An example of work by one of the 250 Primary Languages Network schools.
"Carnival" means celebrations across Europe. An ideal opportunity to celebrate with our Year 5 language learners their progress over time. How do we make this progress? Below is a snapshot step by step guide to our progress with colours as adjectives over time.
With our Primary Languages Network Ready Made French and Ready Made Spanish schemes of work we help learners (and teachers) from the start of Key Stage 2 to progress stage by stage in their own personal development of:
- language learning skills
- competency in pronunciation and intonation
- knowledge and understanding of the use of language content
- knowledge and understanding of grammar,
- self confidence
- self efficacy
- making purposeful links between the learning of a new target language, literacy and home languages.
We start in Autumn 1 Year 3 with our stage one learners.It's important to note that stage one learners can also be children who are Year 6 who are just starting to learn a language too.
We plot the learning pathway with simple bullet point activities in core lesson plans, exploring language learning skills at the age and stage appropriate level with engaging resources.
We reinforce and revisit core learning as we progress on the learning pathway .No surprise then that in Year 3 (stage one learners) Spring 2 we focus once again on colours with games and songs.We take the opportunity to explore carnival with a carnival colour song.
Progress over time means we move from simple practise of core language, pronunciation and simple reading and writing of familiar words. In Year 4 (Stage 2) we revisit , refresh and explore this simple language learning knowledge in new and extended ways and explore its application in short simple sentences in listening,speaking ,reading and writing. We begin to focus on grammar and the use of colours with nouns in the target language.
Being creative with language learning allows the learners the opportunities to see how imaginative and independent they can already be with their developing language learning skills and content and grammar knowledge. Stepping in to the World of our alien family or exploring through drama and performance sentence level descriptions of animals as we walk through the jungle,children face language learning challenges that are attractive,differentiated and achievable.
We have learned over time that native speaker sound files and video clips ensure that core language is always practised and reinforced accurately as we move forward .We are seeing some really effective and creative progress because of this support.
Arriving in Spring 2 Year 5 our learners have investigated colours and adjectives at word,phrase and sentence level and can now celebrate their basic competency in the use of nouns and adjectives with accurate agreement in short text level descriptions.It's carnival time and we are going to create our own carnival outfits.
We start with clear supported language practise, pronunciation and intonation suppport,review of prior learning in a new context and we explore language learniung skills and grammar at Year 5 stage 3 level
Until finally we can celebrate with class spoken and written descriptions of carnival clothes.
We are learning that progress never stops! As a group of primary practitioners we are pushing each other and ourselves to make sure our language learning is topical, achievable,attractive , purposeful and has challenge.We see the great benefit too of links with literacy and across the wider curriculum.
Recently we have begun to explore nouns,colours ,adjectival agreement and expanded noun phrases with "Dragons and Unicorns. This was inspired by a "children's choice" vote. Over time , as we progress, this will be incorporated within the body of the SOW as part of the learning pathway. You can see below the same links being made - colours, colours as adjectives, word level, phrases level , senetnce and text level investigations and opportunities to strengthen over time language learning skills. What is very important to remember is that we have a clear plotted pathway from Year 3 to Year 5 and then beyond in to Year 6 which enables us as classroom practitioners to step away from the core learning and explore these resources to promote progress in our pupils' language learning.
You can listen to our most current creative webinar on "Dragons and Unicorns"
To find out more about Primary Languages Network ,you can contact us via the link below:
Primary Languages Network Contact Page
