The Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Department The department is a small but highly experienced one of three staff including one native French speaker. All specialist staff teach both French and German in a suite of very well-equipped rooms. We also have modern ICT facilities and our own purpose-built computer room. We encourage pupils to develop competence in all the skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing in the either French or German (depending upon their year of entry to Dyke House).
The aims of the department are;
• to enable pupils of all abilities to understand and use the target language effectively for practical communication
• to provide positive, successful and enjoyable learning experiences
• to learn about the basic structures of language
• to explore similarities and differences between the foreign language and English
• to appreciate different cultures, peoples and communities
At Key Stage 3 the courses in both French and German cover the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, together with grammar and a variety of vocabulary. Topics covered include self, family, school, hobbies, home life, holidays, food and transport. We aim to challenge, stimulate and support with a wide range of learning activities.
Key Stage 4 extends the work carried out in previous years, with particular emphasis on preparation of exam technique. Listening, reading and speaking are assessed at the end of Year 11 by examination. Writing is assessed by means of coursework completed during the course of Year 10 and Year 11. We offer both languages to GCSE level for those pupils choosing to continue.
The MFL staff visit primary schools and offer introductory sessions to French or German for Year 5 and 6 pupils. Each of the classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards linked to computers and we also have our own ICT suite of 18 computer workstations.
After school we give pupils the opportunity to develop their learning of the language they are studying and also offer Year 9 pupils a sample of the other language not yet studied should they wish to pursue this at GCSE. Pupils preparing for GCSE examinations are also offered revision sessions.
Language learning relies heavily on the memorisation of words and then memory recall. Therefore vocabulary learning is a vital element of the pupil’s work.
