"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.
 

Pupils learning Spanish at Morton Academy have two 100 minute lessons a fortnight at KS3, three in Y10 and Y11.

Our aim is to provide an excellent education for all our students, which brings out the best in them and prepares them for success in life. There are powerful educational benefits and career and workplace advantages to be gained from studying a foreign language in addition to social and travel opportunities.

Learning a language is not just about knowing the vocabulary and grammar. It involves learning about cultural similarities and differences and developing an understanding of the wider world and sparking an interest in other cultures, people and places.

At KS3 we aim to foster an enthusiasm of learning about the language and cultural aspects of Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries. We want pupils to be able to express themselves appropriately in verbal and written Spanish and to enjoy and understand authentic Spanish through reading and listening. We want them to appreciate the wide range of opportunities, both work-related and wider, that an understanding of a foreign language and an appreciation of other cultures can bring. We aim to improve pupil confidence, literacy and communication skills through the study of Spanish. Pupils will be able to describe a variety of people, places and things and give personal opinions which they are able to justify. They will learn about cultural similarities and differences between their own experiences and those of people in other countries and communities. Our curriculum aims to foster independence and self-efficacy, and encourages pupils to give their own views and consider the views of others. We want them to be curious, ask questions and challenge when appropriate, for example with regard to the implications of a highly gendered language and media representation of different groups. ​

We intend to teach pupils skills and strategies that can be transferred to other areas. They should understand how they learn and how certain strategies and activities aid retention and deeper learning.​

At KS4 our aim is to further develop competent language learners who have the skills and ability in Spanish to take the subject further both academically and wider. As well as continuing to build on the skills developed at KS3 there will be a more in-depth focus on developing competence in grammar and in extending responses through the use of more complex and impressive language as well as ensuring that prior learning at KS3 is revisited and embedded. We want pupils to seek out authentic Spanish materials that reflect their personal interests and further develop their independence in tackling problems and finding out new information.​

This can be defined as the acquisition of social and cultural knowledge that encourages social mobility and progress and this is everywhere in MFL but some examples are:​

• Learning about cultural differences and similarities – daily routine, lifestyles, ways of greeting, food and drink (including social norms when eating out); festivals and celebrations; the geographical features of different places; social and global issues and solutions; different social situations and contexts (shopping, meeting new friends, applying for jobs, travelling around etc)​.

Our curriculum complements and enhances topics studied in other subject areas and vice versa. It is important that our pupils see language study as part of a wider set of skills and experiences that open the door to a vast array of opportunities in study, work and quality of personal life. We believe strongly that the study of a language and other cultures raises aspirations and enriches our life experience.

Within our lessons pupils are taught about how languages equip you with so many skills that are extremely valuable in the world of work. We also teach about jobs, future plans and aspirations and in Year 8 and 9 there is a programme of presentations and discussions about how languages can be an advantage in a wide variety of jobs and careers. We are currently looking into the possibilities of setting up links with local businesses.

• Juliet Evans (Subject Leader)
• Lucy Ingledow
• Rachel Dodd