Languages

The general policy in Modern Languages of any school is to enable pupils to communicate orally in the target language and in the written language and also comprehend both the written and the spoken word, as far as their ability will allow. Sometimes as in our case this entails going beyond the guidelines set out in the National Curriculum.

Our general aims and objectives therefore are:

to develop the use of language effectively for the purpose of communication.
to develop an awareness of the state of language and language learning.
to provide enjoyment and intellectual stimulation.
to encourage positive attitudes to foreign language learning and to speakers of foreign languages, and a sympathetic approach to other cultures and civilisations.

To this end we encourage the use of various methods:

maximising the use of the target language.
the integration of language skills.
imaginitive and creative tasks and activities.
the use of authentic materials to develop cultural as well as linguistic awareness.
the use of information technology to develop the learners’ independence

Cargilfield pupils are introduced to French at the age of three and four. Once a week the Modern Languages teacher entertains Nursery and P1 children with puppets, stories and songs from “La Jolie Ronde” which is a well established course for pre-school and nursery children. From then on they learn the “Adventures of Minou et Trottine”.

Form 4 have two 45-minute sessions a week, and form 5 have three. We follow the “Passe-Partout 1” text, which starts to give grounding in the main skills of listening speaking reading and writing. This is an important transition stage.

In form 6, with, there are three lessons of 45 minutes. The main course book “Encore Tricolore” becomes an important tool. The language is taught through a topic-based approach with related grammatical points. The regular learning of vocabulary is an essential element in the classwork. By the end of this year the children are able to talk about themselves, their family, their pets and activities, the weather, and what they enjoy doing.

Form 7 follows a similar structure, with an emphasis on the world around us. Themes include visiting towns, asking directions, mealtimes and different type of (French) food. Throughout the year there is constant revision and consolidation of previously acquired knowledge.

Making CrÊpes

Form 8, will ultimately embark on a fast-track learning programme which will prepare them for their scholarships, while the other groups will concentrate on their Common Entrance syllabus. Both groups have four 45-minute lessons a week.

The French Department incorporates Information Technology widely, and there are shared links on the school network to useful websites. The school also uses ‘Départ’ games, within the topic areas covered, to stimulate the less able. The children record and video role plays and pair work which gives an added and often entertaining dimension to the lesson.

By the time they leave Cargilfield the pupils will have a thorough grounding in the language.

Educational visits

The school visits France whenever possible, and in 2007 the boys and girls are going to a language school in Gréoux Les Bains which is near Aix en Provence; flying from Edinburgh Airport direct to Nice. The programme consists of language workshops or ‘ateliers’ and excursions with local children.

Spanish is taught one lesson a week within the school from Year 4 to 7 to give the boys and girls a taster of the language. Although there are few candidates at Common Entrance the school gives a grounding, which may lead to future success at GCSE level.

Mandarin is the buzz language of the 21st century and Cargilfield has not been slow to recognise the fact. From January 2007 a dedicated band of ‘Sinofiles’ have been following a web-based course as an activity in the evening. It has proved to be a fascinating language to learn and has been an exciting alternative to the romance languages.