Modern Foreign Languages

Mrs S Woodward - Head of MFL

Staff
Mrs S Woodward - Head of MFL.
Miss A McGregor
Mrs L Dudley
Mrs C Malinowski

The Modern Foreign Languages Department at Tarleton Academy is committed to the whole school aims. Within the department we provide a high quality education in response to the individual needs of students and we strive to maximise everyone’s potential.

We believe that learning a foreign language should be fun. All members of the department use the communicative method of teaching which means that lessons are often lively and a variety of teaching styles are used. We have in-class competitions and games, ensuring that our students enjoy their language lessons.

Students are encouraged to communicate in the foreign language at all times throughout their lessons and wall displays in the classrooms are used to help the students. Signs are in the foreign language and students are encouraged to use these signs to help them to communicate. We operate an "in-house" reward system for students who use the foreign language in classes, and each student who does so, is entered into a termly draw.

We believe that all students are capable of learning foreign languages whatever their ability. No student is excluded from learning languages.

All students learn German in Year 7 and some then pick up French in Year 8. In Years 9 all students can opt for French, German and / or Spanish. In Years 10 and 11, some students choose to study two languages.

Year 10 and 11 students follow the EdExcel Linear syllabus to GCSE level. This is 40% exam in Reading and Listening at the end of Year 11, with a written coursework element worth 30% and spoken assessments of 30%, to be completed over the two-year course.

In July we run trips to Barcelona, Paris and Berlin, which are excellent opportunities for our students to not only speak the language, but also experience the culture of that country.

We run lunchtime and after-school support sessions, where students can seek help with homework, work on extension materials or simply broaden their vocabulary by taking advantage of our range of French and German readers.