Modern Foreign Languages

SUBJECT INTRODUCTION

Head of Department: Clelie Bedel

Staff Contact Details:

Juana Campa - Head of Spanish
Stephen George - Spanish Teacher
Muriel Delcroix-Jones - French Teacher
Heather Oddy - MFL teacher

The Modern Foreign Languages department at Christ’s School aims to inspire a love of language learning and an awareness and acceptance of different cultures. We understand the importance of communication in an increasingly globalised world and the majority of our students study at least one foreign language to GCSE level. Our results are outstanding in both languages.

In Year 7 students will be allocated either French and Spanish. They will study their allocated language until the end of Year 9. They have five lessons a fortnight of their allocated language.

The languages department has four large classrooms and one smaller break out room. Each classroom is fitted with an interactive white board.

The department is well-equipped with the latest text books and subscriptions to a number of online language sites. The department often makes use of the library and computer rooms to support the students’ learning.

THE CURRICULUM

Our Curriculum aims to foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world, providing a basic level of language competency to express their ideas and thoughts and to understand and respond to Spanish speakers. Also, it provides suitable preparation for further study.

KS3 ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW FRENCH AND SPANISH

- Formative evaluation. Monitoring the use of target language in the classroom, initiative and risks taking, participating, effort, homework, attempts and completion of extending tasks…

- Summative evaluations. At the end of each module we will evaluate our students learning and progress in at least in at least two skills, providing differentiated tasks with progression of difficulties.

ks3 French subject content

YEAR 7: STUDIO 1

Module 1
Topics: Physical appearance, personality, opinion words, school equipment

Grammar: être and avoir.

Module 2
Topics: School subjects, opinions and justifications, days of the week, telling the time, lunchtime food
Grammar: Definite and indefinite articles
Module 3
Topics: Sports, hobbies, technology
Grammar: Present tense of faire, aimer followed by the infinitive
Module 4
Topics: Places in town, directions, opinions and justifications on your town
Grammar: Pouvoir and vouloir
Module 5
Topics: French-speaking countries

YEAR 8: STUDIO 2

Module 1
Topics: TV, film, reading, internet, opinions and justifications
Grammar: Regular -er verbs in the perfect tense

Module 2
Topics: A holiday in Paris, tourist information, modes of transport, opinions and justifications
Grammar: Irregular verbs in the perfect tense, verbs with être in the past tense

Module 3
Topics: My character, relationships, music, clothes, personal style
Grammar: Near future tense, reflexive verbs, adjectival agreements

Module 4
Topics: Where you live, rooms of the house, furniture, prepositions, breakfast and evening meals, food shopping
Grammar: Adjectival agreements, the partitive article

Module 5
Topics: A talent competition, giving instructions and advice, dreams and ambitions
Grammar: Comparatives and superlatives, the imperative, modal verbs

Module 6
Topics: Geography of France, overseas departments, the French revolution

Year 9: STUDIO 3

Module 1
Topics: Internet and social media, inviting a friend to go out, describing an outing, musical genres
Grammar: Adjectival agreements and contractions, direct object pronouns, present, perfect and near future tenses

Module 2
Topics: Parts of the body, healthy eating, sport and fitness, resolutions to be more healthy
Grammar: Simple future tense, il faut followed by the infinitive

Module 3
Topics: Jobs, skills and interests, future plans, using languages at work
Grammar: imperfect, present and future tenses, modal verbs

Module 4
Topics: Holidays, what you need to take with you, adventurous activities, information on tourist attractions, things going wrong abroad
Grammar: Conditional tense, emphatic pronouns, the pronoun y

Module 5
Topics: What you’re allowed and not allowed to do at home, human rights, ethics, what makes you happy
Grammar: Using avoir with different expressions, using si with complex structures

To find out more about homework requirements, please visit the Homework section of this website.

