Welcome to the second year of learning French!
Having learnt some of the fundamentals of French last year, we are looking to extend this knowledge and hone practise and understanding this year. Learning new skills and words are not always easy and we encourage our students to be resilient and driven in their learning, as we know it will pay off.
Mr Matthews and Mrs Nanyonjo teach together in the department and both have good experience of teaching these new elements of learning.
Our curriculum builds on last year’s learning. In year 8, we learn about key aspects of pronunciation, combining adjectives and opinions, the first steps in using modal verbs and we continue to develop use of different time frames (past, present and future). Cultural understanding is still important as we look at new aspects of French culture over the year, which match our learning.
Over the past few years, we have been involved in trips abroad (Paris, Cologne, Madrid) for Years 8 and 9. These trips really demonstrate language learning in action.
Section 2: Curriculum Intent for that Year group
The learning is sequenced by term, across a broad topic “area” but mainly by grammar, so that students have language which is useful and important for communication. The broad topic areas have been chosen to give students language that they need to communicate in both spoken and written forms. The Core Knowledge and Grammar are carefully planned through an ambitious intent. Phonics will be promoted throughout. The nature of the curriculum is that it is cyclical, and that phonics, grammar and vocabulary will always thread through the topic blocks and be revisited (and deepened) at appropriate stages, as students progress throughout their study of French.
Section 3: Curriculum Map for Year 8
| Year 8 | |||
| | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
| Theme / Topic | What I like | Where I live | My holidays |
| Grammar | Adjectives and opinions | Introducing modal verbs | Using a variety of tenses |
| Culture | Omar Sy / French Rap | Gustave Eiffel / The Eiffel Tower | Jeanne Baret / Skiing in France |