French
Aims of the Subject
The aim is for pupils to speak and write French to a standard at which they can communicate clearly. The focus is always on what they can do, as they develop their language skills, realising at every stage what they know and building on it. At every level pupils are encouraged to say what they know, get the fundamentals right and build from there.
Assessment Methods
In the Middle School, formal assessment is in the form of vocabulary and verb tests, with the first French exam in Year 5. This tests reading and writing, with a class based teacher assessment of speaking and listening skills. The first oral exam is in Year 7, as is the first listening exam. End of unit assessments also take place throughout the year.
Teaching Techniques
Children begin to learn French in Year 1. They are taught by a native French speaker and expand their knowledge of French through songs, games and oral activities. In Year 2, children continue with this approach, but also begin to use a course developed for interactive whiteboards called 'Rigolo'. Among its many features, Rigolo allows children to record their own voices alongside the songs and stories shown on the board.
This course, followed by Rigolo 2, is also used in Years 3 to 5. The multisensory, interactive nature of the course helps to reinforce the fundamentals of language. In Years 6 to 8, the textbooks Equipe 2, Avantage 2 and Equipe 4 are used, together with other resources such as ActivInspire software on the Promethean interactive whiteboard. The French curriculum is designed to prepare for the ISEB Common Entrance and Common Academic Scholarship syllabuses at 13+.
By the time pupils reach Year 8, they should be ready to hold a short conversation in the oral exam on two of the following four topics (one selected by the pupil, the other by the teacher): house, home, daily routine and chores; personal description, family friends and pets; free time and holiday activities; life and work at school. A typical lesson will aim to develop the skills of speaking, listening, reading or writing using word games, flash cards, conversational pair work and group work, role play, songs, videos - both to watch and to film - creative writing, artwork or interactive whiteboard exercises.
In Year 7, pupils go on a residential trip to Paris for a week. Structured language activities underpin the programme of visits and excursions. For example, pupils are given money with which to buy their lunch, in order to encourage them to speak French in an authentic setting.
Use of ICT within the Subject
The Rigolo software for the Promethean interactive whiteboard is used up to Year 5, while ActivInspire flipcharts with interactive features and incorporating links to Clipbank language videos are used more in Years 6 to 8. Flip video cameras are used to film scenes in French, while the ICT rooms are used to produce some extended written and display work, as well as using audio programs like Audacity for recording spoken French.