| French |
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 The
aim of the French Department is to expose children to a foreign language and to
promote a cultural interest, as well as good foreign language learning habits,
which will build a strong academic foundation for further studies.
At Howell's every child from Middles to J4 is taught French because we believe that it gives our pupils a good opportunity to acquire language- learning skills from the earliest schooling age. Pupils broadly follow the National Curriculum KS1 and KS2 and are taught by a specialist teacher. During the introductory stage, in Middles, the language is taught initially through songs and games, with the emphasis being very much on fun-based activities. We then progress to simple topics, using audio and pictorial materials as a starting point, developing vocabulary. Towards the end of Transition we introduce easy grammatical concepts such as action verbs and negatives, together with simple phrases and sentences. Through J1 to J4 we continue to build this body of knowledge and vocabulary and learn about the customs and culture of France. It is with a good knowledge base in the language and a growing familiarity with French culture that pupils enter the Senior School. |
