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Ensuring successful transition from KS4 to KS5
The project aimed to facilitate successful transition and progression for students studying a language at KS4 in a school environment to KS5 at a sixth form college and provide opportunities for teaching staff to better understand the requirements of GCSE, AS and A2, where applicable.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Assessment, Chinese, Employer engagement, French, German, Spanish, Transition
- Sector: Secondary/FE
Dovetailing online video and thinking skills strategies
Two 14-19 Teacher Networks produced a replicable framework of resources that dovetail online foreign language video and video editing resources with Thinking Skills strategies to develop the Personal Learning and Intercultural understanding of pupils in Key Stages 4 and 5.
Creative projects in languages
Outside clients commissioned a product requiring the use of the foreign language, and pupils delivered the product, such as a children's book for a primary school, a resource for a visitor attraction or jingles for a radio station. The participating schools analysed to what extent their curriculum is supportive of pupil creativity and independence.
La Cucina d'Inferno
A project teaching Italian in the work environment of a professional training kitchen under the direction of a celebrity chef, Franco Taruschio. NVQ language units were used for assessment.
- Theme: Work-related learning
- Keywords: Alternative accreditation/new GCSE, Assessment, Employer engagement, Food, Italian, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary/FE
Knowledge about Language (KAL) and Language Learning Strategies (LLS) as a source of next practice: A case study of Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin Chinese shows the importance of the learning process in teaching a language, not just the outcome. Make learning a language interesting through comparative linguistics.
- Theme: Home Languages
- Keywords: Chinese, Home Languages, Language leaders / peer-to-peer learning, Less commonly taught languages
- Sector: Primary
Talking to Learn
This project foregrounds two aspects of learner talk in the target language: planned talk and spontaneous talk, and through the development of new task types engaging with a variety of different contexts and stimuli we aim to improve learners’ confidence and ability in, and creativity with, spoken language.
Once upon a digital age
Do you want to deliver language learning objectives and ICT objectives through storytelling? Here you will find units of work in French and Spanish. They could easily be adapted for use in other languages and for other year groups.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, French, ICT and technologies, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Spanish, Storytelling
- Sector: Primary
Making primary languages our business
A community of schools collaborated to engage reluctant and more committed language learners who designed language resources for primary, learned about methodology, planned lessons, and trialled them in partner primary schools. As a transition project this also provided opportunities for further language skills acquisition for primary languages teachers.
The Language of Business
The idea behind this project was to bring together employers and young people, to enhance the employers’ engagement in Italian language learning and to give pupils an opportunity to understand how languages are used in a real work environment. Working with employers and students, we produced audio and video material to be used in both Italian language and business lessons as part of integrated programmes.
Backstage
Backstage is based on international film and music festivals. The students research the festival world and then use the target language creatively to promote, organise and star in their own festival.
A new approach to Y7+: Continuity, Creativity, Culture
This project developed strategies to encourage students to share their learning and become less dependent on the teacher. It also developed lesson plans to illustrate how lesson content can become more engaging through links to other subjects, Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) and Intercultural Understanding.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: CLIL, French, Intercultural understanding, Personal learning and thinking skills, Phonics, Spanish, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
The evolution of language learning through science
In this project language and science teachers collaborated to put together a unit of work for students to learn science through French and/or German. This motivated students, promoted active learning and developed teachers’ expertise as curriculum leaders.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, Engaging hard-to-reach pupils, French, German, Science
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Understanding others, understanding ourselves
This project provided opportunities for pupils to develop essential skills through the context of festivals and culture in France and the Canary Islands. Underpinned by strong partnerships with link schools abroad, authentic contexts enabled pupils to engage in investigative, independent and collaborative ways of working.
- Theme: Intercultural understanding
- Keywords: CLIL, Drama, French, Intercultural understanding, International links, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Spanish
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
New GCSE Speaking Forum
A forum for teachers preparing students for the controlled speaking assessment of the new AQA GCSE in French, German, Spanish and Italian. The forum contains podcasts and learning materials in various formats to help teachers encourage students and increase their confidence in preparing for the speaking test, by using modern media.
Real Communication in Modern Languages
This project has explored the use of video-conferencing between schools in Exeter and schools in France and Germany with 3 focal points: practice for GCSE; discussion of current affairs at AS and A level; links with a local business for vocational languages. Conferences between teachers allowed quick planning meetings.
Web-based teachers pack: languages and cultures
Within the multicultural, ethnically and linguistically diverse West Midlands region, it is important to value and recognise pupils’ individual backgrounds, experiences and languages. This project aims to raise the profile of community languages by engaging pupils in a new learning experience where they become central to the teaching and learning of the language(s).
