MFL - Spanish

To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.

Intent

At St Mark’s Primary School, we offer a broad and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of themes. The four key language learning skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across the primary phase. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and also contribute to the development of children’s oracy and literacy.

Our intent is that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning another language will also offer pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. The ultimate aim is that pupils will feel willing and able to continue studying languages and other cultures beyond Key Stage 2.

Implementation

Our Spanish curriculum provides pupils with a firm foundation of language learning. We have carefully planned and sequenced when to teach the three building blocks of a language system, known as our knowledge strands:

• Phonics.
• Vocabulary.
• Grammar.

Pupils connect these building blocks of knowledge to create meaning in a variety of contexts, allowing them to develop their skills in the following strands:

• Language comprehension: listening and reading
• Language production: speaking and writing

Ample opportunities are provided to ensure that children practise new learning across all four modalities. Pupils first develop confidence and accuracy with oral skills then increasingly apply their knowledge to extended reading and writing as they progress through Key stage 2.

The Spanish curriculum at St Mark’s is a spiral curriculum, with key skills, grammar and vocabulary revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. Cross-curricular links are included throughout our Spanish units, allowing children to make connections and apply their language skills to other areas of their learning.

Spanish is taught to our pupils in Years 1-6 by our specialist Spanish teacher. Each class has a weekly Spanish lesson throughout the school year.

Impact

We use a range of strategies to assess the development of the children’s knowledge, skills and attitudes:

• The class teacher’s ongoing formative assessments
• Class work scrutinies
• Lesson observations and feedback
• Pupil voice surveys
• Skills-based formative assessments
• Knowledge-based summative assessments at the end of each unit

 Click here for Spanish progression map

To further develop your child's knowledge and understanding in Spanish, encourage them to visit some of our recommended websites at home:

https://www.duolingo.com/course/es/en/Learn-Spanish

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z4crr2p

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zvbbbqt

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zxsvr82

https://www.digitaldialects.com/Spanish.htm#google_vignette