French
ETHOS:
“To have another language is to possess a second soul”
Charlemagne
To inspire and excite the boys to engage in the language-learning process and to instil a deep lasting interest in the language, life and culture of France, this is the primary aim of the French Department at Arnold House. We ensure that the boys fully see the relevance, value and importance of acquiring another language and we strive to ensure that pupils of all ability levels are catered for and that work is stimulating and challenging so that expectations are always kept high. It is of prime importance for us to develop the boys’ ability to use French effectively for purposes of practical communication both inside and outside the classroom.
“Usage is the best language teacher”
Quintilian
AIMS:
• To foster an enjoyment and positive attitude in the process of acquiring a new language.
• To impart a clear idea of the importance and relevance of learning a foreign language.
• To expose pupils to language beyond the basic syllabus and consequently extend their passive vocabulary.
• To prepare pupils thoroughly and rigorously for the demands of the 13+ Common Entrance examination and scholarship where appropriate, without the workload ever feeling too burdensome.
• To instil good language learning habits in the pupils.
• To develop pupils’ awareness of other languages and demonstrate how key concepts are often transferable.
• To impart and awareness of the cultural differences between France and other francophone countries and England.
• To ensure that pupils feel valued, confident and positively encouraged in their French lessons and linguistic abilities. Pupils should be able to recognise their respective strengths in particular skill areas and work to address their weaknesses.
• To support any pupils with Learning Difficulties and ensure that the more able pupils are sufficiently stimulated and stretched.
• To ensure that the language is learnt through a variety of media and incorporating the most up to date technology wherever it is appropriate and easily accessible.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”
Nelson Mandela
CURRICULUM:
At Arnold House we aim to make our pupils’ experience of language-learning as enjoyable, organised and stimulating as possible.
As soon as the boys enter the School in Year 1 they have a short weekly session. During this time they start to develop their language skills through games, songs, art, drama and audio–visual material. The frequency of their French lessons gradually increases and in Year 7 and 8 we are able to offer five lessons per week.
As the boys progress through the School we work hard to ensure that equal emphasis is given to reading, writing, listening and speaking - skills in which they are ultimately examined, whilst nurturing a thorough understanding of grammar concepts. We also have a very thorough and methodical approach to the learning of vocabulary and structures.
We provide two occasions for the boys to spend time in France to put their language into practice. In Year 5 there is a day trip to Calais and Boulogne and in Year 8 we take the boys to a marvellous venue in the South of France for a week of French immersion prior to Common Entrance.
Most boys achieve top grades in this subject and go on to take French GCSE a year early at their Senior Schools.