KS3 Spanish subject content

YEAR 7: VIVA 1

Module 1
Topics: Introducing yourself, age and birthdays, personality, brothers and sisters, pets
Grammar: Tener, masculine and feminine, agreements

Module 2
Topics: What you do in your spare time, weather, favourite things to do
Grammar: Using –ar verbs in the present tense, me gusta followed by the infinitive

Module 3
Topics: Describing your school, subjects, opinions, break time
Grammar: Using –ar, -er and –ir verbs in the present tense, gustar, definite and indefinite articles

Module 4
Topics: Describing your family, physical descriptions, where you live
Grammar: Possessive adjectives, ser and tener, using estar for locations

Module 5
Topics: Describing your town or village, opinions on where you live, activities you are going to do there, ordering in a café
Grammar: Using the near future tense, ir, ‘some’ and ‘many’

Module 6
Topics: Spanish countries and cities

YEAR 8: VIVA 2

Module 1
Topics: Describing a holiday in the past, activities that you did there, asking someone else about their holiday
Grammar: Preterite tense

Module 2
Topics: Mobile phones, which genres of music you like, opinions and justifications, television
Grammar: Present and preterite tenses, comparatives

Module 3
Topics: What food you like and dislike, different mealtimes, eating in a restaurant, buying food for a party
Grammar: Past and future tenses, using usted, verbs in the infinitive

Module 4
Topics: Arranging to go out in town, giving excuses, getting ready to go out, clothes, fancy dress
Grammar: Comparatives and superlatives, this/these, me gustaría

Module 5
Topics: Describing a holiday home, places in town and things you can do there, asking for and giving directions, holiday camps, world destinations
Grammar: Using the imperative to give directions, formal and informal speech, combining tenses

YEAR 9: VIVA 3

Module 1
Topics: Things you like, your week, films, a special birthday, life as a celebrity
Grammar: Present and preterite tenses, expressions of frequency

Module 2
Topics: Types of jobs, hopes for future careers, describing your job, talking about the future
Grammar: Past, present and future tenses, impersonal se, tener que

Module 3
Topics: Diet, active lifestyles, getting fit, parts of the body
Grammar: Using the imperative, se debe, direct objects

Module 4
Topics: Children’s rights, fair trade, recycling, fundraising, how a town has changed
Grammar: Using poder and se debería, para followed by the infinitive, the imperfect tense

Module 5
Topics: Meeting and greeting people, places in town, buying souvenirs, what you’re going to do tomorrow
Grammar: Expressions with tener, comparatives and superlatives, se puede/n

Key Stage 4 - GCSE

Our Curriculum aims to enable students to develop their ability to communicate confidently developing language-learning skills that will prepare them for further language study. Also, it provides awareness and understanding of the culture and identity of the countries and communities where the language is spoken.

KS4 French Subject content

Years 10 and 11: Studio Edexcel

Module 1
Topics: Family and friends, what makes a good friend, relationships, physical descriptions, personality, role models, talking about childhood

Grammar: Present tense regular verbs, être and avoir in the present tense, reflexive verbs, imperfect and near future tenses

Module 2
Topics: Sport, music, reading, film and television, technology
Grammar: Using depuis followed by a time frame, faire in the present tense, present and imperfect tenses

Module 3
Topics: Festivals and celebrations in France, food, clothing, daily life
Grammar: Definite and indefinite articles, modal verbs, regular and irregular verbs in the present tense

Module 4
Topics: Where you live, transport, places in town, weather, ideal towns, taking action to improve where you live
Grammar: Conditional, perfect, present and simple future tenses

Module 5
Topics: Countries, past, future and ideal holidays, hotels and restaurants
Grammar: Imperfect, future, simple future and conditional tenses, faire de and jouer à

Module 6
Topics: Describing your school, subjects, comparing education in France and in England, school rules, making the most of education
Grammar: Modal verbs, the imperative

Module 7
Topics: Jobs, career paths, ambitions, using languages in a career, interviews
Grammar: Agreements, the imperative, the perfect, imperfect, simple future and conditional tenses

Module 8
Topics: The planet, protecting the environment, concerns, volunteering, global ethics
Grammar: Comparatives and superlatives, regular and irregular verbs in the present tense, complex structures

KS4 SPANISH Subject content

Years 10 and 11: Viva Edexcel

Module 1
Topics: Holidays in the past, where you stayed, what you did, weather, booking accommodation and dealing with problems
Grammar: Present, preterite and imperfect tenses, negatives, verbs with usted