Literacy-Led Modern Language Learning
This project focused on developing units of work in French and Spanish driven by the literacy outcomes of the related National Strategies units with a view to engaging disenchanted learners, and impacting on progress in literacy, particularly writing, through the development of engaging pedagogy and resources.
- Theme: Engaging hard-to-reach pupils
- Keywords: Engaging hard-to-reach pupils, French, ICT and technologies, Literacy, Phonics, Spanish, Storytelling
- Sector: Primary
Histoires sans paroles
The project is aimed at easing the transition between primary and secondary languages. By using picture stories we are encouraging pupils to produce creative and independent spoken work. The pupils have received input on how to use dictionaries, verb tables and phrase toolkits successfully in their language learning which has then been applied to the picture stories.
- Theme: Independence in speaking
- Keywords: French, Independence in speaking, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Storytelling, Student voice, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Improving pupils’ progress in languages through effective approaches to transition
This project involved primary and secondary teachers working together to provide a smooth transition experience for pupils between Key Stages 2 and 3 through the adoption of systematic approaches to planning, teaching and assessment. It included peer observations and the effective use of ICT to record, monitor and assess learning.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Assessment, French, ICT and technologies, Language leaders / peer-to-peer learning, Spanish, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Widening Russian Horizons
The focus of this project was a Russia Day involving 9 schools, with two sessions held during the day. After a concert from the Hermitage Ensemble, students were taught a Russian song and then took part in 4 activities on Russian business, culture or language.
A Place in Europe Language Challenge
Students from years 8 and 9 were set the challenge of establishing a relocation company, and creating a relocation plan and developing a storyboard of their journey during the 'Place in Europe Language Challenge'. The brief is to relocate a family of four to a country within Europe speaking French, German or Spanish.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, Enterprise, French, German, International links, Spanish, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary
A Mandarin Journey
‘A Mandarin Journey’ provided the opportunity for students from a variety of different schools from across the Wirral to embark on a creative journey of cultural enrichment, by bringing students together to sing and play music from China. This was done through workshops led by experienced practitioners.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Chinese, Community cohesion, Drama, International links, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Parent participation, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Madagascar
Cross-curricular/phase project to develop innovative approaches to integrating a range of curriculum areas, enabling pupils in vertical groupings to work collaboratively to develop a variety of skills, including language learning strategies and understanding intercultural issues. Peer coaching with pupils is used to support learners.
Meanings that Matter
Short CLIL modules for secondary pupils, planned and taught by trainee teachers (CLIL MA students) from Leipzig University in collaboration with their mentors in six host schools, with observers from Reading and Oxford Brooks Universities. Subjects were Maths, Science, Citizenship and Music. The project incorporated CLIL training elements for mentors.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, German, International links, Multimedia, film, music and radio, PSHE and citizenship, Science
- Sector: Secondary
Aiming Higher in Languages
The project aims to improve pupils’ chances of achieving A/A* grades in French / German and to promote uptake at key stage 5. Pupils create a voiceover during a special event led by Sixth Form teachers. Throughout key stage 4 pupils have opportunities to access A level texts and activities.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Assessment, French, German, Student voice, Transition
- Sector: Secondary/FE
Talking Signs
Using British Sign Language as a set of existing and uniform gestures, we used the theme of animals to develop a range of responses from children in key stage 1. The objectives of the lessons were drawn from the Primary Modern Foreign Languages Framework.
Using CLIL to tackle transition issues: developing capacity within the partnership
The project involved four Secondary school languages mentors and three Primary school mentors. Mentors attended a session on transition issues and CLIL in the Spring term. They developed a CLIL PSHE scheme of work in the Autumn term and they taught pupils PSHE through French.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, French, PSHE and citizenship, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Fashion International
Fashion International encourages Year 8 and 9 students to develop and use their language skills in work-based exercises and assignments, focused upon the international fashion industry.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, Enterprise, Fashion, French, German, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary
Bringing a text to life: From Talk to Performance
Starting with the principles of Talk for Writing, the aim of this project is to develop creative and innovative practice using texts in the target language. The text is memorized by the whole class and recited using a kinaesthetic approach. The resources produced aim to promote language rich and stimulating learning opportunities for all.
- Theme: Independence in speaking
- Keywords: French, Independence in speaking, Literacy, Spanish, Storytelling
- Sector: Primary
Mobile technology in the MFL classroom using the iPad and iPod touch
This innovative project has explored the use of mobile devices such as the iPad and the iPod Touch to enhance the teaching and learning of languages, to complement schemes of work, to motivate learners, to truly collaborate with partner institutions and to raise the profile of languages within the schools.
