Introduction

At Gartree High School MFL is aprt of the core curriculum and we have a Languages for All policy. Students have two language lessons a week in Year 7 and three lessons a week in Years 8 to 11. The first language taught is French, but in Year 8 pupils have a short Spanish taster course in the spring term. Following this course, pupils can opt to study Spanish from Y9 to GCSE or to continue with French up to GCSE. Language lessons give pupils an opportunity to understand and use French and Spanish across a wide range of topics. Pupils regularly work on developing their skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. We also encourage pupils to gain an understanding of the differences and similarities between languages and make links to the English curriculum.

Key Stage 3

Students start the GCSE Spanish course in Year 9 and follow the AQA three-year scheme of work.

Exam Board: AQA Spanish 8698

How the course is assessed: 75% final examination; 25% teacher-assessed speaking task (externally moderated0

Course overview: The courses consist of three broad themes: Identity and Culture; Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest; Current and Future Study and Employment. Within these themes, the courses cover a variety of topics including Technology in Everyday Life, Customs and Festivals in French and Spanish-speaking countries and communities, The Environment and Jobs, Career Choices and Ambitions. In exploring these topics students will develop their ability in all four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), as well as gaining a fuller understanding of the world around them.

You can expect to:

* Develop an understanding of your chosen country and culture through the use of authentic materials including newspaper articles, poems and film.

* Improve your spoken communication, confidence and public speaking skills in your chosen language.

* Explore a wide range of topics including new technologies, social and global issues and future career choices and ambitions.

* Develop problem-solving strategies.

* Enhance your knowledge of how a language is structured.

Where does it lead?

Studying a modern foreign language will enable students to improve their communication skills and confidence, as well as allowing them to express their ideas, interests and opinions to speakers of their chosen language. It will deepen their understanding of how languages work, will stimulate their cultural knowledge and can enhance their understanding of many other subjects including English, Music, Mathematics and ICT.

Language study adds an international dimension to their choice of GCSE subjects, and is valued by future employers and higher education providers alike.

Other useful information

Achieving proficiency in a Modern Foreign Language at GCSE requires a commitment to independent study and regular revision. You can make use of a range of online resources as well as materials available in school to help you progress.

Year 9

Year 9 Spanish is all about providing the foundations for further study in Years 10 and 11. We look at phonics and some essential rules as grammar such as adjectival agreement and positioning. We learn about sentence-structure and how to listen for gist and for detail. We do all of this through studying topics about me and my family, free time and school, allowing students to give and receive key information about themselves and others.

Key Stage 4: GCSE

Year 10

Students of Spanish begin to follow the VIVA coursebook scheme of work, starting with a unit on holidays, and then moving on to looking at life at school, talking about family and free time activities. The topics are delivered via the Conti method, with a lot of emphasis on modelling before moving towards spontaneous use of language.

Year 11

In Spanish, students study the final topics of the GCSE curriculum: home town and local area, customs and festivals, current and future study and employment and finally social and global issues. Once there has been full coverage of the GCSE curriculum, revision of the GCSE content and preparation for the speaking exam will be the main features of lesson time. Topic based revision is complemented by skill-specific exercises.