MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES: FRENCH RATIONALE

“I like learning a language because it’s important. If you travel the world you can speak to lots of different people and find out about their country and how they live”

“Everyone can learn to speak French. I love learning new words”

French Pupil Voice

Intent: Why Do We Teach What We Teach?

Our French curriculum aims to foster a love of languages and develop children's understanding of the wider world through language learning. Using the Language Angels Primary scheme, we provide a structured and engaging curriculum that builds pupils' linguistic knowledge, confidence and cultural awareness throughout Key Stage 2.

French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. By learning French, pupils develop valuable communication skills, gain an appreciation of different cultures and prepare for language learning at Key Stage 3 and beyond. We believe that learning a modern foreign language broadens horizons, encourages curiosity about the world and supports children in becoming responsible global citizens.

Substantive Knowledge

• Vocabulary and Grammar: Pupils acquire and apply essential vocabulary and grammatical structures, enabling them to communicate with increasing confidence and accuracy in French.

• Cultural Awareness: Children explore the traditions, customs, geography and culture of French-speaking countries, developing a broader understanding of the world and greater respect for cultural diversity.

• Language Structures: Pupils develop an understanding of key language concepts, including sentence construction, word order, gender, verb forms and basic grammatical conventions.

Practical Skills

• Speaking and Listening: Children develop their oral communication skills through songs, conversations, games and interactive activities that build confidence and fluency.

• Reading and Writing: Pupils learn to read and write in French through a progressive approach that develops comprehension, vocabulary acquisition and sentence construction.

• Pronunciation and Intonation: Children are taught to recognise and reproduce French sounds accurately, developing confidence in speaking and understanding spoken language.

Curiosity and Excitement

• Engaging Learning Experiences: Lessons are designed to be engaging, interactive and enjoyable, encouraging enthusiasm and curiosity about language learning.

• Cultural Exploration: Pupils learn about life in French-speaking countries, making meaningful comparisons between their own experiences and those of people from different cultures.

• Building Confidence: Through supportive learning experiences and regular opportunities to practise, pupils develop confidence in their ability to learn and use a new language.

Implementation: What Do We Teach and When?

From Year 3 onwards, pupils receive regular French lessons that progressively develop their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Through the Language Angels scheme, learning is carefully sequenced to ensure children revisit and build upon previously learned vocabulary, grammar and language structures. Whilst the initial focus is on developing confidence in speaking and listening, pupils gradually apply their language knowledge through reading and writing activities as they progress through Key Stage 2.

The curriculum follows a spiral approach, meaning that key knowledge and skills are revisited regularly with increasing complexity. This enables children to strengthen their understanding, retain learning over time and make meaningful connections between different units of study. Cross-curricular links are incorporated where appropriate, allowing pupils to apply their language learning in a range of contexts.

Knowledge Strands

The French curriculum is built around three core knowledge strands that run throughout all units and develop cumulatively over time:

• Phonics: Developing accurate pronunciation and an understanding of the relationship between French sounds and written language.

• Vocabulary: Building a rich bank of topic-specific vocabulary that enables pupils to communicate with increasing confidence and accuracy.

• Grammar: Developing an understanding of key grammatical structures, including sentence construction, word order and basic verb forms.

Skills Strands

Knowledge is applied through two key skills strands that are woven throughout the curriculum:

• Language Comprehension: Children develop their ability to understand spoken and written French through listening and reading activities.

• Language Production: Pupils apply their knowledge through speaking and writing, enabling them to communicate confidently and express ideas in French with increasing independence.

Building Fluency and Confidence

Lessons provide regular opportunities for repetition, rehearsal and retrieval, helping children to develop fluency and secure long-term retention of vocabulary and structures. Through interactive activities, games, songs, conversations and written tasks, pupils gain confidence in using French for a range of purposes and audiences.

Language Detective Skills

We believe that developing language detective skills is essential in creating independent and resilient language learners. These skills enable pupils to draw upon prior knowledge, recognise patterns and make sense of unfamiliar language, supporting both current learning and the acquisition of additional languages in the future.

Children develop these skills through:

• Recognising Familiar Vocabulary: Identifying previously learned words and phrases when listening to or reading French.

• Identifying Cognates and Near Cognates: Recognising words that share similarities with English due to common origins and using this knowledge to support understanding.

• Using Context to Infer Meaning: Drawing upon clues within a sentence, image or text, as well as their wider knowledge of the world, to predict the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary.

• Understanding Word Order and Structure: Exploring how sentence structure can provide clues to meaning and comparing language patterns in French and English.

Through repeated exposure and practice, pupils become increasingly confident in tackling unfamiliar spoken and written language independently. These strategies also strengthen pupils' understanding of English grammar and language conventions.

Oracy in French: Learning Through Talk

We believe that high-quality talk is central to effective language learning. Children are provided with regular opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills through discussion, collaboration and purposeful communication. Through oracy, pupils learn to articulate their ideas clearly, respond to others thoughtfully and communicate with increasing confidence.

