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Primary Modern Languages
In December 2002, the Government launched the Primary Languages Strategy stating that, by September 2010, every child should have the opportunity throughout Key Stage 2 to study a foreign language.
This is a great vision and a fantastic opportunity for young children to start learning a foreign language when they are still small, as happens in the rest of Europe.
As an MFL AST (Advanced Skills Teacher) based at Dowdales, one of my roles is to work with other ASTs and the LEA to build competence locally to deliver the Government’s strategy in an effective and achievable way. To this end, I have been working collaboratively with Catherine Taylor, a Year 3 teacher at Dalton St. Mary’s School to write a SoW and produce resources.
The children have been tremendous and are really enjoying their weekly 25 minutes of French. We have also found it immensely rewarding working with them.
Our SoW is available on this site, and copies of the resources used and a video of a sample lesson can be requested from me at Dowdales.
We have taken things very slowly to ensure the language is embedded properly, and concentrated on their enjoyment with lots of games, pair work, rhymes and song. The language is very simple at this stage and Catherine, a non-specialist, has felt confident enough to teach some of the lessons entirely on her own.
Please contact me at Dowdales if you need any further help or advice. Finally, the SoW and activities could easily be adapted to any language.
Au revoir! Auf Wiedersehen! Arrivederci! Adios!
Hayley Martin (MFL AST)
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