Modern Foreign Languages

Year

Topic

Why this? Why now?

Year 7

How do I describe myself and others?

In this topic, we begin with the foundations of French/Spanish in order to start your journey as a linguist. This will revisit some of the powerful knowledge they may have covered at KS2 such as colours and numbers, but also includes learning classroom language, phonics, numbers and key verb paradigms such as “be” and “have” in the present tense as well as adjectival agreements.

This is so that students can

• speak in French/Spanish during lessons for simple requests
• give their name, age and birthday
• describe what they look like
• describe what their personality is like
• describe who is in their family/ friendship circles and what they are like

Students should be able to give short spoken answers about this and write at least 40 words in accurate French/Spanish as well as understanding short spoken and written texts, and dictating and translating short sentences.

Year 8

How do I talk about films/TV and media/technology?

In this topic, we begin with the powerful knowledge of recalling justified opinions, and grammar, i.e. regular present tense verb formation. This is then extended with adverbs of frequency as well as giving more complex opinions using the comparative and structures to discuss the pros and cons of technology to give a more advanced opinion. Furthermore, students will learn how to use the near future tense to discuss what they are going to watch/do

This is so that students can

• discuss what they like/dislike/prefer to watch and why
• discuss the pros and cons of technology
• discuss what they will watch in the near future

Students should be able to give short spoken answers about this and write at least 60 words in accurate French/Spanish as well as understanding short spoken and written texts in a variety of formats, and dictating and translating short sentences.

Year 9

Holidays

In this topic, students will learn the powerful knowledge of how to form the past tense with a mix of regular and irregular verbs to discuss a previous holiday/trip that they have been on and learn adverbs of frequency to narrate what they did.  They will also learn how to give opinions in the past tense. Furthermore students will recall the future tense to discuss the next trip/holiday that they will go on.

This is so that students can

• describe where they went/stayed on a previous holiday,
• narrate what they did on this holiday and what they thought of it
• discuss where they will go on holiday in the future

Students should be able to give short spoken answers about this and write 60+ words in accurate French/Spanish as well as understanding longer spoken and written texts in a variety of formats, and dictating and translating short sentences.

future.

Year 10

What do you do on your phone and computer?

This topic allows you to continue to build up on your knowledge of vocabulary on media and technology previously studied in KS3. You will also be required to talk about more extensive content such as advantages and disadvantages of technology. Each lesson has a Big Question that students will answer for both Writing and Speaking:

This is so that students can:

• narrate what they do on their phones in the present tense, past tense and future tense
• weighs the pros and cons of technology
• use complex structures with some success

Students should be able to give quite extended spoken and written answers (90 words)  about this topic in accurate French/Spanish as well as understanding longer passages of written and spoken texts in Foundation Tier.

What do you do in your free time?

This topic allows you to use a greater number of verbs to be able to elaborate on other activities you do in your spare time especially in different tenses.

This is so that students can:

• express their opinions on sports, music, films.
• discuss what they like to eat
• use complex structures with some success

Students should be able to give quite extended spoken and written answers (90 words)  about this topic in accurate French/Spanish as well as understanding longer passages of written and spoken texts in Foundation Tier.

Year 11

How do you describe your school?

This topic will allow you to use the powerful knowledge (specific vocabulary) to describe what you study at school and to give both simple and more complex opinions on this, including comparatives as well as superlatives in addition to impersonal verbs and tenses.

This is so that students can:

• express their opinions on subjects, teachers, facilities, uniform
• use different tenses to discuss their studies.
• use complex structures with some success

Students should be able to give extended spoken and written answers (90+ words)  about this topic in accurate French/Spanish as well as understanding longer passages of written and spoken texts in Foundation Tier and Higher Tier.

What are your plans for the future?

This topic will allow you to be able to discuss your future plans (career and personal) using the future and conditional tenses and complex structures.

This is so that students can:

• express their ambitions for the near future
• use complex structures successfully

Students should be able to give extended spoken and written answers (90+ words)  about this topic in accurate French/Spanish as well as understanding longer passages of written and spoken texts in Foundation Tier and Higher Tier.

What is the biggest social issue facing the planet? What do you do to help others?

This topic will allow you to be able to discuss the biggest social issues facing our world (e.g homelessness) and use modal verbs and the future and conditional tenses to state what you could/should do to be able to help solve this.

This is so that students can:

• express their views on homelessness / charity
• narrate what they have done and will do to help others
• use complex structures successfully

Students should be able to give extended spoken and written answers (90-150 words)  about this topic in accurate French/Spanish as well as understanding longer passages of written and spoken texts in Foundation Tier and Higher Tier.