Modern Foreign Languages

The MFL Department at THS holds this quote at the core of our teaching. We strongly believe that the learning of a language not only opens doors for our students, but also opens their minds. As a department we want students to leave THS prepared to flourish in an increasingly diverse and rapidly changing society.

The MFL Curriculum at THS is underpinned by three key constructs: vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. We ensure each teaching and learning session refers to these constructs as they are intertwined, and none functions independently of the others. The students revisit these constructs throughout the entirety of their MFL learning journey.

Students’ learning is carefully sequenced for progression throughout both key stages. We front load the students with the vocabulary required for each topic and revisit this on a regular basis to help build the secure knowledge required for understanding. The explicit skill of vocabulary acquisition is a fundamental element of language learning and the MFL department fosters the retention and application of vocabulary learning skills across the curriculum. This enables students to utilise this skill across a range of subjects.

A key part of the language learning process is the ability to communicate via writing. The ability to accurately express themselves is a vital skill in all areas of the curriculum and the MFL department supports this by the explicit teaching of a range of tenses, appropriate audience register and the ability to express and justify sustained opinions. Accuracy of spelling is important, so we constantly revisit the phonics teaching to reinforce the link between the sound of the word and the spelling. The teaching of speaking skills starts with lead lessons designed to provide a clear understanding of letter combination sounds i.e. phonics. This phonics teaching underpins the decoding and pronunciation of new words. In both key stages, lessons are taught using a mixture of English and the Target Language to expose the students to near native pronunciation. Speaking activities gradually increase in terms of the complexity of vocabulary and grammar required.

Listening skills are embedded within the classroom via the use of target language spoken by the teacher and use of native speaker extracts. To help students improve listening skills, phonics and vocabulary are continually revisited in lessons.

We encourage students to read a variety of texts if possible, to broaden understanding, translation skills and to further promote a love of reading.

As a department, we deliver a curriculum which is available and accessible to all regardless of their prior experience or attainment because we also wish to inspire our pupils to enjoy other languages, to fully appreciate our and others’ cultural heritage, and to share how languages can help us understand our own identity, and that of others. The department provides support for all levels of language proficiency from running language café sessions for conversational language use to providing reading materials in French or German for our students to boost their understanding and reading for pleasure. We also offer students the chance to experience cultural aspects of France through our Exchange Programme. This helps to give their language learning a real context in which they can use it for its intended purpose