The MFL department aims to create and develop enthusiastic and independent learners. We are committed to establishing a learning environment that encourages students to feel confident about taking risks and developing informed opinions about the wider world.
We want students to reflect on and improve their skills, ask questions and enjoy challenge in the classroom. We wish to maximise the achievement and progression of each pupil by developing mutual respect, trust and co-operation between pupils, staff and parents.
We see the study of a modern foreign language as vital, as languages are part of the cultural richness of our society and beyond. Learning languages contributes to mutual understanding, the idea of worldwide citizenship and our individual fulfilment. It develops an awareness of similarities and differences in populations, countries, communities and cultures and is particularly important for the times in which we live.
We see the ability to understand and communicate in another language as a lifelong skill for education, leisure and employment in this country and throughout the world. Competency in a foreign language enhances the employability skills of our pupils once they leave Yavneh.
Language learning in the classroom offers opportunities for pupils to become increasingly familiar with the sounds, written form and grammar of a modern foreign language. It helps them understand what they hear and read, and to express themselves in speech and in writing. It assists the development of their language skills and language-learning skills, so that they become increasingly independent learners and users of any language they choose. It develops their listening, concentration and social skills through partnership and group work. It uses ICT to access and communicate information. It improves standards across the curriculum, as there are links in the schemes of learning to inclusion, literacy, numeracy and metacognition. It forms a sound basis for further study in KS4 and beyond.
Key Stage 3
Typically in Year 7 half of the year group study French and the other half Spanish, for three hours in each two-week cycle. In Year 8, pupils continue with their allocated language. By the end of Year 8 all pupils will have studied their allocated language for two years. In Year 9, many pupils will select one of these languages to take on to GCSE.
The Modern Foreign Languages Department firmly believes in bringing language to life. We do this in a variety of ways using games, role-play and pair work. The activities help pupils learn to be confident in their interactions with each other in French and Spanish. During lessons, equal emphasis is placed on the four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. We make good use of our ICT facilities and use computer games and language learning programmes together with text and workbooks to help pupils with their studies in the classroom and at home.