The languages faculty is currently made up of a team of six teachers, led by a very experienced Curriculum Leader, supported by a Subject Leader for French and a Lead Teacher, who has specific responsibilities across the two subjects. All current members of the faculty are dual linguists, able to teach French and German.
All Year 7 students start with either French or German and this alternates each year. In Years 8 and 9 students continue with the first language and experience taster sessions in the second language, either French or German.
In Year 10, students start the GCSE specifications. We currently follow the Eduqas specifications. We use the Studio and Stimmt courses but supplement these with our own materials.
The languages faculty makes a significant contribution to the extra-curricular opportunities offered to students and foreign trips and exchanges are an enjoyable and educational experience that remain popular among our students
Homework
Years 7, 8 and 9
One homework task is set every three weeks according to the published rota. The tasks alternate between a written homework and an online homework. The written homework could be a piece of writing in French or German based on work covered in class, a translation exercise into German or French or into English, an exercise linked to grammatical structures, answering speaking questions in German or French, or a reading comprehension or a listening exercise. This homework is normally to be completed in books and handed in at the next lesson. The homework tasks focus on retrieval and will often use language previously met in class. The online homework is normally a Quizlet activity to embed vocabulary and structures. Other online activities may be set from e.g. language gym, teachvid, this is language. All students are members of an online class so scores and grades are submitted automatically. Revision exercises and tasks are set in preparation for assessments according to the published schedule.
Homework is more effective if it consists of shorter tasks – e.g. 10 minutes for a Quizlet test.
Year 10
One homework task is set per week. The tasks alternate between a written homework and an online homework. The written homework could be a piece of writing in French or German based on work covered in class, a translation exercise into German or French or into English, an exercise linked to grammatical structures, speaking questions in German or French, a reading comprehension or a listening exercise. This homework is normally to be completed in books and handed in at the next lesson. The online homework is normally a Quizlet activity linked to vocabulary and structures. Other online activities may be set from eg. language gym, teachvid. All students are members of an online class so scores and grades are submitted automatically. Revision exercises and tasks are set in preparation for assessments.
Year 11
One homework task is set per week. The tasks alternate between a written homework and an online homework. The written homework could be a piece of writing in French or German based on work covered in class, a translation exercise into German or French or into English, an exercise linked to grammatical structures, speaking questions in German or French, a reading comprehension or a listening exercise. This homework is normally to be completed in books and handed in at the next lesson. The online homework is normally a Quizlet activity linked to vocabulary and structures. Other online activities may be set from eg. language gym, teachvid. All students are members of an online class so scores and grades are submitted automatically.
Revision exercises and tasks are set more frequently in preparation for mock exams and public exams in the Summer. In the two months before the exams, most homework focuses on preparation for these, particularly the speaking element.
Y12 and Y13
Each class has two teachers per subject. Homework is set after each MFL lesson. Homework is usually to be completed for the next lesson but occasionally there may be a longer deadline, e.g. research for IRP
Homework tasks include:
- Learning vocabulary – eg. Using Quizlet
- Grammar exercises – paper or electronic
- Translations – into TL or into English
- Reading comprehension – true/false, answers in TL or English
- Listening comprehension – eg. True/false, answers in TL or English
- Summary of written or spoken extracts. Written in TL
- Writing – sentences, paragraphs, essays
- Preparing speaking test answers – cards /topic based/ IRP
- Research and preparation for IRP
- Reading or watching extracts from film or book
Independent study is also set on a regular basis, in particular in preparation for the IRP.
