Objective

At Dallington, we strongly believe that the learning of a foreign language provides valuable educational, social and cultural experiences.  It prepares children for participation in  a rapidly changing world, and learning a language at a young age lays a firm foundation for future learning. It is also the best age to learn a new language. Our aim is to develop the children’s confidence to communicate, firstly through repetition and then progressively through active and spontaneous participation from the children.  This creative thinking process enables the children to acquire sound verbal and written skills. We want learning French to be fun and playful, and for it to have a real context, such as being able to visit France and communicate.

French is therefore taught as a language for children to hear and use. As their familiarity grows, they are encouraged to draw on what they have learned and begin communicating with greater independence within applicable scenarios.

The Role of French in Primary Education

Learning French during primary education gives children time to become familiar with the sounds and rhythms of another language. Through listening and participating, they begin to recognise that ideas can be communicated in different ways.

This process encourages children to pay close attention to what they hear and make connections between language and meaning. It also provides a foundation that can support further language learning as they grow.

Our French curriculum offers opportunities to learn about people and cultures beyond children’s immediate experiences. This reflects Dallington’s wider belief that children should value their own worth while developing an understanding of the differences in others.

The Dallington Approach to Learning French

French forms part of a curriculum designed to make learning meaningful. Across the school, children are encouraged to explore ideas, ask questions and develop understanding through experience. Our approach to French follows the same principles.

Every year group has up to one hour of French each week. This gives children regular contact with the language throughout their time at Dallington, allowing their understanding and confidence to develop gradually.

In a similar way to how bilingual children learn, the basics of the language are taught through listening and speaking. The learning process takes place without verbal or written translation, allowing children to make a direct connection between an experience, action or image and the associated word or sentence.

Structured lessons provide children with the foundations they need, but the language is not presented simply as a collection of words to remember.

Children are encouraged to listen carefully and use the context around them to make sense of what they hear. Through repetition, unfamiliar sounds and phrases gradually become more recognisable.

As their understanding develops, children move from listening and repeating towards more active participation. They begin to respond with increasing confidence and use familiar French more spontaneously during lessons.

French is therefore taught as a language for children to hear and use. As their familiarity grows, they are encouraged to draw on what they have learned and begin communicating with greater independence within applicable scenarios.

How French Learning Develops at Dallington

Oral language provides the starting point for learning French at Dallington. Children first build their comprehension by listening to spoken French and becoming familiar with its vocabulary, sounds and sentence patterns.

Topics and activities develop as children move through the school. Younger children encounter French through puppets and familiar subjects such as the body, colours and animals. As they grow, the language is explored through wider contexts, including food, shopping, the French-speaking world and corresponding with other pupils.

Repetition supports this process, giving children opportunities to revisit language and strengthen their understanding. As they become more comfortable, they are encouraged to take a more active role and communicate using the French they have acquired.

Once a well-developed foundation has been established, children in Years 4, 5 and 6 are introduced to the written word through storytelling. Stories provide a meaningful setting in which children can encounter written French and connect it with language they may already recognise from listening and speaking.

In Years 5 and 6, children correspond with pen pals through our partnerships with schools in Paris. This gives them a genuine reason to practise their written French and begin forming a connection with the pupils they are communicating with.

Children are encouraged to read comics, watch movies and cartoons in French, and sing and chat with their friends. The structured lessons include a wide variety of activities to encourage children to think and communicate in French.