Academic
French

French

Staffing:

Mr G. Braithwaite (Head of Department)

Mr S. Le Heup

Mr G. Entwisle

WHY LEARN A MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE ?

Aims and Objectives:

ACADEMIC: By the time the children leave the school at 13+, it is hoped that they will have attained a good level in the four skills of reading comprehension, writing, listening comprehension and speaking. This aim is reflected in the 25% awarded for achievement in each of the four skills at Common Entrance and G.C.S.E. This level of attainment will serve as a solid base for further study.

CULTURAL: "No man is an island" and it is hoped that during their study of French at Highfield the children will develop a growing awareness of France and French life, coupled with a real interest to discover more. The growing cultural awareness that the children develop in their French course at Highfield is further enriched by the French trips in which they participate. If the children leave Highfield with a real desire to find out more about France and the French, irrespective of their ability in the language, then I feel we will have rendered them a real service.

UTILITARIAN: The teaching of French at the school is, of necessity, of great practical use to the children. Gone, hopefully, are the days when hours of study in French at school did nothing to equip students with the tools to use what they had learnt in the real world. When they leave Highfield, children should be able to cope in French in a wide variety of situations which they might encounter on future trips to France. This ability, not only very valuable in its own right, also helps to boost self-confidence and to develop an awareness of the importance of being able to speak other foreign languages.

'On reussit en s'amusant': our department motto sums up in brief our departmental aims, which are to build a love and enthusiasm for our subject, whilst at the same time putting solid foundations in place for when the children continue with their French studies at their senior schools.

The principal aims of the children's early lessons are designed to develop oral and aural skills with a good deal of their studies focused on communicative activities involving games, songs, surveys, pair work and group work. As the children progress through the school, more emphasis is put on developing their reading and writing skills and at scholarship level in Year 8, a number of children achieve beyond that required for GCSE Higher Level.

At the moment children enjoy trips to France in Year 4 and in Year 8 with similar trips for other years being planned.