Implications of the Key Stage 2 Framework for Specialist Language Colleges

1
Implications of the Key Stage 2 Framework for
Specialist Language Colleges

• Gill Maynard
• AST and CILT Trainer
• 5 January 2007

2
The primary entitlement(National languages
Strategy 2002)

• Every child should have the opportunity
  throughout Key Stage 2 to study a foreign
  language and develop their interest in the
  culture of other nations. They should have access
  to high quality teaching and learning
  opportunities, making use of native speakers and
  e-learning. By age 11 they should have the
  opportunity to reach a recognised level of
  competence on the Common European Framework and
  for that achievement to be recognised through a
  national scheme.

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What has changed?

• Languages as integral part of the KS2 curriculum
• Stress on progression within KS2
• Distinctive primary approach
• Focus on skills rather than content
• Primary schools have ownership of the subject.

4
Implications for SLCs

• Secondary colleagues cannot deliver all primary
  language teaching
• Primary and secondary teachers must work in
  partnership
• Importance of developing sustainable models
• Secondary schools must recognise and build on
  prior learning

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Challenges for primary schools

• Time
• (1 hour a week)
• Teachers subject knowledge
• (pronunciation / intonation and grammar)
• Language teaching methodology
• (different approach from own secondary
  experience)
• Resources
• (availability? suitability? cost?)
• Planning
• (schemes of work for all 4 years)
• Assessment
• (formative how? what? when?)
• Plus mixed-age classes ?

6
Challenges for secondary schools supporting
primary languages

• Understanding the primary ethos
• (primary day, class routines, rewards)
• Understanding how children learn at different
  ages
• (Differences between Year 3 and Year 6)
• Understanding the Framework
• (3 strands Oracy, Literacy, Intercultural
  Understanding
• plus Knowledge about Language,
• Language Learning Strategies)
• This is a serious commitment.

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How could SLCs support primary languages?

• Model good practice through outreach teaching
  (oral activity-based approach, games)
• Suggest ways of integrating language activities
  into school day
• Share / produce / recommend resources
• Offer language upskilling courses for teachers
  linked to methodology
• Offer inset at staff meetings

8
Working towards sustainability

• Help schools to identify a named Languages
  Coordinator and work with him/her.
• Develop schemes of work in partnership with
  primary colleagues.
• Work together on assessment, based on the
  European languages Portfolio.
• Encourage teachers to attend RSG meetings and
  other training opportunities and use the CILT
  Training Zone.

9
The fun factor

• Organise one-off events Languages Day, European
  Theatre Company, food-tasting, sports event,
  performance for parents
• Plan to celebrate national festivals etc
• Exploit the European day of Languages
• Involve SLC language assistants
• Involve Sixth formers or younger students (NB
  careful structuring required!)
• Offer taster sessions of other languages
  Russian? Japanese?

10
How can we ensure progression from KS2 to KS3?

• Children may have learnt one or more different
  languages
• Children will not necessarily know the same topic
  vocabulary
• Children will be at different levels of
  achievement
• Children are used to a different approach to
  language learning

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Transition Questions for SLCs

• How can we build on childrens language learning
  skills?
• How can we work with primary partners to develop
  KS2 assessments which are informative, reliable
  and manageable?
• How do we need to adapt our KS3 schemes of work?
• Can we learn from the primary approach to
  language teaching?

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The final word from Year 3

• Learning a language is Exciting! Fantastic!
  Magical! Useful! Stimulating! Really, really,
  100x really Fun!