MFL

Language teaching at Elmhurst provides the foundation for learning further languages in KS3. While children will be exposed to a range of different languages during their time at Elmhurst, French is formally taught throughout KS2 which enables pupils to make substantial progress in one language.

Teaching provides an appropriate balance of spoken and written language. We aim to enable pupils to understand and communicate ideas, facts and feelings in speech and writing, focused on familiar and routine matters, using their knowledge of phonology, grammatical structures and vocabulary.

The focus of study is on practical communication and developing reading skills. Teachers support pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to speakers, both orally and in writing. In every unit there are opportunities for pupils to communicate in role-play scenarios and read engaging literature in the original language.

A thematic approach to teaching ensures that topics are regularly revisited so that knowledge from previous years is embedded:

  • Autumn term: C’est Moi and C’est Nous provide pupils with the opportunity to develop their use of informal conversation, building upon their knowledge
    each year and covering topics such as greetings, about me, describing family, describing others
  • Spring term: Each year group explores a topic carefully chosen based on its links to other units in KS2
  • Summer term: Au marché, Au café, Au restaurant and Les Achets provide pupils with the opportunity to develop their use of informal and formal
    conversation, building upon their knowledge of transactional conversation each year and applying this to different audiences

Learning a foreign language also provides an opening to other cultures. To foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world, we offer pupils an opportunity to visit several European cities; including a Year 4 Paris Trip and a Year 6 Art Trip to a European city. 

By the end of their time at Elmhurst, pupils will be able to:

  • Understand and respond to spoken and written language
  • Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and
    asking questions.
  • Use improved accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation
  • Write for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt
  • Discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied.

 

  Autumn Spring  Summer
Year 3

Topic – C’est moi

NC big ideas:  

  • 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 

Specific knowledge:

  • Greetings at different times of day
  • Ask and answer the question: How are you?
  • Ask and answer the question: What is your name? 
  • Ask and answer the question: How old are you? 
  • French alphabet 
  • Numbers up to 20
  • Identify colours

Specific skills:

  • Ask and respond to questions in French
  • Develop understanding of French pronunciation 

Topic - Les Dates

NC big ideas:  

  • Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
  • Speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures 

Specific knowledge:

  • Previously taught numbers (plus 21 to 31)
  • Days of the week
  • Months
  • Seasons
  • Ask and answer the question: What date is it today?
  • Ask and answer the question: When is your birthday?
  • Days of the week and months are not capitalised 

Specific skills:

  • Ask and respond to questions in French
  • Read and understand simple sentences in French

Topic – Au marché

NC big ideas:  

  • Speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures 
  • Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions
  • understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied

Specific knowledge:

  • Ask and answer the question: What would you like?
  • Begin to express likes and dislikes. 
  • Recognise that some nouns have un before and some have une
  • Using –s for plurals (usually!)
  • Negation by using ne and pas (ne before the verb, and pas after). 
  • With likes/dislikes: the children will need to change from indefinite article ‘a’ (un/une) to ‘the’ (les) – the definite article

Specific skills:

  • Ask and respond to questions in French
  • Read and understand simple sentences in French
  • Use of role-play to develop oral confidence
  • Apply basic grammar appropriate to the unit being studied

Visits/Experiences: French Afternoon (lesson 5), Onatti French Play (Friday 12th June)
Year 4

Topic – C’est moi

NC big ideas:  

  • Speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures 
  • Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions
  • Describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing

Specific knowledge:

  • Revision of Y3 C’est Moi content 
  • Ask and respond to: Where do you live?
  • Describe the place they live (town/ village/ countryside)
  • Say what type of house they live in

Specific skills:

  • Develop oral confidence by asking and responding to questions in French
  • Read and write responses to questions in French
  • Develop understanding of French pronunciation 

 

Topic – Mon monstre

NC big ideas:  

  • Broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary 
  • Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
  • Present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences

Specific knowledge:

  • Revision of Y3 Colours 
  • Body parts
  • Adjectives to describe a monster 
  • Appropriate use of elle/il 
  • Awareness that un is masculine, une is feminine
  • Plural/masc-fem agreement of colours 
  • Number comes before the noun and colour after the noun 

Specific skills:

  • Dictionary work
  • Ask and respond to questions in French
  • Read and understand simple sentences in French
  • Apply basic grammar appropriate to the unit being studied

Topic – Au café

NC big ideas:  

  • Speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures 
  • Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions

Specific knowledge:

  • Common items in a café
  • Transactional language in a café
  • Express likes and dislikes (giving reasons too)

Specific skills:

