A New Literacy: English & MFL in the Primary School

1. SOUTHEND EDUCATION TRUST A New Literacy: English & MFL in the Primary School Wednesday 9th December 2009 Katie Szeless, CILT Teaching Advisor Penny Bowman, Asst Head SHSG and SET PMFL Team Co-ordinator Nicole Valencia, PMFL Co-ordinator SHSG & SET

2. The context: ‘Entitlement’ “Every child should have the opportunity throughout Key Stage 2 to study a foreign language and develop their interest in the culture of other nations. They should have access to high quality teaching and learning opportunities making use of native speakers and e-learning. By age 11 they should have the opportunity to reach a recognised level of competence on the Common European Framework and for that achievement to be recognised through a national scheme.”(National Languages Strategy)

3. Objectives • To build on the skills set of the primary class teacher and highlight common points between early language pedagogy and the delivery of primary languages. • To demonstrate how literacy and MFL co-ordinators can support each other by showing what links can be made to enhance both curriculums and motivate learners.

4. So why now? • Key recommendations in Primary Languages in past year : • Dearing’s review of MFL : aim to embed MFL in primary curriculum. • Jim Rose’s review of the Primary Curriculum : Primary Languages to be statutory by 2011, aim for a new literacy where English, Communications and MFL are encompassed under one area of learning and key primary documents are to be aligned.

5. Teaching skills & the Literacy objectives • Objectives from the KS2 MFL Framework are often similar to those from the Primary Framework for Literacy.

6. KS2 MFL Framework: 5 Strands • 3 core strands of teaching & learning • ORACY (speaking & listening) • LITERACY (reading & writing) • INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING (insight into the people, culture, & traditions of other countries) • 2 cross-cutting strands • KAL :knowledge about the language • LLS : language learning strategies.

7. Primary Framework for Literacy Speaking Listening & responding Group discussion & interaction Drama Word recognition Word structure & spelling Understanding & interpreting texts Engaging with and responding to texts Creating & shaping texts Text structure & organisation Sentences structure & punctuation presentation

8. MFL Framework or Literacy Framework? • Look at the face of the person speaking and listen attentively • Use gestures to show they understand • Speak clearly & audibly with confidence & control • Show awareness of the listener • Speak with clarity & use appropriate intonation • Recognise the main word classes • Ask & answer questions, make relevant contributions, offer suggestions & take turns • Discuss why they like a performance • Read fiction and non-fiction texts • Act out their own and well-known stories • Use drama techniques to explore stories or issues • Identify specific sounds, phonemes and words • Use the context of what they see/read to determine some meaning

9. MFL Framework or Literacy Framework? • Look at the face of the person speaking and listen attentively (Yr 3& 4) • Use gestures to show they understand (Yr 3& 4) • Speak clearly & audibly with confidence & control • Show awareness of the listener • Speak with clarity & use appropriate intonation • Recognise the main word classes (Yr 4) • Ask & answer questions, make relevant contributions, offer suggestions & take turns • Discuss why they like a performance • Read fiction and non-fiction texts (Yr 5) • Act out their own and well-known stories • Use drama techniques to explore stories or issues • Identify specific sounds, phonemes and words (Yr 4) • Use the context of what they see/read to determine some meaning (yr5 & 6)

10. Pause for thought • Primary school teachers already have a great number of skills which can be transferred to teaching MFL.