the April or May of Year 11
Studying a Modern Language gives students the tools to share their views in a responsive and fun environment and allows them to explore diverse and interesting subject matter including music, film and technology to gain a greater understanding of contemporary culture abroad.
The A Level course will have four main elements;
1. Aspects of the target language-speaking society: current trends,
2. Artistic Culture in the target language-speaking world
3. Grammar
4. A choice of literary texts and films
The course is linear and students will sit three exams.
At Trinity, we believe strongly in extracurricular involvement. We offer a range of activities to motivate and encourage our students in learning foreign languages. We run a successful Language Leaders club as well as running lunchtime workshops in other languages for example our new Italian Club. We also offer a weekly MFL Homework club for students who would like extra support with their language learning.
After school events will be open to all year groups during our MFL Enrichment Week and GCSE and A Level booster and taster sessions will also run.
We are planning our annual GCSE trip to France in the Summer term, we offer trips to all students who take a language at GCSE and A Level.