French

French National Flag - Official Proportions vector art illustration At Cromer Road Primary School we believe that the learning of a foreign language provides a valuable   educational, social and cultural experience for pupils. Pupils develop communication and literacy skills that lay the foundation for future language learning. They develop linguistic competence, extend their knowledge of how language works and explore differences and similarities between the foreign language (French, in our case) and English. Learning another language raises awareness of our multi-lingual and multi-cultural world and introduces an international dimension to pupils’ learning, giving them an insight into their own culture and that of others.

 

The learning of a foreign language provides a medium for cross-curricular links and for reinforcement of knowledge, skills and understanding developed in other subjects. Learning a foreign language is part of the primary National Curriculum and is a requirement for all children within Key Stage 2. We use the Language Angels online resource to support our teaching of French. The online resource includes videos, songs and games to engage children. 

 

French National Flag - Official Proportions vector art illustration Our approach to teaching French is to ensure that all children are confident with the five key                    language skills necessary for learning a foreign language:

  • Speaking
  • Listening
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Grammar

We aim to ensure that all pupils develop solid foundations in these key language learning skills, properly preparing them for the next stage in their language learning journey.  By the end of Key Stage 2 we would like the confidence and competence of all Cromer Road children to have grown in French. Our goal is for every child to be curious, resilient and engaged within their French lessons.

 

Our main priorities in French lessons is to ensure all children have the opportunity to explore the five key skills across a variety of themes. The vocabulary the children learn will progress as they move through the year groups; building on different themes. An example of progression covered is learning numbers, then reading the time and finally using the time to talk about weekend activities. 

 

French National Flag - Official Proportions vector art illustration These skills will develop children's ability to understand what they hear and read and enable them to   express themselves in speech and writing. We will extend their knowledge of how language works and explore similarities and differences between English and French.

 

At Cromer Road we teach the children to:

  • listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding 
  • explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words 
  • engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help 
  • speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures 
  • develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases 
  • present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences 
  • read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
  • appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language 
  • broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
  • write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing
  • understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English.

French Overview and Key Vocabulary