The Modern Languages Department is an innovative and creative team which promotes a sense of identity in a diverse world through positive relationships and the nurturing of independent learners:
The creative, dynamic, inclusive and innovative Modern Languages Department promotes a love of learning to enable our students to communicate in different languages and to explore, appreciate, respect and value our own and other cultures.
Meet the Modern Languages Team
Mrs A. O’Brien – Head of Department
Teacher of French & Spanish
Mrs B. O’Connell – Assistant Head of Department
Teacher of Spanish, Italian & French
Mrs C McCann – Head of Year
Teacher of French, Spanish & LLW
Mr S Kelly
Teacher of Irish & LLW
Mrs R Mervyn – Head of Year
Teacher of Spanish, Italian & LLW
Mrs B Nelson – Prize Giving Co-ordinator
Teacher of French, Irish, Italian & LLW
Mrs N Thompson
Teacher of Irish, Sociology & Health and Social Care
Miss Maude Marre
French Language Assistant
Miss Cuisle Wilson
Irish Language Assistant
Mrs María Ortiz Calonge
Spanish Language Assistant
Pupil work
See folder of
Pics & videos – texting story / comic life / Pics of booklets
See videos in folder
Clubs
Monday Lunchtime in C1
GCSE French Club
Alternate Tuesday & Friday Lunchtimes in LG2
KS3 French Club with Maude
Friday Lunchtime in C1
GCSE Spanish Club
KS3 Curriculum
At KS3 your daughter will learn to:
- Prepare for success in external exams
- learn vocabulary and pilot a variety of strategies to support her learning
- complete listening activities
- develop a range of strategies that will allow her to remain calm during listening tests
- learn how to prepare effectively for tests and exams
- complete reading activities using a variety of skills
- understand how to produce simple responses to questions asked securing full communication of the given task in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- understand what makes a quality piece of extended writing in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- produce an extended piece of writing in French / Irish / Italian / Irish which includes “colours” (see SLO booklet)
Level 1 – Term 1:
Your daughter will learn to:
- introduce herself in French / Irish / Italian / Irish and greet others
- follow instructions in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- spell her name in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- count to 31 in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- give her age in French / Irish / Italian / Irish and understand information others give on their age
- give her birthday in French / Irish / Italian / Irish and understand information others give on their birthday
- say how many people are in her family
- describe her family and understand information others give about their family
- say if she has any pets
- describe a pet and understand information others give on their pet
- give and understand opinions
- justify opinions and understand justifications offered by others in relation to family and pets
Level 1 – Term 2 and 3:
Your daughter will learn to:
- say which country and town she lives in
- say which country she would like to live in and why
- give and understand information on nationalities
- say exactly where she lives
- say what type of dwelling she lives in
- give and understand information on dwellings
- say what rooms are in her house
- give and understand descriptions on rooms
- say what furniture she has in her room
- say what she does in her room
- give and understand descriptions of bedrooms
- say what chores she does around the house
- say what chores she will do this weekend
- give and justify opinions
- give and understand information on free time activities
- give and understand information on activities which help her to keep fit and healthy
- say what she will do this weekend to stay fit
Level 2 – Term 1:
Your daughter will learn to:
- follow instructions in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- talk about her morning routine in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- tell the time in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- say how she travels to school in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- give and understand opinions and justifications about journeys to school in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
- describe her school day
- describe what she does at break time and lunchtime
- give and justify opinions on subjects
- describe her uniform
- say what she would like to wear as her uniform
- talk about her evening routine in French / Irish / Italian / Irish
Level 2 – Term 2 and 3:
Your daughter will learn to:
- describe the weather today
- say exactly where she lives
- give and understand descriptions of towns
- give & understand the names of places in the town
- say where she goes & what activities she does in her town
- give and justify her opinion of the activities on offer in her town
- give information on what different groups of people can do in her town including making and justifying recommendations
- say what she is going to do with her friends and family in her town
- say what she does to protect the environment
- say what she could do in the future
- give and understand a description of how people could protect our environment
- give and understand descriptions of what people eat to stay fit and healthy
- give and understand descriptions of what activities people do to stay fit and healthy
Level 3 – Term 1:
Your daughter will learn to:
- give and understand personal information
- give and understand physical descriptions
- give and understand personality descriptions
- give and understand information on relationships – getting on well or less well with people
- give and understand descriptions about weekend and free time activities in a range of tenses
- communicate in the present tense
- communicate in the past tense
- communicate in the future tense
- give and understand information on jobs and preferred career choices
- give and understand information on future lifestyle preferences
Level 3 – Term 2 and 3:
Your daughter will learn to:
- give and understand general information about school
- give and understand descriptions of school buildings
- describe her school day including break time, lunchtime and clubs
- give and understand descriptions of uniforms
- say what she would like to wear as a uniform
- say what school rules need to be followed
- give an opinion on a variety of school rules
- give and understand opinions on subjects
- explain why she likes or dislikes a subject
- use both simple and complex opinion and justification structures
- state which subjects she would like to do for GCSE and explain why
- take about future intentions – after GCSE & A Level
- say whether she would like to go to university
- give information on her preferred future career
- give and understand information of customs and festivals
- develop a cultural understanding
GCSE
Your daughter will have access to a range of support materials. She will continue to use Linguascope and Quizlet, however she will make increased use of google classroom as a wide range of resources and support will be available to her via this classroom. Please note that you can also access this classroom and be fully involved in your daughter educational journey.
