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WELCOME TO THE MFL DEPARTMENT!
WELCOME TO THE MFL DEPARTMENT!
Please use the menu bar at the top to find lots of interesting and useful information about languages taught at Park Lane International School.
Park Lane International School's Philosophy and Approach for the Teaching and Learning of Modern Foreign Languages
Park Lane International School's Philosophy and Approach for the Teaching and Learning of Modern Foreign Languages
At Park Lane, we value language learning and recognise the increasing relevance of modern foreign languages (MFL) given the increased mobility of tomorrow’s global citizens. Our aim is to develop languages through carefully planned programmes for all students from Year 7 to Year 13.
Our guiding principles are to encourage a love of languages and an appreciation of cultures, as well as to equip our students with essential language learning skills which will form a strong platform for fluency and further study if appropriate. Language lessons must be of a high standard and be delivered in the same motivating and inclusive way as all other lessons if they are to be successful. Students should look forward to their language lessons and take pride in their increasing abilities to communicate in another tongue.
Language learning at Park Lane is characterised by active learning in stimulating and supportive classroom environments. Lessons are led by well qualified, experienced language teachers.
At KS3 our core Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) are French, German and Spanish. Students choose one of these 3 languages to study in Year 7, 8 and 9.
How will students progress in Languages?
How will students progress in Languages?
Our vision and our framework of progression
The MFL department have high expectations of all students. Our mission is to help students maximise their ability to communicate effectively with people from other countries and to understand their cultures, attitudes and customs, thereby developing not only language skills but intercultural awareness.
In all our lessons, equal emphasis is given to the four language skill areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking. The focus of our teaching is on language as a medium of communication: in the MFL department, we recognise that all communication should have a social purpose, which means every child will be expected to have something to say or find out in French/German/Spanish.
The framework below makes full use of the School’s unique location and the MFL department’s close links with the Cultural Institutes of Prague.
Year 7. Students are placed in teaching groups based on pre-existing language skills and language aptitude tests. All Year 7 students follow the British National Curriculum for Languages.
Year 8. All students follow the British National Curriculum. Students in the accelerated groups will take the A1 European Language tests alongside the national curriculum.
Year 9. Students (including those who will not opt for IGCSE) will take the A1 European Language tests alongside the British National Curriculum. Students in the accelerated groups will take the A2 European Language tests alongside studying towards the IGCSE course for early entry in Year 10.
Year 10. Year 10 students will take the A2 European Language tests alongside studying towards the IGCSE course for entry in Year 11. Students in the accelerated groups will take an early entry IGCSE at the end of this year.
Year 11. Students complete the second year of their IGCSE course and sit the exam in May. Students in the accelerated groups will take the B1 European Language tests while also preparing for IBD programme.
Note: movement between the Accelerated and Standard groups is likely to happen to allow all students to progress, as well as to identify which students will be in a position to sit specific exams. Your child's teacher will be able to advise on which European Language test (the French DELF, the Spanish DELE and the German Goethe-Zertifikat) your child is ready for; these tests are not compulsory but will give students a great opportunity to work towards an internationally recognised qualification in line with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Taken as a whole, the above framework offers a high degree of challenge, allows students to fulfil their individual potential and does not place a limit on their learning. To reflect this ethos, when a student arrives at Park Lane with an exceptionally advanced MFL ability level in one language, they will be encouraged to challenge themselves and study a ‘new’ foreign language.
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