  • Ask and respond to questions in French
  • Read and understand simple sentences in French
  • Use of role-play to develop oral confidence

Visits/Experiences: Onatti French Play (June), French Afternoon, Paris Trip, French Club
Year 5

Topic – C’est Nous

NC big ideas:  

  • Describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing
  • Understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied

Specific knowledge:

  • Revision of Y3 & Y4 C’est Moi content
  • Revision of Elle/Il for she/he
  • Ask and answer the question: Do you have brothers and sisters?
  • Say their brother/sister’s name/age/birthday
  • Add an 's' for plural brothers/sisters.
  • s'appelle not m'appelle (because the me means myself). 
  •  

Specific skills:

  • Develop oral confidence by asking and responding to questions in French
  • Read and write responses to questions in French
  • Develop understanding of French pronunciation 
  • Apply basic grammar appropriate to the unit being studied

 

Topic – Hobbies

NC big ideas:  

  • Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
  • Broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary 
  • Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help

Specific knowledge:

    • Ask and answer the question: What do you like doing?
  • Ask and answer the question: What does he/she like doing?
  • Explain their preferences 
  • Understand that with parce que + adjective, the adjective is referring to the previously mentioned subject, so the adjective must have an e added if the subject is fem e.g. J’aime la musique parce que c’est creative

Specific skills:

  • Develop oral confidence by asking and responding to questions in French
  • Share opinions in French
  • Use of dictionaries
  • Apply basic grammar appropriate to the unit being studied

Topic – Au restaurant

NC big ideas:  

  • Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help
  • Understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied

Specific knowledge:

  • Name different foods
  • Transactional vocabulary for use in a restaurant
  • Ask and answer the question: How much is it?

Specific skills:

  • Ask and respond to questions in French
  • Read and understand simple sentences in French
  • Use of role-play to develop oral confidence
  • Apply basic grammar appropriate to the unit being studied

Visits/Experiences: Onatti French Play (June)

 
Year 6

Topic – C’est nous

NC big ideas:  

  • Describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing
  • Write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly

Specific knowledge:

  • Revise Y3, 4 & 5 content from C’est Moi & C’est Nous
  • Describing others: male/ female, eye colour, hair colour, accessories
  • Adjectival agreement for plurals (s/x ending).
  • Order of adjectives

Specific skills:

  • Develop oral confidence by asking and responding to questions in French
  • Read and write responses to questions in French
  • Develop understanding of French pronunciation 

 

Topic – L’heure

NC big ideas:  

  • Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
  • Speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures 

Specific knowledge:

  • Revise numbers up to 30.
  • Ask and respond to: What time is it?
  • Tell time on the hour, half past/quarter past/ to, five minute intervals
  • Agreement of the word 'un' with minutes/heures: becomes 'une' as it's feminine.
  • Agreement of the word 'demi': becomes demie.
  • Hours becomes plural with more than one hour.
  • Ask and respond to: What time do you do x?

Specific skills:

  • Ask and respond to questions in French
  • Read and understand simple sentences in French
  • Develop understanding of French pronunciation 

Topic – Les achats

NC big ideas:  

  • Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help
  • Present ideas and information orally to a range of audience

Specific knowledge:

  • Names for shops and restaurants 
  • Language for different transactional conversations.

Specific skills:

  • Ask and respond to questions in French
  • Read and understand simple sentences in French
  • Adapt conversation for a different audience
  • Use of role-play to develop oral confidence

Visits/Experiences: Onatti French Play (June)

 

 

 

Useful links

Babelzone - please enter user name and password

Jingle bells in French - Vive le vent - video

Vive Paques - Worksheets and vocabulary to practise

Primary Resources - Video clips and ideas to help you learn French and other languages

BBC - MFL posters and information to print

Schools Links - Resources

The Language Tortoise - Resources

Key Events

French Plays

In June 2021 the children in KS2 will watch “The World’s Gone French,” a play performed by actors in English and French. The fun story will include lots of French vocabulary and phrases aimed for children learning French. Some of our children will have the opportunity to get involved in the show and speak French with confidence. Hopefully, we will be able to watch this performance in our new theatre. C'était super!​

French Days

This summer Elmhurst will receive a French makeover for one day, transforming into: École d'Elmhurst! Every class will celebrate language learning with a whole-school French Day. This celebration will involve lots of fun games related to colours, numbers, dates and greetings as well as plenty of role-play opportunities where children can "buy" their own delicious French food. We will even enjoy a French menu in the school canteen that day - délicieux! 

Your teachers love French!

In April 2021 four teachers will spend a week learning French in Montpellier. They are using this knowledge to help them teach other teachers and ensure our pupils have great French lessons!​​0

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