Your daughter will follow the CCEA specification.
- http://ccea.org.uk/french/
- http://ccea.org.uk/gaeilge/
- http://ccea.org.uk/irish/
- http://ccea.org.uk/spanish/
Students of the CCEA GCSE specification can develop their enthusiasm for the language while increasing their confidence in the four key skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. They learn more about French / Irish / Spanish speaking countries and communities, as well as covering topics like social and global issues – taking their place as citizens in a multilingual, global society.
Three contexts for learning provide plenty of variety and scope for investigating, understanding, describing, discussing and giving opinions. The contexts are:
- identity, lifestyle and culture
- local, national, international and global areas of interest
- school life, studies and the world of work
- There is an external examination for each of the specification’s four assessment units, each worth 25% of the overall mark.
The teacher conducts and records the speaking exam for CCEA examiners to mark, and students have the opportunity to prepare one of the conversation topics in advance.
The CCEA GCSE in Modern Languages is unitised, so it’s possible to take part of the assessment at the end of the first year of study.
The specification has four units:
- Unit 1: Listening
- Unit 2: Speaking
- Unit 3: Reading
- Unit 4: Writing
Post 16
Your son or daughter will continue to have access to a wide range of support materials. He/she will continue to use Quizlet, however he/she will make increased use of google classroom and Fronter and a wide range of resources and support will be available to him/her via this classroom.
Please note that you can also access google classroom and be fully involved in your daughter educational journey.
FRENCH:
Your son / daughter will follow the CCEA specification.
This specification is made up of two parts: AS and A2. Students may take the AS as a stand-alone qualification without progressing to A2. However, to gain the full GCE, students must complete the AS and the A2 units. The AS units make up 40% of the full A level qualification, and the A2 units make up 60%.
The specification allows students to explore two broad areas of interest. These are:
- social trends and issues; and either
- political culture, intellectual culture or artistic culture.
- Students explore the areas of interest by studying four themes.
Themes
- AS
- A2
- Relationships
- Culture and Lifestyle
- Young People in Society
- Our Place in a Changing World
- Topics within the themes are outlined in the full specification.
Students also study film or literature at AS level and literature at A2.
Film/Literature
Literature
For AS, students study one of the following four set works:
Film:
Berri: Manon des sources
Truffaut: Les 400 coups
Literature:
Camus: L’Étranger
Vigan: No et moi
For Unit AS 3: Extended Writing, students write one essay, in French, based on their chosen set work.
For A2, students study one of the following four set works:
Literature:
Mauriac: Thérèse Desqueyroux
Pagnol: La Gloire de mon père
Prévert: A selection of poems
Sartre: Les Mains sales
For Unit A2 3: Extended Writing, students write one essay, in French, based on their chosen set work.
IRISH:
Your son / daughter will follow the CCEA specification.
This specification is made up of two parts: AS and A2. Students may take the AS as a stand-alone qualification without progressing to A2. However, to gain the full GCE, students must complete the AS and the A2 units. The AS units make up 40% of the full A level qualification, and the A2 units make up 60%.
The specification allows students to explore two broad areas of interest. These are:
social trends and issues; and either
political culture, intellectual culture or artistic culture.
Students explore the areas of interest by studying four themes.
Themes
AS
A2
Relationships
Culture and Lifestyle
Young People in Society
Our Place in a Changing World
Topics within the themes are outlined in the full specification.
Students also study film or literature at AS level and literature at A2.
Film/Literature
Literature
For AS, students study one of the following four set works:
Film:
Mercier: Lipservice
O’Hara: Yu Ming Is Ainm Dom
O’Reilly: Clare Sa Spéir
Literature:
Peigí Rose: Anne (An Chéad Chnuasach)
For Unit AS 3: Extended Writing, students write one essay, in Irish, based on their chosen set work.
For A2, students study one of the following set works:
Literature:
Mac Labhraí (editor): Anam na Teanga
Ó Tuairisc: Lá Fhéile Míchíl
A selection of poems by: Ó Ríordáin, Ó Searcaigh, Ó Direáin and Mhac an tSaoi
For Unit A2 3: Extended Writing, students write one essay, in Irish, based on their chosen set work.
SPANISH:
Your son / daughter will follow the CCEA specification.
This specification is made up of two parts: AS and A2. Students may take the AS as a stand-alone qualification without progressing to A2. However, to gain the full GCE, students must complete the AS and the A2 units. The AS units make up 40% of the full A level qualification, and the A2 units make up 60%.
The specification allows students to explore two broad areas of interest. These are:
- social trends and issues; and either
- political culture, intellectual culture or artistic culture.
- Students explore the areas of interest by studying four themes.
