Spanish
Learning Journey & Sequencing Rationale
Teaching and learning in Spanish and Italian focusses on language acquisition through developing a range of language learning strategies. The emphasis is on encouraging learners to learn, practise and apply key language and structures for a range of tasks and contexts. Languages is traditionally split into four skill areas (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and work centres on developing mastery in each skill area. Lesson activities are varied and may include exploiting a literary text for comprehension, extracting key details from listening texts, engaging in role-play or practising translation. Throughout their learning, learners are strongly encouraged to make links with other languages that they know and to share this information with the class. All languages are celebrated and valued within the culture of Language Learning at Harrow High School.
Rationale for the Sequencing in MFL at KS3
In Years 7, 8 and 9 we fully cover the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. We build on language learning experiences from Key Stage 2 and Home Languages. The knowledge and skills specified in the KS2 and KS3 Programmes of Study are used to cement the foundation for study at KS4 and beyond. The curriculum is taught by topics that are carefully sequenced to match age appropriate areas of interest and to reflect actual events such as festivals and holidays. It encourages learners to appreciate and celebrate cultural similarities and differences. The topics are chosen and sequenced to develop phonics, vocabulary and grammar in a planned and purposeful manner, allowing for progression from novice to expert learner. The choice of topics, content and assessments are arranged to allow for language -learning experiences that are successful and engaging. This enables us to promote motivation, self-efficacy and autonomy.
High frequency words which act as anchor points are prioritised in our curriculum. Carefully chosen topic-based vocabulary as well as clusters of related words are also built explicitly into the Curriculum. These are revisited across different contexts, skills and themes to encourage long-term memory. The careful sequencing of topics allows for this to happen in a cohesive manner. Each topic also introduces and reinforces learners to language-learning strategies in the four skills and in memorising vocabulary and becoming an independent learner, which are vital for GCSE study.
The sequencing also allows us to deliver grammar incrementally through a structured and scaffolded approach. With regular retrieval practice and interplay between grammar, phonics and vocabulary and language learning strategies, a strong foundation of knowledge is built ready for GCSE study. Detailed assessment and feedback lead demonstrably to learner's progress in knowledge, spontaneity, engagement and accuracy.
Rationale for the Sequencing in MFL at GCSE
The GCSE course continues to build on the foundations established at KS3. The three themes of identity and culture; local, national, international and global areas of interest, current and future study and employment are sequenced to naturally reflect the learner's journey, experiences and interests during these two years of school life. Each theme is split into four topics which interleave the learning between the topics and also between the themes. The topics link logically into each other and also include retrieval from key stage 3. The key skills of reading, learning vocabulary, writing, translation skills, building grammar knowledge, listening, dealing with authentic texts and speaking are practised in each topic. The complexity of language increases appropriately in the context of the topic.
Grammar is carefully introduced and revisited frequently. The topics also expand learners' cultural knowledge whilst developing language skills. This approach enables learners of all abilities to develop their Spanish language skills to their full potential, equipping them with the knowledge to communicate in a variety of contexts with confidence. This is important as we strongly believe in languages as a skill for life and something learners should enjoy and find rewarding and useful. Each topic also interleaves key communication strategies and repair strategies which will greatly increase their ability to cope successfully with unknown words. These same strategies also support other curriculum areas. Full coverage of the themes ensures that our learners are fully prepared for the GCSE exams and to continue learning languages in the future.
Unit Overview - Autumn Term 1
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Subject: AQA GCSE 8698 Theme 1 Identity and culture |
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Skills |
Exam skills
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Knowledge |
Theme: 1.1 Me, my family and friends MFL Magic Repaso Transition unit Sub-topics
Key Language, vocabulary and grammar
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Rationale |
This first GCSE unit enables learners to make the transition from KS3 into GCSE by being confident about previous key points of grammar and vocabulary. This represents an opportunity to revisit strategies for learning vocabulary and structures from key stage 3. Learners need to understand the requirements of the GCSE exam fully and that each skill is examined separately and carries equal weighting for their final assessment grade. Learners will develop independent study skills through accessing Kerboodle at home. In this unit, we expect learners to understand, request and provide information about the sub topics specified above relating to their own experiences and those of other people, including people in countries /communities where Spanish is spoken. They are expected to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across the topics and across the skills in order to understand the importance and relevance of transferring skills and knowledge. |
Unit overview - autumn Term 2
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Subject: AQA GCSE 8698 Theme 1 Identity and culture |
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Skills |
Exam skills
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Knowledge |
Theme: 1.2 Technology in everyday life Sub-topics
Key language, vocabulary and grammar
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Rationale |
This unit is vital in demonstrating the breadth and range of language learners can expect at GCSE. It allows for the early introduction to role-play and photo cards that form an integral part of the GCSE Oral component. It introduces learners to transactional as well as descriptive settings. This is a development from the more structured pair-work dialogues in all the Year 8 Units. They will be encouraged to reuse key phrases from prior learning in their interactions with each other and with the teacher in order to develop accurate pronunciation, intonation and to work actively on expanding their answers, employing word count and specific vocabulary to be included. There is an opportunity to engage learners further through the use of songs, tongue twisters and phonetics in order to develop fluency as well as transcribe texts. In order to be familiar with a variety of accents and idioms, learners will be exposed to Spanish from different Hispanic countries and be expected to transfer the phonetic skills they have learnt above to extract key meaning and confidently translate new words. They are also expected to use increasingly accurate sentences in two tenses in order to fully prepare for the speaking and writing assessments in Year 10 thereby building on the key grammar points learnt in Year 8. They are expected to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across the topics and across the skills in order to understand the importance and relevance of transferring skills and knowledge. |
