At North Crescent Primary School, we offer a high quality Modern Foreign Language education. As a multicultural school, we believe that the acquisition of a language can aid the development of communication and literacy skills, which lay the foundation for future language learning, as well as extending knowledge
of how language works and discovering more about our own vocabulary in English. Learning another language raises awareness of the multilingual and multicultural world in which we live and introduces an international dimension to children’s learning, giving them an insight into their own culture and those of
others.

Within lessons, outcomes are achieved through children completing tasks and activities in the four main skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing, singing songs in Spanish and French, as well as learning about the History and Culture of French and Spanish. Our interactive and lively lessons promote the enjoyment of, and enthusiasm for, language-learning. Lessons are planned and structured to ensure that key Languages skills are covered throughout the year. Units are structured strategically to enable children to build on language skills learnt previously and to make links, for example in spelling patterns and phonemes.

Our curriculum aims are for pupils to:

● Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources.
● Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their
pronunciation and intonation.
● Write at varying length, 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.

Learning a second language is important for children because it provides significant cognitive advantages, such as improved memory, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. It fosters cultural awareness and empathy, broadening their perspective on the world and different societies. Additionally, language learning opens doors to increased academic and economic opportunities, enhances social skills, and makes travel more fulfilling.

Makaton enhances communication by providing a visual and tactile way to express needs, thoughts, and emotions, thereby reducing frustration and building confidence. Makaton also supports language and literacy development, memory, and concentration. For all children, it creates a more inclusive and empathetic environment, fostering stronger relationships, and allowing everyone to communicate and learn together more easily.