Welcome

Bonjour!

Je m'appelle Madame Richardson and I am delighted to be teaching French to your children at St. Matthew's C of E (Aided) Primary School.  Twenty years ago I swapped the lavender from the south east of France for the Yorkshire clouds and its lovely people.  Pupils who took part in the La Jolie Ronde French Club, and the children who did French as part of their Enrichment afternoons, have already met me.  

After 11 years teaching my native language to primary school children, it is clear to me that my work isn't only about grammar and vocabulary.  It is also about passing on my culture and making pupils happy and proud to learn new sounds in order to communicate, which increases their confidence and gives them an opportunity to explore outside English borders. So, from learning about what French people eat to what school is like in France, we will develop useful language skills with courtesy conversation, manners, counting, colours and progress towards talking about family, animals, food and the weather.  If your child is in Year 6, and will be doing French in high school, he/she will be a few steps ahead by the end of their primary school life. 

Speaking, listening and writing are important in learning a foreign language but enthusiasm and motivation is essential.  Our French lessons will be full of fun activities, book work, role play, singing and even a bit of dancing too!  Tea time or/and travel time from or to school are great times to encourage children to use their French.  They can for example count their steps or things that are "rouge".  They can perhaps say "Au revoir" at the door to use their French manners.  Consolidating language skills is by repetition and using French in small bites regularly.

It is such a privilege to teach Key Stage 2 children from St. Matthew's C of E (Aided) Primary School.  I am very excited to be part of their French learning journey.

Madame Richardson.

Intent statement for French

We can be linguists.

MFL at St. Matthews is taught to develop the child’s sense of excitement, curiosity and understanding of the world and a sense of cultural awareness. through teaching and learning in French.

MFL lessons will give children:

• an interest in learning other languages in a way that is enjoyable and stimulating
• the opportunities to embed the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in French, laying the foundations for future language learning
• an awareness, appreciation and understanding of the differences in the cultures of the world
• an understanding of how languages can help us interact with others on a meaningful level

European Day of Languages

European Day of Languages is on Monday 26th September 2022.  In order to celebrate it as a school, Madame Richardson will prepare a special assembly for the children and she has also compiled a list of wonderful apps, television programmes and music links you can use with your child at home.  

During that week the children will also listen to the song below to celebrate languages.  It expresses how nice and kind it is when someone says "Hello" in any country and says that the universal and most beautiful language is the one we talk with our heart.  As kindness and compassion is our Collective Worship theme for the first half term, it seems a very fitting song to explore with the children.

The link to the song, as well as the list of activities and apps can be found below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYY6AnAs-YQ

Please ensure all relevant parental controls are on your device before accessing any of the above or below links.  If you require further support with this, please refer to our e-safety information listed in the parents section of our website.