MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT:
MR K MATHER
STAFF:
Second in Dept: Mrs K Robertson
Teaching Staff: Mrs S Thompson, Mrs S Willis, Mrs K Russell, Miss O Wood, Miss E Ogunyemi, Miss S Hanlon
KEY STAGE 3:
Structure of MFL at Sacred Heart:
French and Spanish are taught on a carousel basis. Students in Year 7 will study either French or Spanish and they will continue to study this language up until year 9.
In Year 8, students in the top teaching band will also study a second language, which is the other language the department offers. (Eg in 2024-2025 all year 7 students study French, when this cohort move into year 8, top band students will also study Spanish). Students will carry on with this structure until Year 9, when they will then choose their options for Key Stage 4.
MFL Carousel for Year 7 students for the next 5 years:
2024-25 – French (Current Year 7)
2025-26 – Spanish
2026-27 – French
2027-28 – Spanish
2028-29 – French
Key Stage 3 Topics:
Languages and Topics: 2023-24
Year 7: French (Also content for Year 8 Second Language French)
Tout sur moi: Introduction to French where students will learn the key phonic sounds in the language. They will learn key vocabulary areas (numbers/ alphabet/ days/ months) and how to pronounce and recognise them. Students will also learn how to give and understand basic Greetings and information about themselves. Students will also develop more linguistic ability to be able to talk about themselves giving more information including personal descriptions. In this topic students will be taught adjectival agreement and word order in addition to changing the subject of the verb describing family members.
Au collège: This topic will allow students to develop opinions and justifications in the topic of School. They will learn extended descriptions in context of school facilities and uniform. They will give opinions and justifications of subjects and various aspects of the school.
Ça c’est mon truc: In this topic students will learn how to describe themselves in terms of tastes and preferences including fashion and free time. Students will learn how to give opinions and justify opinions through a range of adjectives. Opinions, justifications, adjectives and word order are considered extensively in this topic.
Year 8 Spanish (Also content for year 9 Second Language Spanish)
Mi semena (tiempo libre/ la rutina) : In this topic students will revise content and skills from year 7 which will support them with their progress into year 8. The topic will give a basis for further reinforcement of the present tense which will be necessary to work with reflexive verbs. Within this topic students will develop the ability to understand and communicate facts and opinions about their daily routine and. The topic will give students an introduction to adverbs and allow them to give more complex opinions.
Las vacaciones: Students will build on all skills studied to date. This topic will allow students to develop more spontaneous conversational skills, asking and responding to questions. In addition to this, students will also develop the ability to recognise and use the future tense. The topic aims to continuously develop and strengthen the Key mastery skills within the context of holidays.
La vida tecno: This topic will allow students to build on key areas previously studies through the context of technology and their preferences with reading and cinema. Students will build on present and future tenses as well as developing an ability to understand and use the past tense. Students will develop written and spontaneous spoken skills and will develop the ability to use all areas transferrably to other topic areas and contexts.
Year 9: French
Autour du monde:This topic will build on the holidays topic from year 8. Students will develop the ability to describe travel preferences as week as key conversational scenarios they may face on holiday such as making reservations and planning journeys. Students will develop the ability to recount a holiday using the past tense and using and understanding a variety of tenses in written and spoken work.
La technologie: This topic requires students to learn to talk about old and new technology, building on their existing vocabulary and grammar knowledge. Students will develop the ability to give detailed descriptions and opinions of technology and the pros and cons of social media as well as develop more complex nuances of the language. Students will consolidate tenses studied previously as well as develop the ability to speak hypothetically about technology.
Chez moi: This topic focusses on challenging students to consider what is in their house at a more basic level then developing the ability to give more extended and detailed descriptions talking about their houses. Students will revisit key grammar concepts previously learned as well as being able to give and understand hypothetical information about where they live .
Throughout both French and Spanish at KS3 Students will be taught grammar and phonics in addition to the content listed.