Module 2
Topics: Describing the school day, school uniform, opinions on different subjects and teachers, rules and problems, organising and exchange
Grammar: Comparatives and superlatives, negatives, phrases followed by the infinitive, direct object pronouns

Module 3
Topics: Friends and family, describing people, social networks, making arrangements, reading preferences
Grammar: Using ser and estar, present continuous, stem changing verbs in the present tense

Module 4
Topic: Free time activities, TV and film, sports, what’s trending, what inspires you
Grammar: Using soler followed by the infinitive, regular and irregular verbs in the imperfect tense, using a range of past tenses

Module 5
Topics: Places in town, features of a region, planning what to do, shopping for clothes and presents, problems in a town, a visit in the past
Grammar: Negatives, se puede/n, usted, si + present/future, demonstrative articles, the conditional tense

Module 6
Topics: Mealtimes, typical foods, ordering in a restaurant, festivals, illnesses and injuries
Grammar: Reflexive verbs, hay que and tener que, the passive, expressions followed by the infinitive
Module 7

Topics: Different jobs, how you earn money, work experience, summer jobs, gap years, plans for the future, the importance of using languages

Grammar: Saber, conocer and soler, indirect object pronouns, the conditional, past and present tenses, the subjunctive with cuando

Module 8

Topics: Environmental and global issues, local actions, healthy lifestyles, international events, natural disasters

Grammar: Using se debería, present subjunctive, combining a range of tenses, pluperfect and imperfect continuous

KS4 EXAM OVERVIEW FRENCH AND SPANISH

At Christ’s we follow Pearson Edexcel Examination board for French and Spanish. The examination consists of four externally examined papers based on the following skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Paper 1: Listening and understanding. 25% of the total qualification. 50 marks

Foundation tier: 35; Higher tier: 45 minutes (minutes including 5 minutes reading time in both)

Paper 2: Speaking. 25% of the total qualification. 70 marks

Foundation tier: 7–9 minutes, Higher tier: 10–12 minutes (plus 12 minutes preparation time)

Task 1 – a role play based on one topic that is allocated by Pearson.

Task 2 – questions based on a picture stimulus based on one topic allocated by Pearson. (any)

Task 3 – conversation based on two themes. The first theme is based on the topic chosen by the student in advance of the assessment. The second theme is allocated by Pearson.

Paper 3: Reading and understanding. 25% of the total qualification. 50 marks

Foundation tier: 45 minutes; Higher tier: 1 hour; Three sections for both:

Section A is set in English. The instructions to students in English.

Section B is set in the target language. The instructions to students in the target language.

Section C includes a translation passage from the target language into English with instructions in English.

Paper 4: Writing Paper. 25% of the total qualification. 60 marks

Foundation tier: 1 hour 10 minutes; Higher tier: 1 hour 20 minutes;

Word counts are specified for each question. Students must answer all questions.

Foundation tier – three open response questions and one translation into the target language.

Higher tier – two open response questions and one translation into the target language.

Key Stage 5

KS5 EXAM OVERVIEW FOR FRENCH AND SPANISH

At Christ’s we follow Pearson Edexcel Examination board for French and Spanish. At the end of your second year, students take three exams:

Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation (Target language to English). 40% of the total marks available.

Paper 2: Written response to works and translation (English to target language). This paper requires two essays, each about 275-350 words (one about the film studied and one about the book). 30% of the total marks available.

Paper 3: Speaking. This consists of two tasks; task 1 is a discussion on a sub-theme studied and task 2 is a presentation of an Independent Research Project, follow by a discussion. 30% of the total marks available. This part of the oral examination provides the students with the opportunity to show their individuality by selecting, researching, presenting and discussing a topic of their choice. The research may be based on one of the themes or on the student’s own subject of interest related to society and culture of the target language.

KS5 FRENCH SUBJECT CONTENT

Themes:

Over the two-year course, students focus on 4 main themes:

Changes in French society
Political and artistic culture in francophone countries
Immigration and multicultural French society
Occupation and Resistance

Students also study one film (Intouchables, 2011) and one novel (No et moi, Delphine de Vigan).

