Modern Foreign Language

Intent

Learning a language enriches the curriculum helping to create enthusiastic learners and to develop positive attitudes to language learning throughout life. The skills, knowledge and understanding gained contribute to the development of children’s speaking skills and literacy and to their understanding of their own culture and those of others.

At The Rosary Catholic Primary School, we feel that the earlier a child is exposed to a foreign language, the faster the language in question is acquired. We believe that the early acquisition of Italian will facilitate the learning of other foreign languages later in life.

To have a sense of curiosity and enjoyment

to be curious about and enjoy discovering and understanding the language patterns, the culture and traditions of a foreign country

To have experience of Cultural Capital in a variety of different forms

by exposing pupils to a wide of resources in Italian and by including a cultural aspect in each lesson

To be resilient, independent and self-motivated pupils

Children will be able to communicate with each other in Italian.
Children will develop their language through development of the four key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.

To ask questions and to problem solve

Children will become aware that a language has a structure, and that the structure differs from one language to another.
Children will learn how language skills can be applied to a range of languages.

To be global citizens of the twenty-first century

Pupils are given plenty of opportunities to find out about Italian culture and traditions and to discuss them in class in comparison with their own. We guide pupils to acquire a wide vocabulary, a solid understanding of grammar and the ability to spell new words by effectively applying spelling patterns and rules which they learn throughout their Italian lessons in KS2.

Implementation

We teach Italian across Key Stage 2. The school uses the Italian Consulate scheme of work to support the teaching and learning of Italian. This provides clear progression for the development of speaking and listening and vocabulary acquisition. There are resources to support the teaching and learning opportunities for pupils.

They use a variety of the following techniques to encourage children to have an active engagement with Italian:

Games – in order to develop vocabulary through repetition, reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
Role-play – these should relate to the situations the children may find themselves in the future.
Action songs and rhymes – to develop phonetic skills, memory skills and to further vocabulary.
Reading and writing quality materials.
ICT programs and websites; the use of ICT to develop communication skills.
We build children’s confidence through praise for any contribution they make in the foreign language, however tentative.

Enriching the Italian Curriculum

Children will enrich their language learning by developing an understanding of the Italian culture by participating to Experience Days and learning about significant individuals

Pedagogy

We encourage an active engagement of the pupils with Italian by offering interactive lessons, built around songs, games and role-play.

Impact

Children will enrich their language learning by developing an understanding of the Italian culture.
Children will learn how language skills can be applied to a range of languages.

We measure the impact of MfL curriculum in the following ways:

In-Class Feedback

The teacher provides immediate verbal feedback to pupils in class and identify misconceptions as they occur.

Assessment

There is no formal assessment test in Italian.

Teaching Assistants and Interventions (?)

Partnership

School reports

‘A high-quality language education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in

writing.’ (National Curriculum 2014 – Appendix A)

In short, it supports our desire to:

Aspire, Believe, Achieve: Together in Christ.