Beginning with languages blog 1

Across our network we work with schools who are all at different stages of setting up and delivering primary language learning and each year we welcome new schools who want to set off on their own individual school's language learning journey.

This year these specific "Beginning with languages " blogs will try to offer "bite size chunks" of indirect help and support to schools, who are doing exactly that .... just setting off and implementing  a language learning curriculum 

Sept - Oct (first half term) Checklist
It's all about establishing a whole school support system for all your staff
It's about small steps and simple language learning
It's about children and staff beginning to enjoy language learning!

• Do you have a nominated colleague who is leading in this new school focus?
• Have you accessed and read the DfE POS  for KS2 language learning?
• If you have a specialist teacher or a teacher in school that is delivering most of the language learning ,are all your staff informed of the language learning focus?Are all your staff supporting and encouraging the language learning?( possible ways may be through class teacher display/ children feedback/ revisiting a song with sound support/investigating the country and the culture)  you sharing with the children information about how to learn languages and are you beginning to establish a infrastructure to support the language learning as the children progress?

Blog support! 
Maybe these blogs can help you to find ways to implement the bullet points above
Setting out our language learning approach
Ready Steady Go!




Beginners language learning
This half term focus on all the children and the staff being able to:

• sing a simple song/songs  in the target language (a traditional song,a greetings song, a song from a CD or resource pack)
• participate in simple games such as Simon says / hot and cold / thumbs up /bingo
• see written target language such as greetings on the class door or 
• help to create written number banners or display boards with greetings and name phrases
• share facts that interest them about the target language country
• share with their  parents and carers some simple  target language phrases and some facts about the country/ countries of the target language
• say hello and goodbye
• ask how someone is feeling and give their own response
• ask and answer their names
• listen and understand numbers 0-10 ,count to 10 in the target language and recognise numbers in written form
• listen and understand the target language words for  six common colours ,practise saying the colours.

Blog support! 

Maybe these blogs can help you to find ways to implement the bullet points above
Greetings and feelings
Greetings and simple questions
listening sticks
Numbers and activities for all staff
Colours and activities for all staff
Colour mimes and word association
Abstract Art colours and display
Authentic playground games
                                  Getting started with rocket mobiles

A whole school celebration this half term?

Well this half term we like to celebrate European Day of Languages.It's on 26 September, but in schools where a specialist teaches  languages then the day during that week that languages are timetabled is often chosen.
Take a look at the links here for some ideas
European Day of Languages
Some of our schools will be having a themed day this year 
We are having "A Grand Day Out!"