TRANSITION AND LANGUAGES
Keeping up the
momentum
HEN A member of the
W
Talkabout Primary Modern
With 2010 almost upon us, before we know
A second cluster has been looking at the seven to
11 curriculum, leading eventually to seven to 14. This
Foreign Languages (MFL)
online network took part in a it, every key stage 2 classroom will be ringing
lies at the very heart of successful transition. Yet on
analysing the two frameworks, staff discovered that
cross-sector conference run much of the key stage 3 framework had already been
by her local authority, not
to the sounds of a foreign language. Many
launched at key stage 2. They have now mapped out
only was she disappointed framework objectives to establish areas of overlap
by the poor turnout of her secondary colleagues,
but those who did attend showed little enthusiasm
already are. Alison Thomas asks what
and are devising new schemes of learning to ensure
continuity and progression.
for potential communication channels, such as Asset
Languages certification, national curriculum levels,
secondary schools can do to build on this momentum
Meanwhile, the authority continues to support
foreign languages through a wide range of initiatives,
and shared year 6 lessons post-SATs. She concluded which include web-based linguistic training for primary
in dismay: “The bottom line was that they start from teachers and facilitating joint planning meetings
scratch with numbers to 10 in the first secondary lesson, When they realise they are doing the same as year 11, down next to each other and ask them to put their heads between the two sectors.
ça va during the second!” they feel terribly clever.” together, but nothing beats actually being there to see Ms Fairbanks concluded: “We keep reinforcing the
In fairness to secondary schools, transition presents Belle Vue is not alone in adopting a proactive what goes on.” message to our secondary schools, ‘by all means revisit
an enormous challenge, especially for those which approach. Since April 2007, CILT, the National Centre His second piece of advice is for secondary MFL and revise, that is a normal part of effective teaching,
draw their intake from far afield. That is no excuse for for Languages, has been running a two-year, seven specialists, who tend to see themselves as the experts. but you can’t open the textbook at page one and start
inaction, however, according to Tess Wilkins, director to 14 action research project to explore and evaluate He said: “Some of our primary teachers do fantastic ‘comment tu t’appelles?’ as you used to. All of our
of specialism at Belle Vue Girls’ School in Bradford. potential solutions to what is undoubtedly a complex work in terms of assessment for learning and of pupils schools now recognise this. But some are further down
She told SecEd: “Our current year 7 students came problem. The first phase involved six local authorities, leading the learning. Watching our primary advanced the road of deciding what they will do about it.” SecEd
to us from 24 different schools and sometimes it can from a variety of geographical regions and educational skills teacher working with year 7 has been very
be as many as 40. Their prior exposure to a foreign provision; now another eight have come on board. gratifying – empowering them to design their own • Alison Thomas is a freelance education journalist.
language ranges from nothing at all to four years. Chris Wakely, MFL advisor for Devon, explained: ways of learning, set their own targets, script their own
“Some have learned French or Spanish, a few have “We are all approaching it from different angles to songs. Secondary teachers need to be humble enough to
Further information
done German. Then there are those who speak Urdu or suit our local circumstances. Hopefully, the sum total sit back and watch.” For information on the CILT seven to 14 project, visit
Arabic at home, and now Slovakian has been thrown will be something people can learn from and use what His comments are echoed by Judi Fairbanks, primary www.cilt.org.uk/transition/index.htm
into the mix.” works for them.” languages advisor for East Riding in Yorkshire. One of Take 10 en Français (£29) and the recently published
The school’s response has been to assess children Devon’s contribution has been to investigate the her strategies for heightening awareness is to fund a Take 10 en Espanol (£37.40) are available from
in the four languages it teaches, and set them on the impact on motivation and achievement of kinaesthetic, place for a different secondary teacher at every primary www.deseducation.org/eshop
basis of the strongest. That only goes part of the way cross-curricular learning using the county’s Take 10 en CPD event. She said: “We have a primary advanced Watch primary language teachers in action at
towards solving the problem, however; staff have also Français materials. skills teacher who has produced wonderful resources. www.primarylanguages.org.uk
completely revised their teaching styles. Designed for the non-specialist primary teacher, this When secondary colleagues see both the level of the
Strategies include pairing experienced linguists with lively resource comprises action rhymes, songs and language and how it will be delivered, it stops them in
Tips for coping with a mixed-skill intake
the less experienced, focusing on skills rather than aerobic routines, with books and a DVD to give you their tracks.”
vocabulary, and recycling previously-learned language ideas, and two music CDs to help you sing along. Collaboration between equal partners has been
• Start off with a topic that is new to
in new contexts. Three separate primary-secondary partnerships have fundamental to East Riding’s approach since the first everyone.
Ms Wilkins continued: “We build on what they developed different activities for different age groups, cluster of schools introduced primary languages 10
• Build on the confidence and enthusiasm
know to develop quite big discussions. Most of them all the way from key stage 1 to 3. years ago. Since then the curricular model established
of pupils with prior knowledge. Use
respond to the challenge, even those who haven’t met “In terms of transition, the idea has been to bring by these early pioneers has been adopted throughout the
the vocabulary before.” active learning and a little cross-curricular work into the authority, and it was one of the recommended models
them as models or to lead activities. For
She is, however, conscious of the danger of secondary school,” said Mr Wakely. “We also wanted to emerge from CILT’s Good Practice Project. This
group work, pair them with pupils who
demoralising pupils who are new to the language and to impress on the children that what they have learned depth of experience coupled with the geographical are new to the language.
support is provided through fun activities at lunchtime in primary school is relevant and can be taken further.” advantage of relatively discrete clusters of schools puts
• Focus on linguistic skills rather than
clubs. And no-one is left in any doubt that if they need As an example, he cites the work of some year 7 East Riding in a strong position to investigate some of
vocabulary.
help, all they have to do is ask. Questions are actively groups, who put new words to the melodies and devised the more thorny aspects of transition as part of the CILT
encouraged and rewarded. new aerobic routines, which they took into primary seven to 14 project.
• Devise activities for the more advanced
A key policy change has been to concentrate on a school to teach year 6. Feedback shows that this was For this, it has chosen two areas. One cluster is
(e.g. project work) that allow you to
single language at key stage 3, leaving the opportunity their favourite element of the project. exploring ways of assessing primary pupils’ progress give those with less experience some
to study a second or a third – or pursue the first to a If crossing the primary-secondary divide has gone to produce a document that will be of real use to all
extra attention.
higher level – for key stage 4. down well with pupils, it has been a revelation for their teachers, with secondary teachers being involved in
• To facilitate differentiated learning,
The intention is that most students will sit a GCSE teachers. the planning and discussion – something that has
in year 9, although they will be under no pressure. Ms Mr Wakely continued: “If you do only one thing, get given them further insight into primary pedagogy. Ms
enlist the support of foreign language
Wilkins explained: “We’ll see how it goes, but for now into each other’s classrooms. We can bring secondary Fairbanks explained: “When people say, ‘tell us what
assistants, A level language students, or
they are enthusiastic and committed. We have sold it staff out on a course and tell them all about primary you’ve done’, what they usually mean is content, but it teaching assistants with language skills.
to them big time, telling them they are our superstars. languages. We can sit primary and secondary colleagues is how it’s been done that is difficult to transfer.”
SecEd • March 12 2009 15
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