Primary MFL (French)

Introduction

Traditionally, primary schools in England and Wales have not offered a modern foreign language in the curriculum. Although some education authorities have employed peripatetic teachers to teach within the school day (e.g. East Sussex Educational Authority, in the late 1980s and early 90s), the introduction of SATs and League Tables eventually saw the end of this opportunity nationally.

Over recent years this situation has changed. The importance of MFLs in primary schools has been recently highlighted by the Department for Education and Skills in its publication Languages for All: Languages for Life - A Strategy for England (2002):

"Delivering an entitlement to language learning so that every pupil at Key Stage 2 is offered the opportunity to study at least one foreign language by the end of the decade is the centrepiece of our strategy" (p. 15)

You will undertake additional training as a Primary MFL specialist; you will have the opportunity to teach a language which you enjoy and in which you have some expertise. You will spend four weeks in Brittany at one of two centres, as part of your diagnostic placement. During this time you must continue to meet QTS requirements; your French mentor will assess your teaching, linguistic ability and general classroom competence at least once a week, using the Pilot Common Reference Framework/ Cadre Commun d'objectifs (2004) and a member of staff from the School of Education will also observe you teach once during this time.

This training and skills will be recognised in your reference in your Career Development Profile at the end of the training year. Feedback from PMFL trainees in previous academic years has indicated that this additional facet of your training can make you more desirable candidates from a head teacher's point of view.

Aims of the module

By the end of the year, you should:

• understand the rationale for the integration of PMFLs in schools
• be aware of your own competence in French at the start of the year and of any improvements needing to be made on your own initiative
• be aware of how this level may be improved and be able to show evidence of this
• be confident and competent in the use of the French in the primary classroom
• be familiar with basic PMFL pedagogy appropriate to the age range to be taught
• be competent in devising specific PMFL lesson plans and incorporate these into planning
• be aware of long-term planning issues
• have taught French in at least one of your placements schools in England
• know how to prepare for the introduction of French into a primary school,
• be aware of KS2/3 continuity issues in MFL
• know what teaching and support resources are available commercially and on the Internet and show evidence of using these, where appropriate;
• know where to find inspection evidence on PMFL and how to assess pupils' progress;
• show evidence of record-keeping
• have an increased cultural awareness of France, particularly in the context of that country's schools, gained from first-hand experience on placement
• be aware of your competence in French both after your diagnostic placement and at the end of the training year.