Lucy Bridgman

1. Cross-curricular Language links (with a particular focus on literacy) Lucy Bridgman

2. An overview of language teaching and learning at Higher Failsworth Primary. • Spanish taught in KS1 and KS2 – timetabled one hour per week although often less. • PPA cover • Subject leader can speak Spanish but teaches year 6 – no time for languages – not a priority • Spanish most often taught by PPA cover – shows status of language teaching. Drawbacks to not having main teacher for lesson – progression, groupings etc. • Children generally engaged and enthusiastic in lessons. They enjoy games and practical activities but maybe can’t always see relevance or progression in learning. • Issue of repetition • The school places a strong emphasis on inter-cultural understanding and raising cultural awareness in this quite deprived, white British area of Manchester. Many pupils don’t have exposure to different cultures…….Chinese day, links with schools in…. • Head wanted to integrate small amounts of Spanish daily eg by doing the register in Spanish. This is happening in some classes but not across the board.

3. Main problems : ((Make very visual)) *Teacher sk means not only are children sometimes being taught wrong thing but it’s difficult to extend knowledge, talk about grammar etc. On the other hand, could be argued that it is exposure to language and as long as it’s delivered enthusiastically……Not just lack of subject knowledge but also lack of the experience of learning a language which means they can’t put themselves in the learners shoes. Lack of priority/status –pushed to ppa cover which has problems I mentioned before

4. One way to raise status is through links with literacy. Make very visual this page…

5. Quotes about links with literacy ….. Also mention knowledge about language. ‘The child becomes more conscious and deliberate in using words as tools of his thought and expressive means for his ideas…The child’s approach to language becomes more abstract and generalized…The acquisition of foreign language − in its own peculiar way − liberates him (sic) from the dependence on concrete linguistic forms and expressions.’ Vygotsky, p. 160

6. ‘the mother tongue helps to learn a foreign language, but learning a foreign language also helps the mother tongue’ – French academics Learning a second language aids in the development of metalinguistic awareness because it broadens children’s experience of language generally. - Liddicoat

7. picture

8. I was especially impressed ???? By links made with literacy • SPAG – punctuation • Order of adjectives – thinking about sentence structure • Using connectives • Underlining nouns etc • Use of stories • Listening for keywords • Thinking about pronunciation • Dictionary skills Me llamo se llama - grammar

9. Why are these lessons successful?? Using several different skills – show some kind of brain pic.

10. Ideas (put on handout) • Eg writing letters • questions

11. Teachers should be made aware of …….but there would still be problems of subject knowledge. Also need to develop reading and writing in the TL. Lack of at the moment – Catherine. As NQTs with an interest in languages it’s up to us to show teachers how links can be made eg by suggesting some books in other languages • Teachers could just have one

12. OTHER SUCCESSFUL LESSONS CROSS-CURRICULAR LESSONS The most successful lessons had cross-curricular links for example: • Festivals, Spanish Christmas links with ….. Children talked very enthusiastically about this, horrified that Spanish children only get a shoe with presents in. Something they had really retained. • Science – the planets. Ordering the planets in Spanish and describing them – size and colour – position of adjectives – thinking about language. • Topic – natural disasters – weather. Teachers say they plan Spanish with these topics in mind. Good to have links between concepts and ideas. Pg 45 • Maths – numbers – addition. Compass points.