KS5 SPANISH SUBJECT CONTENT

Themes:

Bridge/Puente: Introduction to Spain and the Hispanic World.

Theme 1: (Set in the context of Spain only). The society of modern Spain: changes in family structure, the world of work and the impact of tourism.
La evolución de la sociedad Española.

Theme 2: (Set in the context of Spanish-speaking countries and communities). Music, festivals and traditions in Spain and Latin America.
La cultura política y artística en el mundo de habla española.

Theme 3: (Set in the context of Spain only). Impacts of immigration on Spanish society, public reaction and social impact.
La inmigración y la sociedad multicultural española.

Theme 4: (Set in the context of Spain only). Civil war and the rise of Francoism, dictatorship and the transition to democracy.
La dictadura franquista y la transición a la democracia.

Students also study one film (Mar adentro by Alejandro Amenábar, 2004) and one novel (Bodas de Sangre by Lorca)

Exam Overview

Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation.
Written examination: 2 hours, 40% of the qualification, 80 marks.
This paper draws on vocabulary and structures across all four themes.

Assessment overview:
Students are not permitted access to a dictionary during the examination.
The examination is made up of:

Section A: Listening (30 marks) A listening assessment based on a recording, featuring male and female Spanish speakers. Students will respond to comprehension questions based on a variety of contexts and sources.
Section B: Reading (30 marks) A reading assessment based on a variety of text types and genres where students will have to respond to comprehension questions.
Section C: Translation into English (20 marks) An unseen passage to be translated from Spanish to English.

Paper 2: Written response to works and translation
Written examination: 2 hours and 40 minutes, 30% of the qualification, 120 marks
This paper draws on the study of two discrete Spanish works: a literary text and a film.

Assessment overview:
This paper includes a translation exercise and two essays on either two literary texts, or one literary text and one film (students must not answer questions on two films).
Students are not permitted access to a dictionary or any documentation relating to the works during the examination.

Section A: Translation (20 marks) Students translate an unseen passage from English into Spanish.
Section B: Written response to works (literary texts) (50 marks) Students must write an extended response the chosen literary texts (Bodas de Sangre). Students select one question from a choice of two.
Section C: Written response to works (films) (50 marks. Students select one question from a choice of two for their chosen film (Mar adentro).

Paper 3: Speaking
Internally conducted and externally assessed Total assessment time: between 21 and 23 minutes, which includes a single period of 5 minutes’ formal preparation time, 30% of the qualification, 72 marks.

Assessment overview:
Students complete two tasks. Task 1 is worth 30 marks and Task 2 is worth 42 marks.

Task 1 (discussion on a Theme) Students discuss one Theme from the specification based on a stimulus containing two different statements.
Task 2, Part 1 (independent research presentation) Students present a summary of at least two of the written sources they have used for their research and give a personal response to what they have read.
Task 2, Part 2 (discussion on independent research) Students answer questions on their presentation and then have a wider discussion on their research.

ENRICHMENT & EXTRA-CURRICULAR

The Modern Foreign Languages department organises a number trips to France and Spain each year.

In Year 7 there is a five night residential trip for both languages. Those doing French go to La Grand’ Ferme in Normandy. Whilst there, our students are immersed in the French language. Every activity is delivered in French by the centre’s highly trained staff. The students enjoy a range of fun activities such as making bread, shopping in a market and exploring the Mont Saint Michel. The staff at the centre are native French speakers.

The Year 7 Spanish trip goes to Murcia in Spain. The centre is run by Spanish native speakers and all activities are delivered in Spanish. These activities include games on the beach, a visit to the local town, shopping in a market, site seeing in Cartagena and preparing Spanish food.

Students in Years 8, 9 & 10 and 12 take part in our very popular exchange trips to Cassis and Madrid. These trips each last a week. During the exchanges, our students stay at their French or Spanish penfriend's house. During the day, Christ’s teachers take them on a range of trips and visits. Later in the academic year the exchange partners come on the return visit to Richmond.

We also take students on trips in this country such as to the British Airways languages centre at Heathrow, the French Institute in Kensington and university-led courses.

