Modern Languages

 

 

 

 

Pupils coming into S1 have usually studied French for at least one year in Primary School. We use the Métro Bleu course book and pupils are given the opportunity to practise reading, listening, writing and speaking in French. Our classrooms give pupils the chance to use the electronic whiteboard and we often go to the ICT rooms to make use of lots of different websites which help pupils to engage with the language. We are also very lucky to have a Foreign Language Assistant who works with whole classes and also in small class groups.

 

Pupils make presentations using PowerPoint and they frequently use Word documents to present their work.  In S1 pupils will cover personal information, home area and French-speaking countries. They will start to look at structures and gain a good understanding of basic grammar. We use project work to give pupils the chance to understand a little more about France and French-speaking countries and to encourage collaborative and independent learning.

 

All pupils are issued with homework booklets which have all of the notes and vocabulary they will need to work at home. Pupils have lots of learning homework in French. It requires pupils to read over notes carefully almost every night to develop their language skills. Written homework is always given with notice. 

 

We would strongly encourage parents/carers to get involved by helping their son/daughter revise vocabulary – you don’t need to speak the language as English is always given for each phrase or activity!

Parents/carers can also help their son/daughter when they are accessing websites or using games to practise their French. Individual class pages have been developed on www.quia.com to give parents and pupils links and activities directly related to their course work.

 

We are very happy to give any additional support requests from parents our time and guidance and we can arrange extra practice if needed.

 

 

 

This is an important year for pupils as they start to move away from basic structures and begin to build more complex ideas in French. We practise the same 4 key skill areas as in S1 but now we look at how we can expand ideas and write and speak French a little more fluently.

 

Pupils will continue with the Métro Bleu course book and progress to Métro pour l’Ecosse vert/rouge course books to consolidate and extend their learning in French. Topics covered include school and free time.

 

Pupils are given homework booklets and we ask that they are supported at home to revise vocabulary. The booklets contain exercises which pupils are given to practise reading and writing. Parents/carers can help by checking over work. All of the vocabulary and phrases that pupils need is found in the booklets.

 

Pupils enjoy using ICT and they can use many websites at home to extend their knowledge of French culture – music, film, tv, food etc. Listening practice is vital and pupils should try to access as much French as they can via DVDs, radio and the internet. Individual class pages have been developed on www.quia.com to give parents and pupils links and activities directly related to their course work.

 

 

 

Please see attached extract from Subject Choice Booklet.

 

The department can also offer the SQA Access course which allows pupils to pursue transactional tasks with no external assessment and gives them the opportunity to work more on project ideas, therefore increasing their ICT skills and communication skills in a broader sense.

 

Parents/carers can help by signing the ‘pupil contract’ (prepared last year but to be given to new S4 in August ’08) which is an agreement between class teachers, pupils and parents to focus attention on folio writing and speaking assessment preparation. Parents will be informed of upcoming assessments and can guide their son/daughter to the relevant part of their jotters to study carefully. Pupils are always given plenty of notice of these assessments, they form almost 50% of their overall award and it is really important that pupils and parents feel supported in their ability to do their best with revision. Supported study and lunchtime study classes form an integral part of what we do and we would ask parents/carers to encourage their son/daughter to attend these events in order to promote a climate of successful learning. It is planned to develop a dedicated class page on www.quia.com for S3 and S4 leading directly to links and activities for pupils.

 

 

 

Support available includes – supported study, language and study classes offered by Alliance Française and Goethe Institute - and very important - our Foreign Language Assistants. It is planned to develop a dedicated class page on www.quia.com for S5 and S6 leading directly to links and activities for pupils.