Grendon Underwood – Languages
The intention of the languages curriculum at Grendon Underwood Combined School is that all children in K.S.1 and K.S.2 are taught, on a weekly basis, to develop an interest in learning other languages in an enjoyable and stimulating way. We encourage children’s confidence, self-esteem and curiosity to learn about other cultures. We embed the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Our aims for teaching languages are to:
- engage children.
- nurture their tolerance and openness to other cultures and traditions.
- foster children’s curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world.
- develop their knowledge of grammatical rules and patterns.
- encourage cooperation and collaboration.
- promote the relevance and usefulness of knowing other languages.
Pupils are encouraged to:
- listen carefully to spoken language.
- show understanding through conversational practice and appropriate responses.
- engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and be receptive to other points of view.
- speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures.
- develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand.
- extend their range of vocabulary through language games, reading texts, video clips and the use of word mats or bilingual dictionaries.
- explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs, rhymes, raps, poems, texts or by listening to native speaker visitors.
- improve their memory and recall through practical, kinaesthetic activities.
- link the spelling, sound and meaning of words.
- communicate, independently, but often working in pairs or groups on language tasks or role-plays.
- read carefully to show understanding of words , phrases and simple writing.
- write phrases from memory and adapt these to build new sentences.
- understand basic grammar such as feminine, masculine and/or neuter forms; the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; recognise the similarities and differences in sentence structure compared with English.
- use I.C.T. resources and aids such as language websites and APPs ( e.g. Duolingo).
- become familiar and fluent with classroom instructions given as frequently as possible in the target language.
- use contextual and pictorial clues or visual prompts and gestures as learning aids.
- develop their use of transactional vocabulary in scenarios such as buying items in a shop or asking for directions in an unfamiliar town.
- realise the relevance and use of other languages in our modern, global society.
- compare and contrast our culture with the beliefs, historical background, landmarks, architecture and artists of other countries.
- take part in unfamiliar customs and traditions.
- language learning showcased through high profile events such as the French Breakfast, la fête des rois celebrations and the Martinstag procession.
- constructive feedback from pupils and parents.
- interesting displays with examples of good work.
- confident learners who continue their studies to G.C.S.E. and/or A-Level.
- book looks.
- native speaker visits.
- good links with catchment secondary schools.
Useful Websites and Apps
thefrenchexperiment.com/ ( includes familiar traditional tales read by a native speaker)
theitalianexperiment.com/ ( includes familiar traditional tales read by a native speaker)
Search.aspx?Subject=15 ( this site gives many suggestions of online games and videos for learning languages)
https://www.duolingo.com/ (Duolingo. This is a popular language-learning platform for both children and adults.)