- Theme: Intensive language learning
- Keywords: French, German, ICT and technologies, Spanish
- Sector: Secondary/FE
Spinning a Yarn- ‘Helps Wu Larn’ - (The Geordie Way)
How to use stories from other cultures to develop the Intercultural Understanding Strand of the Key Stage 2 Framework for Languages. Using the language skills and strategies of secondary students to develop similar skills and strategies in primary school children.
- Theme: Intercultural understanding
- Keywords: French, German, Intercultural understanding, Spanish, Storytelling
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Handing Over!
Language acquisition, modelling and collaborative planning sessions helped teachers of Years three and four to gain confidence in delivering stimulating teaching of German or Italian in their classes. INSET included an evaluation of CLIL pedagogy, encouraging teachers to develop and embed target language activities in the Key Stage 2 curriculum.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, German, ICT and technologies, Italian, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Storytelling
- Sector: Primary
Links across the pyramid
‘Links across the pyramid’ is an account of the activities undertaken to examine transition across a 3 tier pyramid. The project team tried to improve communication between teachers and undertook a series of joint activities to promote and celebrate language learning in their schools.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Assessment, Drama, French, Language leaders / peer-to-peer learning, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Storytelling, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Water water everywhere
Resources to enrich French teaching in the primary classroom. Materials incorporate more sophisticated language and curriculum content as the children get older. Links are made to most areas of the curriculum for most age groups, and all the ideas can easily be adapted for mixed-age classes and to aid differentiation.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, French, Literacy, Multimedia, film, music and radio, PSHE and citizenship, Science, Transition
- Sector: Primary
Olympian values inspire language-learning and teaching in Newham!
Based on the 7 Olympic and Paralympic Values, we develop a scheme of work add-on, primary French teaching resources plus a vision, policy and action plan for primary MFL. Through team-planning, we teach, observe and evaluate to produce high quality French lessons.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Community cohesion, French, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Sport, Transition
- Sector: Primary
Creating a Language Learning Skills Continuum
Stand-alone teaching and learning activities and resources to develop pupils’ transferable Language Learning Skills and Knowledge About Language. The learning activities are matched to learning objectives in the Key Stage 2 and 3 Frameworks and can be used with any scheme for learning.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: French, German, Literacy, Phonics, Spanish, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
These shoes are made for talking
This project uses drama to stimulate real communication, generate spontaneous interaction and increase cultural awareness. Using process drama techniques, pupils and teachers step into someone else’s shoes and ‘become’ someone from another country who does not speak or understand English, with pupils using their imagination to create ‘real life’ scenarios.
Languages as an Enterprise Skill
We staged a Languages Impact Activity day with employer - designed and led activities, attended by year 11 pupils from all the Isle of Wight secondary schools as a major component of National Enterprise Week. This day was followed up with a programmed sequence of structured consequential development.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, Enterprise, French, German, Independence in speaking, Italian, Spanish, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary
Humanities through French
This project gave students the opportunity to learn French within a subject specific context, enabling them to use language for an immediately functional purpose. It also allowed teachers to develop confidence in language skills.
Wharfedale French and Spanish Community Reading Project
The project transferred methodology from Key Stage One literacy acquisition into practice in upper Key Stage 2, by creating supported French or Spanish reading groups for year 5 and 6 children, which provided supportive and enjoyable opportunities to practise reading aloud with adult helpers. The project also aimed to raise the profile of reading in French or Spanish within the wider community.
- Theme: Intensive language learning
- Keywords: French, Literacy, Parent participation, Phonics, Spanish
- Sector: Primary
The World Today and Tomorrow
How do we improve take up and outcomes in languages at Key Stage 4? Our project’s aim was to create innovative cross-curricular French schemes of learning which enable Year 9/10 students to master the key language they need to discuss themes of real interest to them at their cognitive level.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: French, Intercultural understanding, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Sport, Transition
- Sector: Secondary
Teaching and Learning in the Community Language Classroom
This project focussed on raising the standards of teaching and learning in the Bangla, Gujarati, and Urdu Community Language schools in Crawley. A course was developed, delivered and accredited by the Open College Network (OCN) at Levels 2 and 3 for volunteer teachers currently teaching in these language schools.
- Theme: Home Languages
- Keywords: Bengali, Gujarati, Home Languages, Urdu
- Sector: Post-16
French Know-how
We wanted to create a short course in French for business (a unit of work) suitable for Year 8 pupils, aiming to motivate pupils to opt for languages at KS4.
