MFL Key Stage 3 Spanish

Modern Foreign Languages and COVID 19

During lockdown your child was provided with live lessons focusing on reading and writing skills in either French, Spanish or Urdu. We are confident that, if your child engaged with tasks set and live lessons offered, they will be in the best possible position in returning to language lessons this term.

As a result of lockdown curriculum, our first focus on returning to in school lessons has been to get your child speaking and listening to the target language in class again. This initially involved language refresher lessons upon their return to school, to build confidence in returning to MFL classes and hearing the target language spoken in a familiar way. Henceforth, it will involve specialised MFL teaching through a cyclic, structured and balanced curriculum. We take time every lesson to work across the four key skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) and to build these four skills in unison.

We know your child will have some gaps from missing in school MFL teaching during COVID lockdown, but we are working very hard to ensure that our French, Spanish and Urdu curricula address these gaps as a priority. We are also using differentiated low-stakes testing in class at the end of every single session with the aim of supporting all students in understanding how they are doing and how they can improve further. This is crucial in ensuring every child accesses work at the correct level and builds steadily on their prior learning.

Furthermore, we have developed tailored Knowledge Organisers that encapsulate the core vocabulary and grammar demands required for success at every stage of the language learning process – these will be made available for every individual module across KS3 and KS4 as your child needs them. The Knowledge Organisers are crucial in making sure our students systematically acquire core knowledge and do regular, planned practice of vocabulary, grammar and phonics.

How can I support my child?

The most important thing you can do is to ensure they have access to their current French/ Spanish/ Urdu Knowledge Organiser (on Google Classroom).

Every day your child should should be studying at least one section of their Knowledge Organiser at home for 5 – 10 minutes and they will have to organise themselves to do this properly. They will also be tested in their first language lesson every week on knowledge from the organiser. All tests are open and low-stakes to avoid additional pressure on students, however, they must establish a routine of learning to keep on track. Every student must learn all the information on the Knowledge Organiser off by heart (and many will learn much more beside it in class).

Help your child to look, cover, write and check vocabulary to make sure they know it thoroughly.

Other activities to try with the Knowledge Organiser:
• Create mindmaps
• Create flashcards
• Put the key words into new sentences
• Test your child orally
• Mnemonics
• Draw a comic strip of a timeline
• Copy the words out in small chunks at a time.
• Get your child to write their own spelling test and then leave it overnight to answer them the next day
• Draw images and annotate/label them with extra information
• Do further research on the topic
• Create fact files
• Cover parts of the Knowledge Organiser and ask your child try to complete all the words in that section
• Get your child to record themselves reading the vocabulary and listen back on repeat
• Encourage them to re-record without the vocabulary in sight

There are many, many more ways to practise – they just have to get started and see how best works for them as individuals!

Your child’s teacher will give them hints each week on Google Classroom as to where they should be up to on the Knowledge Organiser and they must be organised and keep up with their home learning.

Remember, if you need any more help and support, the MFL department is always here with ideas of how to revise.

Thank you for all your support so far.

Mrs J. Nesfield

Head of Modern Foreign Languages

Stretford High School

KS3 students (year 7, 8 and 9) follow schemes of learning based around the English National Curriculum framework. Activities that promote key literacy skills have been built into the schemes. Year 7 are initially taught in form groups and are then set after the first half term based on their KS2 levels and their understanding of work in this initial period.

Reading, writing, speaking and listening are covered each term. Students are taught in sets and the level of work covered will depend on prior attainment.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9