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Modern Foreign Languages

Mission Statement

Our aim is to challenge and develop our students towards being confident communicators, able to manipulate language, interact with and understand other cultures to become global citizens equipped to make a difference

At St. Mary’s Catholic School, students study either French or Spanish at Key Stage 3. The opportunity to study Italian may also be available. Topics covered are in the curriculum maps. Pupils are encouraged to work independently at home using their devices to help engage with their learning. Pupils are also encouraged to develop their memory retrieval skills by regularly revisiting vocabulary covered throughout the course.

Assessments take place termly across the four skills or listening, speaking, reading and writing. 

 

Key Stage 3

The following books are used art KS3.

French Dynamo 1 and Dynamo 2

Spanish Mira 1, Mira 2, Viva 3

Key Stage 4

The following books are used at KS4.

GCSE Studio AQA

GCSE Viva AQA

GCSE Modern Foreign Languages – French/ Italian/Spanish

Assessment methods 

There are 4 examinations for GCSE.

Each examination is worth 25% of your final grade.

The examinations can be taken at Higher or Foundation Level. 

 

Foundation

Higher

Listening

40 minutes

Section A answers in English

Section B answers in TL

50 minutes

Section A answers in English

Section B answers in TL

Speaking

Role play card

Photo card

General conversation 3-5 minutes

Role play card

Photo card

General conversation 5-7 minutes

Reading

45 minutes

Section A answers in English

Section B answers in TL

1 hour

Section A answers in English

Section B answers in TL

Writing

1 hour

Q1 photo description

Q2 40 words

Q3 5 sentences translation

Q4 90 words

1 hour 15 minutes

Q1 90 words

Q2 150 words

Q3 paragraph translation

NB: students who are fortunate to speak languages other than those on offer at St Mary’s can also be given the opportunity to sit a GCSE and the MFL Department will help them achieve this.

GCSE French, Spanish and Italian cover 3 themes.

Theme 1 Identity and Culture

Theme 2 Local, national, international and global areas of interest

Theme 3 Current and future study and employment

The AQA GCSE French specification including vocabulary list is available here:

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658

The AQA GCSE Italian specification including vocabulary list is available here:

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/italian-8633

The AQA GCSE Spanish specification including vocabulary list is available here:

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/spanish-8698

 

Learning a language has helped me to understand more about the world around me. It has helped me to understand words and meanings, which I can apply to English. Furthermore, it has given me a window into another culture and helped me to gain both awareness of how big and varied the world is, and appreciation for such diversity.

- Mille, Year 12