Photo by Leo Reynolds

Intent

At Dudley Wood Primary School, it is our intention to develop the children’s interest in, and curiosity about, foreign languages, in an enjoyable and stimulating way. Learning another language will develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the richness and diversity of other cultures. We aim to foster a positive attitude towards foreign languages and develop the children’s confidence to explore and experiment with unfamiliar vocabulary and pronunciation Our core language of Spanish uses the four key language learning skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, to ensure that all pupils have opportunities to explore and express their ideas and thoughts in another language. We hope that learning Spanish will lay the foundations for future language learning and help to prepare the children to become a global citizen.

Implementation

Children commence Spanish lessons from Year 3 and continue throughout KS2.  Through our chosen scheme, Language Angels, the Spanish curriculum has a focus on speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, as well as making children aware of the grammatical features of the Spanish language. Teachers follow the sequence of lessons from this scheme of work. These weekly lessons cover a wide range of topics and themes and are taught for approximately 30 minutes, ensuring progression by building on previously learnt language.

The learning of Spanish has only just begun at Dudley Wood and so will take time to embed.

Through the use of Language Angels, we aim to ensure that eventually children are accessing work at age related expectations. All children will begin with early language units which are suitable for children with little or no previous language learning.

Evidence of lessons taught, are recorded in the children’s Spanish books and will include, photos, drawings, worksheets & written work. These books will move with the pupils from Year 3 to Year 6 so that previous learning is accessible to all. Lessons are differentiated providing the appropriate level of support and challenge.

Impact

We measure the impact of our Spanish curriculum through observing the children speaking and listening in Spanish and marking written work. Learning an additional language will offer the children the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity and develop a deeper understanding of another culture and the world around them. It is hoped that children will foster a love of language and a desire to further their learning beyond the classroom.

Characteristics of a linguist

• A passion for languages and a commitment to the subject
• The ability to use language creatively and spontaneously
• The confidence to speak with good intonation and pronunciation
• A strong awareness of the culture of the countries where the language is spoken
• An independence in their studies and the ability to draw upon a wide range of resources
• Fluency in reading
• Fluency and imagination in writing

Whole school overview