The course was for between 6 to 8 weeks, focusing on French for business and the development of intercultural competence.
- Theme: Work-related learning
- Keywords: Enterprise, French, Intercultural understanding, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary
Languages for Football
The project aims to give students the opportunity to practice their language skills (reading, writing and speaking) and their research and presentation skills, while learning about the emerging theme of corporate social responsibility and how it works in practice in foreign football clubs.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, German, Spanish, Sport
- Sector: Secondary
Music is the rhythm of our lives
This project has the theme of transition between Key Stages 2 and 3 and Key stages 4 and 5 within the context of music, and has involved a Primary school, a Secondary school and a French partner school.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: French, International links, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary/FE
Language Learning Stories
Do your pupils struggle to see the progress they are making in languages? The Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 teachers in this project worked on approaches to enable pupils to be more aware of the steps in language progression and to focus on skills development rather than content accumulation.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Assessment, Language leaders / peer-to-peer learning, Literacy, Personal learning and thinking skills
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
On the snail trail
‘On the Snail Trail’ aims to capture language learning in Key Stage 2 and put it into a meaningful context. CLIL methodology is explored for French, Spanish, German and Italian, through mathematics based on a story book and exploring the evolution of snails in science.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, French, German, Italian, Science, Spanish, Storytelling, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Incognito
A board game for 2 players. Students take on the role of a British undercover agent and must work their way through France, Germany, Spain and Italy and back to Britain. They must pass on coded messages in the appropriate language in various situations, accumulating money as they go.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: French, German, ICT and technologies, Italian, Spanish, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Mixed Age Learning
This project set out to include adult learners in both Key Stage 3 and 4 classes of Spanish. Building a mixed age language learning community had the joint aims of improving student motivation, attainment and behaviour and meeting the community cohesion agenda.
Linking Languages and Business
Building on positive experience of Business Language Champions projects, our two schools promoted this concept and shared experiences with other county schools through giving presentations on projects and distributing leaflets and CDs. As part of this promotion we offered £500 to two schools to start their own projects.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, Enterprise, French
- Sector: Secondary/FE
The Froggies et les Rosbifs
To explore intercultural differences between France and the UK through drama and fables. Students explore well-known fables in their own language and in the foreign language and express them through drama. Students then create a communal fable based on cultural stereotypes in both countries.
- Theme: Intercultural understanding
- Keywords: Drama, French, Intercultural understanding, International links, Storytelling
- Sector: Secondary
Liaisons into Languages and Learning
A model of cross-curricular working that produces a scheme of learning that was delivered in different subject areas to reinforce transferable skills. The schemes produced reflect different contexts. The resources that we produced can be adapted and used as a starting point for cross-curricular learning.
Developing Intercultural Understanding through Spontaneous Talk
The aim of this project was to increase and encourage spontaneous student use of the target language, through use of visual prompts such as photographs, often involving elements of Intercultural Understanding. The project was trialled with Year 8 classes in French, Spanish, Italian and German in schools in Shropshire.
- Theme: Intercultural understanding
- Keywords: Alternative accreditation/new GCSE, French, German, Independence in speaking, Intercultural understanding, Italian, Spanish
- Sector: Secondary
Vocational Languages for Diplomas
The project aimed to develop a series of assessments to enable candidates to achieve QCF/NVQ Language Units at three levels within the Additional Learning strand of the Travel and Tourism Diploma. The assessments are designed however to be used to assess and accredit other vocational languages qualifications.
- Theme: Work-related learning
- Keywords: Assessment, French, German, Spanish, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary/FE
24 Hours in Shropshire
Working with an award-winning local employer to highlight the importance of foreign language skills in Shropshire’s tourism and leisure sector, particularly in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics, this project developed a bank of teaching materials to give students the opportunity to use their language skills in an inspiring and practical way.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, Engaging hard-to-reach pupils, French, Sport, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary
Internationalising Enterprise - Languages and Export
Under the employer engagement theme we developed a model for an export-based project to help pupils see the application of languages in business. The context was the promotion of a product overseas through research into French/Spanish culture, the best media to promote it and the creation of a slogan in French/Spanish.
Taking Steps Towards CLIL
This project aimed to introduce a new model of collaboration in CLIL by bringing together ‘expert’ practitioners of CLIL in German and French in an experienced CLIL school, with ‘novice’ teachers who wish to introduce CLIL in German and French into their classrooms. In order to support the development of learning materials and classroom language, native speaker teachers of German and French from Aston University worked with the novice teachers.
