Modern Foreign Languages
Our main objective in the teaching of a modern foreign language is to promote the early development of linguistic competence and an understanding of and interest in other cultures.
At Queensbridge Primary School our Modern Foreign Language is Spanish.
We aim to spark a love of languages in children through engaging, interactive lessons. The Spanish curriculum aims to ensure that all children:
• Familiarise themselves with the sounds and written form of Spanish.
• Begin to understand a new language, and communicate in it.
• Make comparisons and links between English and Spanish vocabulary and grammar.
• Learn about Hispanic countries.
• Develop a positive attitude towards the learning of foreign languages.
• Use their knowledge of Spanish with growing confidence, both to understand what they hear and read, and to express themselves through a balance of speaking and writing.
• Acquire, through all of the above, a sound linguistic foundation for further study of Modern Foreign Languages at Key Stage 3 and beyond.
The formal teaching of Spanish starts in Key Stage 2.
We use the Language Angels scheme of work to support our teaching of Spanish at Key Stage 2.
The scheme we follow ensures children have opportunities to practise their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills within each lesson. From Years 3-6, the children will complete Early Language Units to Intermediate Units through to Progressive Units.
The key skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar progress within these units as children develop their confidence and understanding of the Spanish language.
In each lesson, we recap on previous learning, so children can consolidate their understanding of new vocabulary and then build on their previous knowledge. Within the units there are a range of songs, videos, games and tasks that are engaging and motivating for the children. We listen to native voices using recordings, videos and songs, in order to teach the children the correct pronunciation in Spanish.
Children also have the opportunity to continue their language learning at home using the pupil login of the Language Angels website. At the end of each unit, students will recap the key sounds they have seen helping them to develop their understanding of phonics in Spanish. In addition, the children will complete an end of unit assessment so teaching staff can monitor and review their progress in the four key skills of learning languages: speaking, listening, reading and writing.
We have a link school in Madrid called CEIP Cortes de Cadiz and we have fostered a strong partnership with some of the students and teachers over the years. Children have had the opportunity to write cards and letters to one another helping them to develop their intercultural understanding. Numerous teachers have visited the school on Erasmus programmes and a group of Queensbridge pupils visited the school in 2016.
Each year, in the summer term, we celebrate Hispanic Day across the whole school to motivate and inspire pupils. During this day children build up their intercultural understanding of Spanish speaking countries, as well as develop their linguistic skills.
This is a movie about our school made by the Spanish ambassadors