Our French curriculum develops oracy by providing opportunities for pupils to:

• Develop Communication Skills: Using voice, body language and facial expressions appropriately to support effective communication in French.

• Explore Language Structure: Considering how syntax and sentence construction support meaning and comparing these features with English to deepen understanding.

• Engage in Role Play: Adopting the role of French speakers to practise real-life conversational language and build confidence.

• Question and Respond: Asking and answering questions in French to develop fluency and conversational skills.

• Interpret Spoken French: Listening to native speakers and authentic language samples, learning to identify key information, summarise meaning and understand the gist of what is heard.

• Strengthen Listening Skills: Listening carefully to both native speakers and peers, developing active listening and comprehension skills.

• Collaborate Effectively: Working with others through paired and group activities, taking turns and contributing positively to conversations.

Through these experiences, pupils develop the confidence, fluency and communication skills needed to use French purposefully and successfully while building the foundations for future language learning.

Impact: How Children Show That They Know and Remember More

The impact of the French curriculum is monitored through a combination of formative and summative assessment. Assessment opportunities are built into each unit, enabling teachers to evaluate pupils' progress against the intended learning objectives and identify any misconceptions or gaps in understanding. Ongoing assessment information helps teachers build a clear picture of each child's learning journey and informs future planning.

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils should have developed the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to continue learning French, or another modern foreign language, successfully at Key Stage 3 and beyond.

Expected Outcomes

Pupils will:

• Communicate Confidently: Engage in purposeful conversations and practical situations, such as asking and answering questions, expressing opinions and responding appropriately to others.

• Read with Increasing Independence: Apply their phonics knowledge and language detective skills to read unfamiliar words, phrases and short texts with growing accuracy.

• Speak and Read Aloud: Demonstrate confidence and accuracy when speaking and reading French, using appropriate pronunciation and intonation.

• Understand Spoken Language: Listen attentively and respond appropriately to spoken French, showing understanding through discussion and application.

• Use Reference Materials Effectively: Use bilingual dictionaries and other language-learning resources to support independent learning.

• Apply Grammatical Knowledge: Identify word classes, recognise language patterns and apply grammatical structures accurately in their spoken and written French.

• Use Language Detective Strategies: Draw upon their knowledge of cognates, near-cognates and language patterns to interpret unfamiliar vocabulary and make sense of new language.

• Write for a Purpose: Construct increasingly accurate words, phrases and short texts on familiar topics using learned vocabulary and grammatical structures.

• Meet National Curriculum Expectations: Achieve the end-of-Key-Stage-2 outcomes outlined in the National Curriculum for Languages.

Assessment and Progress

• Assessment for Learning: Teachers assess pupils through classroom participation, speaking and listening activities, reading and writing tasks, and their ability to apply vocabulary and grammatical knowledge.

• Progress Tracking: Children's progress is monitored across all areas of language learning, including communication skills, cultural understanding, vocabulary acquisition and confidence in using French.

• Practical Application: Pupils demonstrate their learning through conversations, role play, presentations, written work and engagement with authentic French texts and recordings.

Through the Language Angels Primary French curriculum, we aim to ensure that all pupils enjoy language learning and develop the confidence, knowledge and skills needed to communicate effectively. By the end of Key Stage 2, children are equipped with strong foundations in both linguistic and cultural understanding, preparing them well for future language learning.

How You Can Help Your Child at Home

Supporting Language Learning

Sharing positive experiences of different cultures, countries and languages can have a powerful impact on your child's enthusiasm for learning French. Talking about your own experiences, travel or encounters with different languages helps children recognise the value of language learning and develop curiosity about the wider world.

Encourage your child to talk about what they have been learning in their French lessons and give them opportunities to teach you new words and phrases. Taking an interest in their learning and using simple French vocabulary at home can help build confidence and reinforce learning. For example, encouraging your child to say merci (thank you) or bonjour (hello) in everyday situations helps make language learning meaningful and memorable.

Celebrating Languages at Home

If your family speaks another language, encourage your child to use and value it. Exposure to different languages supports children's understanding of how language works and helps develop the skills needed to learn additional languages. Celebrating linguistic diversity within the home can strengthen communication skills and promote a positive attitude towards language learning.

Using Technology to Support Learning

A range of age-appropriate educational apps and online resources can help children practise vocabulary, pronunciation and listening skills in an engaging way. Language-learning platforms such as Duolingo can provide fun opportunities for children to revisit and practise their French outside of school.

Encouraging Confidence and Curiosity

Most importantly, encourage your child to have a go and not worry about making mistakes. Learning a language takes time, practice and perseverance. Praising effort, celebrating progress and showing enthusiasm for language learning can help children develop the confidence and resilience needed to become successful language learners.

By working together, we can help children develop a love of languages, an appreciation of different cultures and the confidence to communicate in an increasingly connected world.