Sharing Best Practice for Teaching Beginners’ Japanese using the ABC Course for Certification
A project to link teachers and develop resources for teaching beginners’ Japanese using ABC for certification.
Introductory Mandarin for work-related visits
This project taught Mandarin Language for the work place, awareness of cultural differences and customs to be observed. We created a short introductory Mandarin toolkit to give students an understanding of greetings, numbers, directions, signs and food that may be useful to communicate in the workplace.
This is our world
This project explored different ways to re-root language teaching in a far richer cultural context than has previously been offered. It provided opportunities for pupils and teachers to deepen their knowledge, awareness and understanding of a variety of intercultural themes through a range of stimulating and relevant resources.
- Theme: Intercultural understanding
- Keywords: CLIL, French, Intercultural understanding, Personal learning and thinking skills, PSHE and citizenship
- Sector: Secondary
Languages goes for the hard sell
Students from Year 9 were given the task of producing and delivering a presentation in the target language advertising the products or services of a local company. The students who came from three schools were working in either French or German.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, French, German, Transition, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary
Fabriquons un orchestre!
In this project French is used to deliver a Year 5 Unit of Design & Technology (Musical instruments) with cross-curricular links to Science and Music. The aim is twofold: to see how far language can be consolidated and developed through CLIL and to gauge teacher and pupil response to this approach.
Now You Are Talking
The project seeks to explore speaking skills with specific focus on students’ confidence, fluency and spontaneity in speaking. Its aim is to engage students with a variety of different approaches and to encourage creativity and independence with the target language.
Providing the Best Conditions for Languages
This project makes recommendations for languages provision at Key Stage 3, following an audit and learning visits to schools. It offers different models with a view to providing a consistent, secure base for progression into Key Stage 4.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Transition
- Sector: Secondary
Kernewek rag oll – Cornish for all
This project was led by Maga, The Cornish Language Partnership, to explore ways in which volunteers and teachers might work together in delivering Cornish language sessions in schools.
- Theme: Home Languages
- Keywords: Community cohesion, Cornish, Home Languages, Less commonly taught languages
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Story Making in French / German / Spanish
The International Learning and Research Centre’s Key Stage 3 Innovation Group engaged with the Story Making project prioritising the development of pupils’ skills, confidence and independence in speaking, including opportunities to use language creatively in a range of contexts. Stories, created collaboratively, provided the context for the language learning.
- Theme: Independence in speaking
- Keywords: Drama, French, Independence in speaking, Storytelling, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Languages in Business: Teachers Making It Real
The focus of the project was to further develop the concept of a language challenge, in which teachers, students and businesses worked together not for a day, but over a sustained period of time. Using the knowledge and experience of visiting businesses, teachers supported their pupils to enable them to produce materials about languages in business for use with their peers.
Secondary Language Network Transition Group
The project focused on building on students’ prior knowledge of French from their lessons in primary school and on familiarising secondary school teachers with some of the key methodology used in primary languages teaching in order to ensure that there is sufficient recognition of students’ prior learning.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: French, Phonics, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Transition in Film Key Stage 4 – Key Stage 5
The project has produced a creative transition in film framework that has mapped out and provided resources and lesson plans for where film can be used as a stimulus for learning and film making as an outcome to stimulate learning across GCSE and AS level in German, French and Spanish.
Community Languages Accreditation through Intensive Courses (CoLa Intensive)
To provide the opportunity to accredit and develop learners’ home languages through intensive study (eg half-term or summer holiday scheme) to achieve a recognised qualification in home languages.
Bodproj: increasing pupil numbers at Key Stage 4 Languages
The project aimed to raise awareness of the positive aspects of studying languages and to increase uptake at key stage 4 by working with local employers and the University of Plymouth. Pupils were able to participate in a day of activities organised at the university using students from the languages department.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, French, Science
- Sector: Secondary
Hear me, see me
In order to smooth the transition between Key Stage 2 and 3 in language learning in our family of schools, we have developed a core curriculum for Primary French, a Self-Assessment document for Year 6 children to complete prior to joining us and organised Language sessions here at our High School.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Assessment, French, Language leaders / peer-to-peer learning, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
A Tale of Three Cities
Three diverse primary schools across the country created a filmed performance of a traditional tale, each incorporating their own elements of local culture and language. The tale was adapted, rehearsed, filmed and evaluated, with performances staged in front of a community audience including ‘premiere screenings’ of the other two tales.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, Community cohesion, Cornish, Drama, French, Home Languages, ICT and technologies, Less commonly taught languages, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Storytelling
- Sector: Primary
2,2 Millions – Solar ovens can save lives
2.2 million people die every year because they breathe in the smoke from cooking fires. Solar ovens use the rays of the sun to cook food and are helpful to both human health and the environment. CLIL motivates students and there is a balance here between human interest and technology that appeals to both sexes.
