The Academy of Woodlands

MFL Curriculum Rationale

Continuing from September 2014, learning a foreign language is compulsory at KS2. The proposed curriculum for 2019-20 reflects so much of what is already in the KS2 Framework. When re-organising the MFL curriculum, we have adopted a scheme of work that we believe meets all the requirements for September 2014.

Although the new curriculum makes no specific reference to intercultural understanding in terms of its aims or subject content (aside from a brief statement that “Learning a language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures”), we believe at Woodlands that studying a foreign language should introduce children to life and culture in a different country and therefore this aspect of work will remain.

New and exciting material for primary school teachers has been created by the Goethe-Institut London in cooperation with German native speakers and British primary school teachers. The material enables all German teachers in the UK (regardless of their own level of qualification) to make a flying start with teaching German. The consecutive lesson plans are regularly revised and extended. Brand new Year 2 (Year 5 and 6) material was published in January 2015. The new curriculum provides a balance of spoken and written language and the focus will be on practical communication. 

Two engaging hand puppets, a frog called Felix and a duck called Franzi, take centre stage. They live in a special German letterbox. Having recently moved to the UK from Germany, the two characters experience many adventures which form the theme for each chapter. Each chapter introduces new vocabulary and grammar lessons and is accompanied by a wide range of activities and extra material such as songs, videos and whiteboard applications.

In the early stages of language learning, children will spend much of their time listening and speaking. Later on, children will be encouraged to develop reading and writing skills, which will be supported by, and reinforce, the development of oracy. Throughout the MFL curriculum, children will be taught to listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding. Children will develop accurate pronunciation and intonation and describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing. They will also be taught to understand basic grammar.

Lessons should be 30 minutes per week, lessons can be completely verbal, or written down for secure learning.