Spanish
Spanish Curriculum Statement
At St Oswald's we want to provide many opportunities for our children to widen their experiences. Children from Year 3 to Year 6 partake in a weekly Spanish session. We have a Spanish teacher called Mrs Lees who works with Year 3, Year 5 and Year 6 on a Wednesday afternoon. Miss Rodriguez teaches Spanish on a Thursday afternoon to Year 4. They follow a comprehensive scheme of work called Language Angels which provides opportunities for both oral and written outcomes. It also provides children with the opportunity to hear native Spanish speakers and model their pronunciation.
Curriculum Intent
We aim to use the Language Angels scheme of work and resources to ensure we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. All pupils will be expected to achieve their full potential by encouraging high expectations and excellent standards in their foreign language learning - the ultimate aim being that pupils will feel willing and able to continue studying languages beyond key stage 2.
The intent is that all content will be continuously updated and reviewed annually, creating a dynamic programme of study that will be clearly outlined in both long-term and short-term planning. This will ensure that the foreign language knowledge of our pupils progresses within each academic year and is extended year upon year throughout the primary phase and, in so doing, will always be relevant and in line with meeting or exceeding national DfE requirements.
The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across the primary phase. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and also helping the children improve overall attainment in other subject areas.
The intent is that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language will also offer pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, and develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.
Implementation
Spanish is taught weekly in years 3 – 6. All classes have access to a very high-quality foreign language curriculum using the Language Angels scheme of work and resources. This will progressively develop pupil skills in foreign languages through regularly taught and well-planned weekly lessons in Key Stage 2 which will be taught by both class teachers and a language specialist teacher.
Children will progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes - building blocks of language into more complex, fluent and authentic language.
The planning of different levels of challenge (as demonstrated in the various Language Angels Teaching Type categories) and which units to teach at each stage of the academic year will be addressed dynamically and will be reviewed in detail annually as units are updated and added to the scheme. Lessons offering appropriate levels of challenge and stretch will be taught at all times to ensure pupils learn effectively, continuously building their knowledge of and enthusiasm for the language(s) they are learning.
Early Language units are entry-level units and are most appropriate for KS1 and Year 3 pupils or pupils with little or no previous foreign language learning. Intermediate units increase the level of challenge by increasing the amount and complexity (including foreign language grammar concepts) of the foreign language presented to pupils. Intermediate units are suitable for Year 4-5 pupils or pupils with embedded basic knowledge of the foreign language. Progressive and Creative Curriculum units are the most challenging units and are suitable for Year 6 pupils or pupils with a good understanding of the basics of the language they are learning. Grouping units into these Teaching Type categories ensures that the language taught is appropriate to the level of the class and introduced when the children are ready. Children will be taught how to listen and read longer pieces of text gradually in the foreign language and they will have ample opportunities to speak, listen to, read and write the language being taught with and without scaffolds, frames and varying levels of support.
Units, where possible and appropriate, will be linked to class topics and cross-curricular themes. Children will build on previous knowledge gradually as their foreign language lessons continue to recycle, revise and consolidate previously learnt language whilst building on all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Knowledge and awareness of required and appropriate grammar concepts will be taught throughout all units at all levels of challenge. Teachers are provided with a Progression Map and Grammar Grid (downloadable from the “Curriculum Guidance” area of the Language Angels website) to ensure all children are progressing in their foreign language learning skills and are taught the appropriate grammar at the right time in their foreign language learning journey. Grammar rules and patterns will be taught by the level of challenge:
- We start with nouns and articles and 1st person singular of high-frequency verbs in Early Learning units.
- We move on to the use of the possessive, the concept of adjectives, the use of the negative form, conjunctions/connectives and introduce the concept of whole regular verb conjugation in Intermediate units.
- We end with opinions and introduce the concept of whole high-frequency irregular verb conjugation in Progressive units.
Grammar is integrated and taught discreetly throughout all appropriate units. Teachers can also use the specific Grammar Explained units to ensure pupils are exposed to all of the appropriate grammar so they can create their own accurate and personalised responses to complex authentic foreign language questions by the end of the primary phase.
Planning and Assessment
Each class in each year group will have an overview of units to be taught during the academic year to ensure substantial progress and learning is achieved. Each teaching unit is divided into 6 fully planned lessons.
- Each unit and lesson will have clearly defined objectives and aims.
- Each lesson will incorporate interactive whiteboard materials to include ample speaking and listening tasks within a lesson.
- Lessons will incorporate challenge sections and desk-based activities that will be offered will three levels of stretch and differentiation. These may be sent home as homework if not completed in class.
- Reading and writing activities will be offered in all units. Some extended reading and writing activities are provided so that native speakers can also be catered for.
- Every unit will include a grammar concept which will increase in complexity as pupils move from Early Language units, through Intermediate units and into Progressive units.
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Extending writing activities are provided to ensure that pupils are recalling previously learnt language and, by reusing it, will be able to recall it and use it with greater ease and accuracy. These tasks will help to link units together and show that pupils are retaining and recalling the language taught with increased fluency and ease.
Pupil learning and progression will be assessed at the end of each unit.
Impact
Children are expected to make good or better than good progress in their foreign language learning and their progress is tracked and reported to pupils and parents/carers in line with school recommendations.
The Bible teaches us that: there are a great many languages within the world and no kind is without meaning. Corinthians 14:10
If pupils are not progressing in line with expectations, this will be identified in the End of Unit Skills Assessments provided in the Language Angels Tracking & Progression Tool. This will enable teachers to put in place an early intervention programme to address any areas that require attention in any of the language learning skills.
European Languages Day 2022
For European Languages Day 2022 we investigated different countries which had Spanish as their national language. Each class came to school dressed in the colours of the country they were studying.
Nursery and Reception - Spain. They looked at some of the words you can use to greet each other, they also looked at the Spanish flag and enjoyed dressing up in some traditional Spanish dresses.
Year 1 and Year 2 - Argentina. They enjoyed finding out all about Argentina, they looked at some of the different traditions you would find if you visited Argentina. They investigated some of the different festivals which are celebrated there.
Year 3 and Year 4 - Cuba. The children found out lots of fantastic information about Cuba which they researched on the internet and then created their fact files of useful information.
Year 5 and Year 6 - Mexico. The children enjoyed finding out about some of the many traditions which are associated with Mexico and they enjoyed learning about the festival of Dia de Los Muertos. They then put all of this information together into a non-chronological report.
Word Recognition Competitions
Each half-term Key Stage 2 children take part in a competition to see how many Spanish words they know in a minute. The children are given a different set of words which they should know and be familiar with.
Autumn 1 winners - Year 4
Autumn 2 winners - Year 6
Spring 1 winners - Year 6
Spring 2 winners - Year 6
Summer winners - Year 6
Spanish Spelling Bee
In July 2019, 4 children from Year 5 were lucky enough to take part in the annual Spanish Spelling Bee at Litherland High School. The children had to learn how to spell 20 words in Spanish, some examples were colours, numbers and basic greetings. The children were very professional in their approach and made sure that they practised every day. Luckily their hard work paid off and they came away with 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th place. Well done children we are all extremely proud of you.
We are looking forward to being able to take part in the Spanish Spelling Bee this year. Hopefully, we will be able to retain the crown of being the best primary Spanish Spellers!
Curriculum Development Opportunities