Inspiring Languages
Working with a professional film company, pupils from 3 Cornish Secondary Schools prepared French, German and Spanish films welcoming young foreign students to Truro Cathedral. Pupils at Hayle Community School took part in a two-day workshop with Keith Sparrow, an acclaimed illustrator to produce a ‘Cathedral Trail’ for young foreign visitors in French, German and Spanish.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: French, German, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Spanish
- Sector: Secondary
Using the Languages Ladder and Making and Marking Progress in the Primary School
Using the ‘Making and Marking Progress’ file and the ‘Languages Ladder’ we attempted to focus on creative assessment at Year 5 and 6 levels, using in particular storytelling for Assessment for Learning and term-long themed projects.
- Theme: Alternative accreditation/new GCSE
- Keywords: Alternative accreditation/new GCSE, Assessment, French, Storytelling
- Sector: Primary
French Phonics to Phrases: A reading scheme for Key Stage 2
We created a set of French phonics cards based upon a central idea of giving each phoneme a child character personification. These characters form the French Phonic Friends, whose names include the grapheme for their phonics card. Pupils progressed from learning the sound to segmenting and blending words on the card, to reading phrases.
- Theme: Intensive language learning
- Keywords: Assessment, French, Language leaders / peer-to-peer learning, Phonics
- Sector: Primary
Languages for Life
The project was aimed at lower ability pupils in Key Stage 3. The intention was to re-engage through interactive lessons using CLIL methodology. There was a big focus on building oracy, listening and reading skills. There are four modules comprising six lessons. The topics are Music, Drama, Sport and French Culture.
Culture Unlimited
This multimedia project provided creative, auditory and visual opportunities for pupils and teachers to express themselves in their home languages alongside other pupils learning new languages. It aimed to examine the experience of all sections of the community in an inclusive and unmediated way and to help non-linguists to understand the importance of language learning in a multicultural global society.
A Drama Toolkit for Language Teaching
This project set out to create a Drama Toolkit for Language Teaching by creating a series of drama activities designed to enthuse, encourage, excite and challenge pupils in the context of traditional French stories from the Caribbean (primary) and the life and work of Marie Curie (secondary).
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, Drama, French, Storytelling
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Total Immersion Learning Challenge: Having FUN! & Staying Safe
French and German oral confidence through kinaesthetic learning in the context of dynamic assertiveness training and self-defence. Creative role-play motivates learners, combining gesture and physical movement with verbal responses, impacting positively on fluency and appealing to hard-to-reach and gifted pupils alike. Cross-curricular, it helps embed PSHE, SEAL and anti-bullying.
- Theme: Independence in speaking
- Keywords: Drama, Engaging hard-to-reach pupils, French, German, Independence in speaking, PSHE and citizenship
- Sector: Primary/Secondary/FE
Citoyens sans Frontières
This CLIL Project involved the teaching of the Year 10 Citizenship curriculum through the medium of French to provide a bridging unit for students who had achieved grade C or better in GCSE taken at the end of their Year 9 fast track course.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, French, PSHE and citizenship, Transition
- Sector: Secondary/FE
Motivation and gender across three European countries: the impact of CLIL on pupil's attitudes towards second language learning
This research project examines the impact of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) on pupils’ attitudes towards learning a language in primary schools and in particular explores any differences related to gender or ethnic background.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, Engaging hard-to-reach pupils, French, Intercultural understanding, International links, Spanish
- Sector: Primary
Talking Matters
We explored intercultural understanding and global learning through the use of images at Key Stage 3. Young people were able to develop their ideas of intercultural understanding in parallel with their linguistic progression. They were also able to develop their critical thinking and enquiry skills.
Online Language Assistant (OLA)
The aim of the OLA project was to deliver online French lessons to two groups of students in two primary schools. Using tools available on the Internet, we have been able to assist the class teachers and teach French as a specialist language assistant would do, if they were present in the classroom.