KEY STAGE 4:
KEY STAGE 4: YEAR 10 ONLY
New French and Spanish AQA GCSE Specification Overview (Starting September 2024)
Overview
The new French and Spanish GCSE specifications by AQA, starting in September 2024, aim to equip students with practical language skills and cultural understanding essential for modern global interactions. These updated courses focus on effective communication, cultural awareness, and comprehensive language competency.
Objectives
The key objectives of the new GCSE specifications include:
Enhancing Communication Skills: Fostering the ability to speak, write, and understand French and Spanish in real-life contexts
Cultural Awareness: Providing insights into French and Spanish-speaking cultures, promoting global citizenship
Critical Thinking: Developing students' analytical and problem-solving skills through the study of language structures and cultural contexts
Summary of Topics
Both the French and Spanish GCSE courses cover a wide range of topics that are essential for comprehensive language learning:
Identity and Culture: Family, friends, technology, free-time activities, and customs
Local, National, International, and Global Areas of Interest: Home, town, social issues, global environmental problems, and travel
Current and Future Study and Employment: Education, career ambitions, and employment opportunities
These topics are designed to be engaging and relevant, encouraging students to apply their language skills in various practical and personal scenarios.
Assessments
The assessment structure is designed to evaluate a range of language skills through four main components:
Listening (25%): Understanding and responding to different types of spoken language
Speaking (25%): Communicating and interacting effectively in the target language
Reading (25%): Comprehending and interpreting written texts from various sources
Writing (25%): Producing clear and coherent texts for different purposes and audiences.
These assessments aim to provide a balanced evaluation of students' abilities in practical language use and comprehension.
Key Skills
The new specifications emphasize the development of key language skills:
Listening: Improving comprehension of spoken language through various listening exercises
Speaking: Enhancing verbal communication through interactive and spontaneous speaking activities
Reading: Strengthening reading skills by engaging with a variety of texts, including literary works
Writing: Fostering the ability to write clearly and accurately for different purposes, using appropriate language structures
KEY STAGE 4: YEAR 11 ONLY
French and Spanish are taught at KS4
NEW GCSE SPECIFICATION AND NEW EXAMINATION FORMAT
Examination Board: AQA
During the two years at GCSE students will study the following topics
Theme 1: Identity and Culture: Me, my family and friends / Technology in everyday life / Free-time activities / Customs and festivals in the target language speaking countries or communities.
Theme 2: Local, National, International and Global areas of interest: Home, town, neighbourhood and region / Social issues / Global issues / Travel and tourism.
Theme 3: current and future study and employment: My studies / Life at school and college / Education post-16 / Career choices and ambitions
Four exams will be taken at the end of Year 11 including all four skills:
Speaking (25%)
Listening (25%)
Reading (25%)
Writing (25%)
GCSE Spanish / French have:
a Foundation Tier (grades 1–5)
and a Higher Tier (grades 4–9)
Students must take all four question papers at the same tier. All question papers must be taken in the same series.
Paper 1 Listening:
35 minutes at Foundation Tier
45 minutes at Higher Tier
Each exam includes five minutes to read the question paper before the listening recording is played
40 marks at Foundation and 50 marks at Higher
25% of the total GCSE marks
Paper 2 Speaking:
7 – 9 minutes at Foundation Tier (+ preparation time)
10 – 12 minutes at Higher Tier (+ preparation time)
60 marks (for each of Foundation and Higher Tier)
25% of the total GCSE marks
Paper 3: Reading:
45 minutes at Foundation Tier
1 hour at Higher Tier
60 marks (for Foundation and Higher Tier)
25% of the total GCSE marks
Paper 4: Writing:
1 hour at Foundation Tier
1 hour 15 minutes at Higher Tier
50 marks at Foundation and 60 marks at Higher Tier
25% of the total GCSE marks
Key requirements:
Students need to recognise the relationship between past, present and future events
Use of authentic sources
Use of materials addressing a wide range of relevant contemporary and cultural themes
Translate a short passage from TL into English (Reading) & English to TL (Writing)
Students must apply grammatical knowledge of language and structures in context
KEY STAGE 5:
French / Spanish
Examination Board: AQA
Year 12 and 13 NEW A LEVEL SPECIFICATION:
At Sacred Heart French and Spanish are offered as FULL A-LEVEL qualifications studied over two years. The new course AS level is NOT offered.