- AS
- A2
- Relationships
- Culture and Lifestyle
- Young People in Society
- Our Place in a Changing World
- Topics for development within the themes are outlined in the full specification.
Students also study film or literature at AS level and literature at A2.
Film/Literature
Literature
For AS, students choose one of the following four set works:
Film:
Zambrano: Solas
Cuerda: La lengua de las mariposas
Mañas: El Bola
Literature:
Esquivel: Como agua para chocolate
For Unit AS 3: Extended Writing, students write one essay, in Spanish, based on their chosen set work.
For A2, students choose one of the following four set works:
Literature:
García Lorca: La Casa de Bernarda Alba
Muñoz Molina: El dueño del secreto
Sender: Réquiem por un Campesino Español
Neruda: Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada
For Unit A2 3: Extended Writing, students write one essay, in Spanish, based on their chosen set work.
Supporting Learning
Dear Parent, Guardian, Carer,
Your daughter has a wide range of support materials available to her to support her in preparing for language LOs. She has her classwork notes, her “Learning my Vocabulary” home learning activities, her reading activities, her SLO booklet activities.
In addition, she has access to a range of online resources. The school pays for an annual subscription to Linguascope and Quizlet both of which can be used to support revision in a fun and interactive way. Linguascope is a purchased resource, however her Quizlet classroom will contain activities which have been specifically created by our team to support your daughter with all aspects of language learning. These quizlets are designed to empower her to be the best that she can be and to enable her to achieve her true potential. As well as our normal quizlets to support general learning and teaching we have created revision quizlets for the LOs. By using these quizlets your daughter should be able to perform at her optimum in the assessment and to feel confident the whole way through – however she does need to dedicate time to these activities to empower her fully.
For a listening or reading LO flashcard, match and gravity activities are great, however for the writing we suggest that she completes the write, spell and test activities and that she uses the star button to focus her learning.
Please also note that these quizlets are a great support if your daughter has missed time out of class as they are numbered in order and will help her to catch up.
Please feel free to trial the activities and sit the test – this will allow you to see how easy it is! J
As a team we would just like to extend a vote of thanks for all your support and always remember if your daughter is feeling bored she can always improve her language skills by doing a quizlet or two.
LO Revision Lists
LO1
This will be a listening test. Quizlet and Linguascope are a great support as they both contain sound files to support learning and knowledge acquisition.
Revision Lists
Level 1
- Instructions
- Greetings
- Numbers 0 – 31
- Months of the year
- Birthdays and dates
Level 2
- Rooms in the house
- Time
- Colours
- Daily routine
- Transport
- Family
- Household Chores
- Free time activities
Level 3
- Instructions
- Time
- Colours
- Physical description
- Hobbies
- Family
- Personality
- Relationships
- Daily Routine
- Environment
- Birthday celebrations
LO2
This will be in two parts. Part A will assess the development of your daughter’s ability to understand and read in the target language. Part B will assess her ability to write in the target language. Again Quizlet and Linguascope are a great support as they both support knowledge acquisition. However, for the writing we recommend that she completes the write, spell and test activities that we have specifically created in quizlet to support her with this assessment and we advise her to use the star button to help focus her learning.
Revision Lists – Part A – Reading Assessment
Level 1
- instructions
- pets
- greetings
- personal information – name, age, birthday, date of birth
- numbers
- months
- family
Level 2
- Time
- Clothes
- Subjects – opinions and justifications
- Morning routine
- Evening routine
- School day
- Hobbies
- Birthday celebration activities
Level 3
- Instructions
- Birthdays and dates (numbers & months)
- Time
- Daily routine
- Transport
- Family
- Household Chores
- Free time activities
- Physical description and colours
- Personality and relationships
- Environment
- Birthday celebrations
Revision Lists – Part B – Writing Assessment
We strongly advise pupils to revise using the quizlets created!
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
LO3
This will be a listening test – see earlier advice in LO1.
Revision Lists
Level 1
- numbers
- pets
- furniture
- birthdays – numbers, months
- where I live
- family
- bedroom (activities & description)
- countries & nationalities
Level 2
- weather
- pets
- b’day – months, dates
- places
- uniform – clothes, colours
- town – industrial etc
- chores
- town – describe including activities
- town v country
- daily routine & time
Level 3
- school building
- countries
- chores
- clothes / uniform
- description – hair & eyes (10)
- subjects
- daily routine
- school day
- town
- family relationships
- free time activities
LO4 Revision
This will be a speaking test. Your daughter will complete some role play activities and engage in a general conversation with her teacher. Your daughter will be provided with a speaking test booklet to support her preparation for this assessment.
Again Quizlet and Linguascope are a great support and the sound files will support pronunciation. We recommend that in quizlet she completes a range of activities and more importantly that she creates her own quizlets which include her prepared responses.
Revision Lists
Level 1
- TBC
Level 2
- TBC
Level 3
- TBC
LO5
This will be in two parts. Part A will assess reading and Part B will assess her ability to write in the target language – please see advice in LO2
Revision Lists
Level 1
- TBC
Level 2
- TBC
Level 3
- TBC