- Theme: Intensive language learning
- Keywords: French, ICT and technologies, Multimedia, film, music and radio
- Sector: Primary/Secondary/FE
Little Steps into Languages for Little Learners
This project created story packs in three languages for class teachers of pupils aged 4-7 to borrow and explore, integrating them with the curriculum. The initiative had a focus on developing the skills, knowledge and confidence of Key Stage 1 primary school teachers to teach languages.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: French, German, Literacy, Spanish, Storytelling, Transition
- Sector: Primary
Language Links
In order to promote language study in East Middlesbrough, North Ormesby Primary School and Unity City Academy set up a ‘real’ French café. Parental support was crucial to the success of the project. After a term learning vocabulary needed, students invited parents and carers to attend the event.
- Theme: Engaging hard-to-reach pupils
- Keywords: Community cohesion, Engaging hard-to-reach pupils, French, Parent participation
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Our Voices
Pupils developed strategies to enable them to cope more effectively with their GCSE speaking controlled assessment with the focus on developing pronunciation, intonation and memorisation skills. In order to achieve our aims, we incorporated peer assessment across the two schools involved in the project and peer teaching.
- Theme: Independence in speaking
- Keywords: Assessment, French, Independence in speaking, Language leaders / peer-to-peer learning
- Sector: Secondary
Dragons’ Den Day
Ninety year 9 students listened to a presentation on doing business in China and were given cultural and geographical information to help them design a shoe, which would be produced in China. Students worked in teams, and presented their product in the 'Dragons’ Den' at the end of the day.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Chinese, Employer engagement, Enterprise, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary
Speak up, speak out!
Speak up, speak out! is a cross-borough collaborative project involving primary and secondary partners working together to promote pupils’ confidence and independence in speaking. We have worked in French and Spanish.
- Theme: Independence in speaking
- Keywords: French, Independence in speaking, Spanish, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
A Place in Europe Challenge
A project with the theme of re-engaging hard to reach pupils in language learning, using French, Spanish and German. Students worked in groups to prepare a business presentation in which they explained how they would relocate a family to France, Germany or Spain.
- Theme: Engaging hard-to-reach pupils
- Keywords: Engaging hard-to-reach pupils, Enterprise, French, German, Spanish, Student voice, Work-related learning
- Sector: Secondary
Talking sense with technology – Making the grade at GCSE
This project wanted to develop confidence in speaking and to allow teachers to experiment with new ways of engaging learners. We wanted to provide students with a new perspective and to challenge them to use new technology to improve performance in speaking.
Teaching Language Through Music
The project involves use of French sounds and rhyming words, enabling children to learn correct pronunciation through use of music and movement, intonation patterns, phonics, engaging them in music and memory activities. It also leads to composition and performing as a group using French.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, Drama, French, Intensive language learning, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Phonics
- Sector: Primary
Languages Live
Building on our successful collaboration as a Strategic Learning Network, the project aims to engage KS3 students in creative responses to language learning. The focus was on creativity, independence and confidence, developed through a range of home learning projects. The end of the project was a big event called 'Languages Live' where students from all five schools came together to share their work and take part in workshops in a celebration of languages.
Relevant and motivating approaches to languages
The project involved talking to students about motivating approaches to teaching languages. Our findings showed that they were interested in resources that supported their writing and speaking language skills. We therefore created resources to support them in these areas, including a range of PowerPoints and worksheets and a series of video recordings with transcripts.
Exploring Literacy through Storybird
Year 7/8 pupils produced French and Spanish e-Books using the Storybird website. These e-Books were then shared with year 5/6 pupils in feeder primary schools, who used them as a lesson resource. Year 6 pupils then wrote their own e-Books in French and Spanish. The project culminated in a showcase event where year 5/6 and 7/8 pupils got together to read their books to each other, giving feedback in the target language.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: French, Literacy, Spanish, Storytelling, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Primary Mentoring Project
This project aimed to provide specialist MFL support to non-specialist primary teachers in relation to the launch of the Primary Languages initiative through a mentoring scheme.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: French, Spanish, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Derby County Football Club Languages Award
The aim of the project is to combine language learning with sport, or more specifically Derby County Football Club, and to enthuse Key Stage 3 students through innovative ways of teaching both inside and outside of the classroom.
- Theme: Engaging hard-to-reach pupils
- Keywords: Employer engagement, Engaging hard-to-reach pupils, French, Sport
- Sector: Secondary
Languages and the Olympics
This project involved primary and secondary pupils, three primary teachers, three secondary teachers, including two PE specialists, and two Primary Languages Outreach teachers. The idea was to collaborate to develop Olympics-related resources in French and Spanish and activities which would provide opportunities for active learning and could be led by secondary and primary-aged pupils.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: CLIL, French, Language leaders / peer-to-peer learning, Spanish, Sport, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Linked Up Languages
The project has focussed on liaison between our four schools and the development from that of a coherent picture that allows students a seamless transition. This involves both the look of the department as well as the development of an 11-16 scheme of work. The aim from this was to improve uptake at Key Stage 4 and also to improve the use of target language amongst teachers and students.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: French, German, Independence in speaking, Transition
- Sector: Secondary
Medals for Learning
The aim of the project was to motivate disengaged language learners through a combination of French language lessons with P.E. The projected outcome was to achieve an increase in numbers of students studying French at GCSE.
