Have a Strong Desire to Put Language Together Themselves

ECS AG&T Subject Provision Statement 2016-17
Subject:
FRENCH/ SPANISH / Faculty:
MFL / Teacher i/c AG&T: RTR
Students who are gifted and talented in this subject can be identified if they demonstrate many of the following:
According to the definition offered by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, pupils who are gifted in MFL are likely to:

Have a strong desire to put language together themselves.
Show creativity and imagination when using language.
Have a natural feel for languages.
Pick up new language and structures quickly.
Make connections and classify words and structures to help them learn more effectively.
Seek solutions and ask further questions.
Have an insight into their own learning style and preference.
Show an intense interest in the cultural features of the language being studied.

Teaching and learning strategies:
In addition to enriched and extended schemes of work, the following strategies are used to help realise the potential of gifted languages students:

Differentiated work and homework
Develop cultural knowledge of countries where the language is spoken
Students are guided to develop more creative work by adapting structures and using authentic expressions and idioms
Encouraging the use of alternative means of research, such as databases, online records and the internet; likewise, encouraging the use of ICT as a means of presenting those ideas, such as PowerPoint, inspirations, moviemaker, etc.
Recognition, celebration and rewarding of achievement of all pupils within the Faculty
Continuing professional development of staff which addresses the implications of gifted and talented pupils in teaching and learning.

/ AG&T Resources audit:

Textbooks
Websites
Set of bilingual reading books
Other materials available in the library Languagesonline.org.uk
Languageswork.org.uk

Subscribe to language magazine (Mary Glasgow)

/ ECS extra-curricular activities:

After-school / lunchtime clubs taking place this year
Competitions
Educational visits taking place this year
After school club on French culture, music, food, film

Challenge for students:

To really learn a language takes time and commitment. Consistency is by far the most important factor. Remember that language is first and foremost oral communication. Try to develop a "good ear" for the language. An easy and fun way to do this is by listening to music in the target language, watching films in the target language, or listening to the news in the target language. The more time you spend immersed in the language the more successful you will be at learning th language.

Bring in a song in the target language, an article in the target language, a blog post you read in the target language, a tweet in the target language, or even simply a new word to your languages lesson each week. Share it with your teacher and the class in order that together the whole class might find some new vocabulary to improve their written and spoken language.