French

To get a feel for the teaching side of the MFL department at Orwell Park, please see the MFL Teaching Website: http://jocovmfl.synthasite.com

MFL in the Middle School (Years 3-6)

Years 3 and 4 follow a topic based course. They learn about French food, sports, activities and weather amongst other things. The focus is on aural and oral work.

Year 5 and 6 start with the textbook 'Expo 1'. Grammar and written work is introduced on a more regular basis and pupils sit French exams in the Autumn and Summer terms. They have 4 x 35 minute lessons a week. One lesson a week is normally in the computer room where pupils can focus on their listening skills in particular.

MFL at Common Entrance and Scholarship (Years 7 and 8)

The Common Entrance course starts at the beginning fo Year 7. Pupils cover the 16 topics required for their exams and look at a variety of grammar.

Pupils in the Scholars set cover similar topics to Common Entrance but at a faster pace and to greater depth. Grammar and breadth of vocabulary is an area of focus in this set.

In their final year, Scholars have the opportunity to study Spanish for three lessons a fortnight as an extra.

There is also a German club which is run on a weekly basis

 Trips

In Year 7, the pupils have the opportunity to visit le Chateau de la Baudonniere, in France. Here, pupils take part in a variety of activities run entirely in French.

The Spanish Scholars are also offered the opportunity to go to Madrid at the end of the Summer term for a short visit where they put into practice the Spanish they have learnt!

For further information or queries regarding language learning at Orwell Park School, please email:

Miss Jo Coventry at jocoventry@orwellpark.co.uk

 

 

 

German

 

The world might feel like a smaller place, but the need to communicate is forever growing.  Adults of the future will have increasing opportunities to work together and it is widely hoped that the variety and wealth that different languages provide will be preserved. With this in mind, an introduction to German is offered to pupils in our scholarship group.  Using the Klasse 1 course (OUP) and other material such as Key Stage 3 guides and workbooks, videos and CD ROMs, a small group has five lessons every fortnight in an effort to provide not just a taste of German but a genuine foundation that can be built upon in later life.

 

Students will acquire a reasonable command of the oral and written language and will usually be able to attempt a beginners’ examination paper as part of their scholarship programme. More importantly they will be able to cope adequately with a number of everyday tasks such as shopping for food and drink and buying clothes.   They will experience the satisfaction of using what they have learnt in real-life situations and have the confidence to converse with other German-speakers.

 

There is plenty of scope for cross-curricular work and one is especially aware of the European dimension in today’s world of politics and economics.  A better understanding and indeed acceptance of other cultures and ways of life are actively promoted as part of the language learning experience.

 

Nathalie Roberts