- Theme: Engaging hard-to-reach pupils
- Keywords: Engaging hard-to-reach pupils, French, Sport
- Sector: Secondary
Day of the Dead
With the Mexican festival of ‘The Day of the Dead’ as our inspiration, we created a scheme of work which encouraged language teaching through Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) activities, and championed the Global Citizen agenda through cross-curricular links. Following from this we engaged Key Stage 2 students with Key Stage 3 language learners to work towards bridging the languages transition gap.
- Theme: Intercultural understanding
- Keywords: CLIL, Drama, Intercultural understanding, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Spanish, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Enterprise project to motivate language learners
The South Wolds LinkedUp project aimed to encourage students to take up languages at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 level, by designing and carrying out an innovative enterprise project which enabled pupils to sell products at a market overseas, using the target language of the country.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, Enterprise, French, International links
- Sector: Secondary
Talked Up Leeds
This project aimed to assist the French, German or Spanish teacher in teaching the vocabulary which will enable the students to talk spontaneously and fluently on any given topic.
- Theme: Independence in speaking
- Keywords: French, German, Independence in speaking, Spanish
- Sector: Secondary/FE
Talking to Learn 2
This project is a continuation of the original LinkedUp Talking to Learn project and seeks to continue to develop pupil confidence in spontaneous talk. Teachers have focused on the development of new task types which encourage spontaneous or unplanned talk in the classroom with the aim of improving learners’ confidence and creativity.
- Theme: Independence in speaking
- Keywords: French, German, Independence in speaking, Spanish
- Sector: Secondary
Building Bridges
The project was predominantly aimed at creating a common unit of work which could be used by Year 6 pupils (or Year 5 in some cases) and Year 7. Colleagues looked at standardising assessment within the family. We were interested in how to show evidence of attainment and progression and in how much pupils understand about their achievements.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Assessment, French, Language leaders / peer-to-peer learning, Multimedia, film, music and radio, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Communicate to Integrate
In our project ‘Communicate to Integrate’, we planned to improve year six pupils’ experience of transition by pairing them up as pen pals with pupils in year seven at their destination secondary. Later they met and worked together at a special French theatre event at the secondary school.
- Theme: Transition
- Keywords: Drama, French, ICT and technologies, Transition
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
On-Stream
The On-Stream project used a VLE (virtual learning environment) to link teachers of Russian from three sectors, a state secondary school, three supplementary schools and a university Russian Department, enabling them to share materials and ideas on teaching Russian at GCSE and AS/A level.
- Theme: Home Languages
- Keywords: Home Languages, Less commonly taught languages, Russian
- Sector: Secondary/FE
Internationalising Enterprise – Languages and Tourism
Using employer engagement as our theme we developed a model for a tourism-based project to help pupils see the application of languages in business. We chose as context the promotion of an attraction overseas through the production of a French promotional flyer, a Spanish video advert and a German radio advert.
- Theme: Employer engagement
- Keywords: Employer engagement, Enterprise, French, German, Spanish
- Sector: Secondary
French CLIL Projects
This project has developed CLIL cross-curricular units of work in French. The units are designed to be delivered by French teachers and teachers from other curriculum areas. The units are in history (French Norman Conquest), drama (The Pearl Necklace - use of voice and gesture) and art (Seurat and pointillism).
CLIL Resources Project
We aimed to use the expertise of our Creative and Media Students to set up a student-run company to produce materials for use in primary and secondary schools to teach other subjects, particularly PSHE and Geography, in French and German. These materials will include short films of our work at Chenderit.
- Theme: CLIL
- Keywords: CLIL, Enterprise, French, German, PSHE and citizenship, Work-related learning
- Sector: Primary/Secondary
Staff Development in Community Languages
This project set out to create a model of support for community languages that can be copied across other Local Authorities. We brought together and trained teachers of different languages, enabling them to plan lessons using the Key Stage 2 Framework and to monitor and assess pupils using Asset Languages tests.
- Theme: Home Languages
- Keywords: Arabic, Bengali, Home Languages, Less commonly taught languages, Punjabi, Urdu
- Sector: Primary
