Click on the sections below to explore and learn more about the MFL curriculum at St Gabriel’s.
Learning a language provides a way of breaking down cultural barriers allowing students to view the world from a different view point. Students widen their experience by learning about different cultures and being able to compare what is familiar with the unfamiliar. Through learning a new language, they make natural comparisons with their own language and can make connections with the grammar patterns and spelling rules. Their confidence will increase as their language develops and they can understand and participate in a variety of spoken situations. Pronunciation and spoken language are strengthened through a focus on oracy. Through carefully planned lessons students develop deep learning in all four skills. Core vocabulary and grammar is revisited throughout both key stages using online resources such as Active learn and Languagenut alongside memory retrieval techniques to enhance home learning and promote independence. Learning a language is made accessible by adaptive teaching, scaffolding, modelling and interleaving key concepts throughout the modules which is particularly beneficial to our EAL and SEND pupils. EAL pupils are also given guidance when sitting GCSEs in their home language. Students learn through a variety of contexts throughout the course and are able to describe what they see and feel in many real-life situations. The Curriculum in MFL has been carefully devised so that grammar is sequenced according to prior learning so that students are given the ability to master concepts at every stage of their journey. In addition to our curriculum in the classroom, we believe that it is vital that students have the opportunity to experience as many of the different sides to learning a language as possible in order to expose our pupils to a wide variety of culture capital we offer a range of enrichment opportunities both within and outside the lessons. These include online competitions and challenges, and whole school celebrations of European Day of Languages and International Day. We offer lots of opportunities to explore festivals and traditions through our curriculum content; language taster sessions in new languages; visits abroad (Sevilla, Madrid, Valencia and Paris), visits to Manchester University and the opportunity to mentor and teach younger pupils as a Young Interpreter whilst celebrating home language and culture. There is also an MFL Scholars’ Scheme to further encourage budding linguists. St Gabriel’s MFL are regular visitors to Home Cinema in Manchester and our children have also enjoyed meals out in El Rincón de Rafa and Campoblanco.
– Mrs E Heap (Senior Curriculum Lead for MFL and EAL)
– Mrs A Doherty (Assistant Curriculum Lead for MFL – Lead Teacher for French)
