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Shireland Language College
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Primary Language Learning for the Millennium Good Practice Project In July 1998 we said "Auf Wiedersehen" to Shireland Language College and just six weeks later in September 1998 "Bonjour" to Shireland Language College.
Shireland Language College is an 11-16 mixed comprehensive school of 800 pupils. As a school we pride ourselves on our linguistic diversity with over 15 languages represented in the school, providing a dynamic environment for learning and experiencing languages. Central to the philosophy of the Language College is that learning a language and developing intercultural competence are important life skills - a preparation for the diverse needs of adult life and business. Our Primary languages curriculum places considerable emphasis on ensuring that language learning is enjoyable, relevant and appropriate. We want to develop positive attitudes towards learning a foreign language and to other societies and cultures by providing access to native speakers for all the languages. Our Languages Taster Course for our six feeder primaries has been running for five years. It is part of our Language College Development Plan to develop a more coherent timetabled approach to the teaching of Primary Languages within our cluster group. At present pupils have tasters in German, French, Panjabi and Urdu for 30 minutes each. Language Assemblies have focused on the multi-lingual nature of language learning at Shireland Language College and encourage pupils to value their own bilingualism. We wish to draw on the cultural and linguistic diversity of our community. Many of the pupils who come to us in Year 7 are already accomplished linguists who speak more than one language and we want to build on this solid linguistic foundation as early as possible to enable them to make better progress through the Key Stages. For bilingual pupils, linguistic ability can develop the confidence to succeed across the curriculum. We aim to pay special attention to raising the profile of languages for boys, and feel that this will be helped by making as early a start as possible with the learning of languages. At present, all Year 7 pupils follow a language awareness and language taster course in their first term. The All our Languages Booklet is presently used in the first term of Year 7 to enable pupils to choose their National Curriculum Language and to gain language and cultural awareness. By shifting this taster course into Year 6 we are enabling primary pupils to experience early foreign language learning and providing them with an overall framework within which to place their language learning. We have developed a primary taster course booklet using the All our languages booklet as its framework, to include the following language taster courses:
The emphasis throughout the taster course will be placed upon cultural awareness, in particular building upon pupils' confidence in their own linguistic ability and using a range of technologies to enhance learning. Pupils will be exposed to as much target language as possible and encouraged to use the target language as much as possible. We have decided to operate on a termly basis with the following three primary schools in the first instance:
We aim to teach for ONE term (starting October 1999) on the day specified by the primary schools. We will initiate the project with Parkside because they are the largest- Year 6 has approximately 110 pupils (four Y6 classes).We originally planned to offer 30 hours of MFL, but we now feel this is too ambitious. If we work on a termly basis pupils will receive 10 hours of MFL to include language awareness and one language from a European/Far Eastern/Asian language family. In order to increase the hours of MFL teaching and learning we will plan an International Activities Day in summer term for all Year 6 pupils who have taken part in the project. This should increase their total hours of MFL learning to 15 hours. We will provide each primary with a Primary Languages Tool-kit, which will consist of flashcards, vocabulary guides, and cassettes for listening practice. ICT will be used to enhance the learning experience for pupils, enabling them to develop an independent approach to learning. The use of ICT as a tool for MFL teaching and learning is a strength of the school. The Modern Foreign Languages Department enjoys excellent facilities. One of the classrooms has recently been equipped with an interactive whiteboard - the blackboard of the 21st Century, which is linked to a computer. The World Languages Centre is equipped with a PC cluster, satellite TV and Internet access and Tandberg mini language laboratory. The centre encourages the development of independent language learning skills. The Global Languages Centre is a multimedia Language Centre sponsored by Tandberg and Vektor which provides excellent facilities for independent study and language teaching and learning. We will be purchasing language learning software suitable for primary language learning to prevent pupils repeating work using software already available at the College. There is also an Urdu and Panjabi word processing and DTP package. My Language Portfolio and All our Languages Booklet will be used to keep a record of pupil achievement. The main aim of the booklet and portfolio is concrete evidence of a pupil's language competencies, to ensure continuity between the Key Stages and avoidance of a time-wasting overlap. Schools can then build positively on earlier achievements and give pupils at KS3 a smother linguistic progression from primary to secondary. Parents should also receive a comment on their child's progress in the annual report. Liaison with parents is vital if we are to promote the early teaching and learning of MFL. Parents will be invited to attend a Parents Workshop - Help Your Child Learn - A Family Concern - which will focus on the skills needed to support a child in MFL learning. Opportunities will be provided for parents to take up languages themselves. Involvement will be encouraged through the Primary Portfolio. We will use CILT "My Languages Portfolio" which will be transferred to the Shireland Portfolio of Language Competence on transfer to the College. Pupils not moving to Shireland Language College will start Key Stage 3 with a valuable experience of a range of modern foreign languages, and a profile giving baseline information about their language competence and their progress so far. By using the CILT "My Languages Portfolio" pupils have a record of their range of language competencies so they can leave both primary and then secondary school with an appreciation of other cultures and societies and join the world of work with languages as one of their life skills. We want to link the National Literacy strategy with early foreign language learning and demonstrate how provision of early foreign language learning improves not only communication and listening skills, but also raises the issues of accuracy of writing and improving performance skills. We will work hand-in-hand with Literacy co-ordinators to ensure we complement the KS2 and KS3 curriculum in raising levels of literacy in Southeast Smethwick The project will enlist the expertise, resources and commitment from staff in Modern Foreign Languages Department and their colleagues in feeder primary schools. Staff from Shireland Language College will team-teach where appropriate with Primary Staff. Foreign Language Assistant will support with French and German and parents with knowledge of Panjabi and Urdu will be asked to support also. We are also using Year 11 pupils as Early Language Learning Mentors who where possible will be attached to their old primary school to reinforce languages as a lifelong learning concept. The Early Learning Co-ordinator will run in-service training sessions every term for all staff including Year 7 Head of Year and members of English department on the methodology of teaching younger learners. The training will focus on use of resources, building fluency, effective methods and materials and course planning. All staff involved in the project will plan the work together as a team. We are also keen for staff to attend language refresher courses via Central Bureau as well as evening language courses at Shireland Language College where staff will have the opportunity to enter RSA certificate of Business Language Competence as accreditation for their language skills. We are organising a Primary Languages Conference in July 1999 for staff, literacy co-ordinators and primary/secondary LEA advisors. We will use the Global Languages Centre as training and planing facility for all those involved in the project.
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