Throughout the two years Students study topics specific to the language and culture that they are studying:
French:
3.1.1 Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends
The changing nature of family (La famille en voie de changement)
The 'cyber-society' (La « cyber-société »)
The place of voluntary work (Le rôle du bénévolat)
3.1.2 Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues
Positive features of a diverse society (Les aspects positifs d'une société diverse)
Life for the marginalised (Quelle vie pour les marginalisés ? )
How criminals are treated (Comment on traite les criminels)
3.2.1 Artistic culture in the French-speaking world
A culture proud of its heritage (Une culture fière de son patrimoine)
Contemporary francophone music (La musique francophone contemporaine)
Cinema: the 7th art form (Cinéma : le septième art)
3.2.2 Aspects of political life in the French-speaking world
Teenagers, the right to vote and political commitment (Les ados, le droit de vote et l'engagement politique)
Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power? (Manifestations, grèves – à qui le pouvoir ? )
Politics and immigration (La politique et l'immigration)
Spanish:
3.1.1 Aspects of Hispanic society
Modern and traditional values (Los valores tradicionales y modernos)
Cyberspace (El ciberespacio)
Equal rights (La igualdad de los sexos)
3.1.2 Multiculturalism in Hispanic society
Immigration (La Inmigración)
Racism (El Racismo)
Integration (La Convivencia)
3.2.1 Artistic culture in the Hispanic world
Modern day idols (La influencia de los ídolos)
Spanish regional identity (La identidad regional en España)
Cultural heritage or cultural landscape (El patrimonio cultural)
3.2.2 Aspects of political life in the Hispanic world
Today's youth, tomorrow's citizens (Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos de mañana)
Monarchies, republics and dictatorships (Monarquías, repúblicas y dictaduras)
Popular movements (Movimientos populares)
At A-level students will also study One book and one film OR 2 books from a prescribed list specific to the language.
The assessment format is as follows:
A-Level Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing
What's assessed:
Aspects of TL-speaking society: current trends/ current issues/Artistic culture in the TL-speaking world
Aspects of political life in the TL-speaking world
Grammar
How it's assessed:
Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
160 marks in total
40% of A-level
Questions:
Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. Studio recordings will be used and students will have individual control of the recording
All questions are in TL, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in TL (60 marks)
Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail
All questions are in TL, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in TL (60 marks)
Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words (20 marks)
Translation into TL; a passage of minimum 100 words (20 marks). No access to a dictionary during the assessment
A-Level Paper 2: Writing
What's assessed:
One text and one film or two texts from the list set in the specification (more likely film in year 12 and book in year 13)
Grammar
How it's assessed:
Written exam: 2 hours
90 marks in total
30% of A-level (awaiting assessment criteria for writing)
Questions:
Either one question in TL on a set text from a choice of two questions and one question in TL on a set film from a choice of two questions or two questions in TL on set texts from a choice of two questions on each text
All questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation, as appropriate to the work studied (eg the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film)
No access to texts or films during the assessment
No access to a dictionary during the assessment
Students are advised to write approximately 300 words per essay
A-Level Paper 3: Speaking
What's assessed:
Individual research project
One of four sub-themes ie Aspects of TL-speaking society: current trends, aspects of TL-speaking society: current issues, artistic culture in the TL-speaking world, aspects of political life in the TL-speaking world
How it's assessed:
Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time)
60 marks in total
30% of A-level
Questions:
Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5–6 minutes). The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test (25 marks)
Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9–10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks)
No access to a dictionary during the assessment (including 5 minutes preparation)
Students may take the assessment only once before certification.
Assessments will be conducted by either the centre or a visiting examiner and marked by an AQA examiner