Unit overview - spring term 1
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Subject: AQA GCSE 8698 Theme 1 Identity and culture |
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Skills |
Exam skills
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Knowledge |
Theme: 1.3 Free Time Activities Sub-topics
Key language, vocabulary and grammar
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Rationale |
This third unit enables learners to practise the important skill of sequencing their responses into a logical coherent structure and to extend sentences as overtly practised in the previous unit. This is to ensure learners are getting into the habit of systematically expanding their responses to reach the highest marks on their Speaking and Writing assessment in Y10. This unit is designed around themes that learners can easily relate to and engage with allowing learners to draw on familiar contexts and experiences as starting points. Learners are expected to create content providing detailed information about the sub topics specified above and relating to their own experiences and those of other people, including people in countries/communities where Spanish is spoken. In particular, the unit builds on Unit 4 in Year 8, and part of the social media topic in Summer Term Year 9. The introduction of irregular verbs in a variety of tenses, will help them to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across any topics. They are expected to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across the topics and across the skills in order to understand the importance and relevance of transferring skills and knowledge. |
Unit Overview - Spring Term 2
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Subject: AQA GCSE 8698 Theme 1 Identity and culture |
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Exam skills
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| Knowledge |
Theme: 1.4 Free Time Activities Sub-topics
Key language, vocabulary and grammar
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| Rationale |
This fourth unit enables learners to acquire key knowledge around the most important festivals in Spain. This is vital for the GCSE as they are required to compare and contrast Spanish festivals with festivals which they are already familiar. To ensure learners reach the highest marks of the GCSE criteria, they will be encouraged to use descriptive language and formulate opinions and justifications referring to other viewpoints. In order to reach levels 7-9, learners need to use a variety of tenses accurately and be able to differentiate between the different types of past and future tenses. To that end, learners will be focussing on the subtle nuances between the Imperfect and Preterite tenses and demonstrate they can integrate them to sentences narrating what they did at a Spanish festival. The content in this unit is new but it offers the opportunity to bring together all the key verbs and tenses studied thus far. Learners are expected to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across the topics and across the skills. Therefore, while being tested, reference to past units will be made to ensure learners understand the importance of transferring knowledge and skills. |
Unit overview - summer term 1
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Subject: AQA GCSE 8698 Theme 2 Local, national, international and global areas of interest |
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Skills |
Exam skills
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Knowledge |
Theme: 2.1 Home, town, neighbourhood and region Sub-topics
Key language, vocabulary and grammar
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Rationale |
In this fifth unit, learners will gain further practise in the Higher level GCSE skill of using a wide range of tenses appropriately and accurately. This builds heavily on the previous unit. Learners will demonstrate again the use of critical thinking to decide on which tense to use. They will practise decision-making skills on how to translate using the translation strategies used in this and previous units. They will understand that translation skills need to be specifically studied as translation requires learners to differentiate between literal translation and adaptation. In this unit, learners will also be expected to self-assess their written work through proofreading in order to be able to critically judge and improve their own essay in an exam situation. Time management will be practised as well as specific word counts, both of which are important to success at GCSE. They are expected to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across the topics and across the skills in order to understand the importance and relevance of transferring skills and knowledge. |
Unit overview - summer term 2
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Subject: AQA GCSE 8698 Theme 2 Local, national, international and global areas of interest |
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Skills |
Exam skills
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Knowledge |
Theme: 2.2 Social Issues Sub-topics
Key language, vocabulary and grammar
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Rationale |
This sixth unit reminds learners of the vital GCSE skill of transferring language across contexts and themes. Learners will demonstrate how to recall and use previous knowledge to facilitate this unit. This is also an opportunity to revisit mind maps and highly frequent language in order to create meaningful revision notes. In this unit, learners will be taught to use appropriate structures pertaining to formal and informal contexts in order to request and provide information about the social and global issues relating to their own experiences and those of other people, including people in countries/communities where Spanish is spoken. As detailed in the exam specification, this will give them the opportunity to use the conditional and Imperative tenses as well as negative structures that are key to reach levels 7-9. They are expected to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across the topics and across the skills, in order to understand the importance and relevance of transferring skills and knowledge. |
Knowledge Organiser
A knowledge organiser is an important document that lists the important facts that learners should know by the end of a unit of work. It is important that learners can recall these facts easily, so that when they are answering challenging questions in their assessments and GCSE and A-Level exams, they are not wasting precious time in exams focusing on remembering simple facts, but making complex arguments, and calculations.
We encourage all learners to use them by doing the following:
- Quiz themselves at home, using the read, write, cover, check method.
- Practise spelling key vocabulary
- Further researching people, events and processes most relevant to the unit