Our intent at Highlands Primary School is to provide all our children with a high-quality education in Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), which develops their love of learning about different languages and cultures. It fosters pupils’ curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world, enabling pupils to express their thoughts and ideas, by responding to the speakers through speech or writing. Learning a language enriches the curriculum, helping to create enthusiastic learners and to develop positive attitudes to language learning throughout life. The skills, knowledge and understanding gained also contribute to the development of children’s oracy and literacy of diverse cultures. Language also lies at the heart of ideas about individual identity and community, and learning another language can shape children’s ideas in the critical area as well as giving them a new perspective on their own language. Research shows that learning a second language boosts problem solving, critical thinking and listening skills, in addition to improving memory, concentration, and the ability to multitask. Therefore, the earlier we expose the children to language, the faster the language in question is acquired and their development of a foreign language facilitates the learning of other foreign languages later on in life. This will help use language skills, receptively and productively, for communication in the real world, for practical purposes, for the immediate needs, interests and beyond and to express and justify opinions develop their confidence autonomy.