All the trips we organise are very popular with our students and have a positive impact on their learning.

We are also fortunate enough to have a number of native French and Spanish speakers as parents, governors and friends of the school. A large number of them have volunteered to act as language assistants, meaning students are given regular 1:1 oral practice during lesson time.

Careers

It is possible to study modern languages either as a single honours degree or alongside another subject as a joint honours degree. Common joint honours choices often remain within the humanities, including subjects such as politics, history and literature, but modern languages can also be combined with subjects such as chemistry or mathematics for those wishing to keep their options as broad as possible.

A language degree can qualify graduates to work in education, translation, interpretation, tourism, trade, PR, communications and management. Many government jobs require language skills, particularly in the sectors of immigration and diplomacy. Languages are an invaluable skill to have.

Studies show that having a language can increase your salary by 20% and give you a head start on other potential employees as - by speaking another language – you are vital to any company that does international business. Furthermore, a language is also a prerequisite for many university courses.

Exam board

FRENCH

KS4
Exam Board: Pearson Edexcel https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/french-2016.html

Code course: 1FR0

KS5
Exam Board: Pearson Edexcel https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/french-2016.html
Course Code: 9FR0

SPANISH

KS4
Exam Board: Pearson Edexcel https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/spanish-2016.html
Course Code: 1SP0

KS5
Exam Board: Pearson Edexcel https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/spanish-2016.html

Course Code: 9SP0

TEXTBOOKS AND REVISION RESOURCES

KS3

Textbooks:

French: Studio 1/2/3 and Workbook

Spanish: Viva 1/2/3 and Workbook

Useful websites:

https://www.memrise.com, https://www.memrise.com, https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/levels/z4kw2hv, http://www.espanol-extra.co.uk/

KS4

Textbooks:

French: Studio Edexcel GCSE (9-1)

Spanish: Viva Edexcel (9-1)

Revision resources:

French: Studio Edexcel GCSE French grammar and translation workbook.

Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) French Revision Workbook.

Spanish: Viva Edexcel GCSE Spanish grammar and translation workbook.

Pearson Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Spanish Revision guide and Workbook.

CGP’s New GCSE Spanish Edexcel Complete Revision & Practice (with CD & Online Edition) - Grade 9-1 Course.

Useful websites:

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize, http://www.espanol-extra.co.uk/ , https://www.memrise.com, https://www.memrise.com, http://languagesresources.co.uk/

KS5

French:

Textbooks: Edexcel A level French (includes AS) (Edexcel a/As French) by Karine Harrington (Author), Kirsty Thathapudi (Author), Rod Hares(Author), Wendy O'Mahony (Author), Amy Gregg (Author).

Compulsory Literary textbook: No et Moi (current A-level) by Delphine de Vigan -- edition Livre de Poche, L'etranger (next year's A-level) by Albert Camus -- edition: Folio

Compulsory Film: Intouchables, by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache

Grammar workbook: Edexcel A Level French Grammar Practice Book Paperback – 2 Sep 2008by Servane Jacob (Author), Janine Schofield (Author)

Websites for Grammar:

http://www.languageguide.org/french/grammar/

http://www.bonjourdefrance.co.uk/learn-french-online/grammar/choose-level

http://languagesresources.co.uk/home/

Other useful websites:

https://langue-francaise.tv5monde.com/

https://acupoffrench.com/

https://www.liberation.fr/

Spanish:

Textbooks: The new book and the old book from Pearson Edexcel A level Spanish, Hodder Education by Mike Thacker, Simon Barefoot, David Mee, Mónica Morcillo Laiz.

Compulsory Literary text book: Bodas de sangre, by Federico Garcia Lorca.

Compulsory Film: Mar adentro, 2004 by Alejandro Amenábar.

Grammar workbook: Ánimo grammar workbook: Spanish AS and A2.

Websites for Grammar:

https://www.practicaespanol.com/

http://languagesresources.co.uk/

http://www.espanol-extra.co.uk/

http://www.ver-taal.com/

Other useful websites:

The following websites are suggestions for possible research, or for authentic reading or listening materials.

www.hoyhablamos.com

https://www.practicaespanol.com/