The project
A small group of teachers, each representing a different school phase, has produced modules of work to address the need for wider language and cultural awareness than the MFL national curriculum provides.
These materials, together with some related literature, are currently being prepared for publication, in complementary printed and electronic formats.
Materials
Click on the links in the panels on the right to access lesson plans, resources and case studies (note that lesson plans are in their original pre-evaluation form). You may need to install Adobe Reader to be able to view some of the resources. This software is available free of charge from Adobe's website.
Project aims
- To develop teaching ideas and learning materials for pupils in KS2-3 to complement and support pupils’ language learning;
- To develop materials which have a multilingual perspective and an inclusive approach that is suitable for children from all cultures;
- To place language learning in a robust, multilingual conceptual framework;
- To take advantage of current developments in pedagogy, including thinking skills, the literacy strategy and the Modern Languages KS3 framework, focusing on active learning and creativity.
Participants in the project
- Rebecca Poole (project coordinator and Trust lead practitioner) - Hendon School, London (specialist language college)
- Nigel Palmer and Jane Mamelok - Manor Park Primary School, Coventry
- Stephanie Young-Lefebvre – Ryde High School Language College, Isle of Wight, with Mayfield C of E Middle School
Important contributions have also been made by Richard Winstone of MFL Consultant Services Ltd and Terry Lamb of the University of Sheffield. We are grateful for additional support from Samantha Hobbs of Slough Grammar School.
Structure of learning objectives
The materials fall into three broad categories:
• Intercultural awareness
• Investigating language and languages
• Language learning tools
Project outcomes
Pilot materials have been developed, trialled and evaluated in each school. Some of the classroom activities were videoed during the trial for evaluation and dissemination purposes. The intention is to publish the resources as currently being used by schools together with their own evaluations of them.
The hope is that language teachers will want to incorporate them in their own teaching, either adapted or as they stand; that useful Inset within MFL departments may be based on them; that primary/secondary or middle/high school transition work will draw on them; and that primary schools will feel confident to develop language awareness work with their pupils, either with or without specialist language support.
Rebecca Poole presented an update on the project’s progress at the Trust Language College conference in July 2004. View the presentation.
The following projects have provided invaluable bases for the Trust’s language, culture and identity project:
• The Hendon School Language Awareness Project
Rebecca Poole and her colleagues at Hendon have already been teaching a year 7 module with the same objectives.
• The Coventry LEA ‘Thinking Through Languages’ Project
Nigel Palmer and Jane Mamelok have been participating in Coventry’s ‘Thinking through Languages’ project, now part of a DfES Primary Pathfinder. We would like to thank Nick Jones, Adviser for MFL, Coventry LEA, for his support. It is well worth visiting Nick’s website on www.language-investigator.co.uk.
