French, German, Spanish

In Year 9, all students will continue to study their language studied in years 7 and 8 as part of their core curriculum. Certain students, selected by their current languages’ teacher, will have the opportunity to study a second language in addition to their first language.

Students who have not studied a certain language previously in Year 8 will not be allowed to take up that language without the approval of the Languages Learning Leader, following a discussion with the student and their parents/carers.

Year 9 Course Content

At Brookfield, our objective is to enable students of all abilities to develop their foreign language skills to their full potential, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to confidently communicate with others. We are passionate about the benefits that learning a language can bring and as such, we strongly believe in languages as a skill for life and a subject that students should enjoy and find rewarding.

This is why, in every lesson, students will be expanding their cultural knowledge, tolerance and awareness, whilst developing their language skills in a variety of contexts to build a solid base of vocabulary and grammar.

The Year 9 course develops students’ ability to excel at the four skills of Speaking, Writing, Listening and Reading through:

• Regular opportunities in lessons to converse in the foreign language in a spontaneous manner with the teacher and with peers.
• Reading and listening to native speakers, sometimes via authentic materials and be given the techniques to respond to “GCSE style” comprehension questions.
• Regular practice writing in the foreign language with and without support in a variety of styles.
• A thorough understanding and application of grammatical rules in a variety of contexts.
• Weekly vocabulary memorisation to allow for confidence building in all areas.
• Regular opportunities to learn and practise phonics and phonic activities to ensure students speak more confidently in the target language.

At the end of every term, students will be assessed using GCSE style reading, listening, speaking and writing. This will allow students and their teachers to know what their strengths and weaknesses are, so that together they can design a thorough revision and intervention plan, allowing them to start their GCSE in Year 10 with confidence and a positive attitude.

There may be opportunities for study trips to France, Spain and Germany for students, however the decision is made on a yearly basis based on the staffing situation and costs involved.

Enquiries to:

Mr Clements - Learning Leader: Languages                a.clements@brookfield.hants.sch.uk

Mr Barrett - Deputy Learning Leader: Languages        m.barrett@brookfield.hants.sch.uk