Languages

At Canada Hill we believe that the learning of a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our pupils. It helps them to extend their ability to communicate, including key skills of speaking and listening and extends their knowledge of how language works. It provides excitement, enjoyment and challenge for children and teachers, helping to create enthusiastic learners and to develop positive attitudes to language learning throughout life. Learning another language raises awareness of the multilingual and multicultural world and introduces an international dimension to children’s learning; giving them an insight into their own culture and those of others. The learning of a foreign language provides a medium for cross-curricular links and for reinforcement of knowledge, skills and understanding developed in other subjects.

The focus language taught at Canada Hill is French and planning and teaching reflect the programme of study for Languages as laid out in the National Curriculum in England Key stage 1 and 2 framework document (2013) in the Languages Programme of Study. French is taught to children from Year 2 onwards and planning is linked to other areas of the curriculum where at all possible.

Through our planning and teaching we aim to:

¨ Foster an interest in learning other languages;

¨ Introduce young children to another language in a way that is enjoyable and fun;

¨ Stimulate and encourage children’s curiosity about language;

¨ Encourage children to be aware that language has structure and that the structure differs from one language to another;

¨ Help the children to develop their awareness of cultural differences in other countries;

¨ Develop their speaking and listening skills;

¨ Lay the foundations of future study;

¨ Raise awareness of aspects of mother tongue by encountering other languages.

We use a wealth of resources to deliver the programmes of study. There are French story books which are also in Powerpoint format, read by a native speaker. There are dual language dictionaries, Take Phonics and the Catherine Cheater scheme of work which can be drawn upon if needed. There are DVDs as well as audio CDs and the interactive whiteboard is used to help bring native speaker voices into the classroom, and to make the learning culturally based and enjoyable.