Supporting the new secondary curriculum for languages

Skills development is essential to prepare the next generation to tackle the challenges of the 21st century world. Our learners will need flexible skills to tackle problems which we cannot yet foresee, and to acquire knowledge which may not yet exist. Pupils will need to be able to acquire new skills and knowledge throughout their lives.

The new secondary curriculum has defined two essential skill areas:

• Personal, learning and thinking skills
• Functional skills in English, mathematics and ICT

See http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/skills/index.aspx for more information.

Personal, learning and thinking skills

The personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS) framework comprises six groups of skills:
independent enquirers
creative thinkers
reflective learners
team workers
self-managers
effective participators
QCA has produced a useful document summarising the characteristics of each skill: download the PLTS framework here.
How PLTS relate to languages is described on this link from the MFL subject page: MFL and PLTS

The PLTS can be used to help pupils see the connections between subjects, apply their skills in new contexts and reinforce them more effectively. For example:

• languages could work with English to help pupils become independent enquirers into language, for example by investigating words that are similar in English and other languages
• languages and ICT could work together to help pupils become creative thinkers, for example by creating computer animations to teach younger children an aspect of the target language.
• several subjects could work together to help pupils to be team workers, self-managers and effective participators, for example by planning a visit to a partner school abroad.

PLTS can easily be built into lesson planning, as in this template provided by Nick Brown - lesson plan.
Pupils can also be asked to reflect on how well they did through a simple self-reporting mechanism - here is a template that Nick has given as an example (see his case study for more details).

Functional Skills

The functional skills in English and ICT are both relevant to languages.

Functional Skills in English

The functional skills in English apply across the curriculum, as well as being embedded in the programmes of study for English.
This page on the new curriculum website lists the level 1 skills alongside aspects of the English programme of study (click on 'Links with functional skills'). It is easy to see links with languages.

English teachers often use the mantra Purpose + Audience = Form. We should discuss the purpose of speaking or writing, and identify the intended audience in order to decide upon the appropriate form. (See the DfES document Literacy across the Curriculum and the dowloadable module on writing non-fiction). It is worth talking to English colleagues to explore how this approach could be shared and developed by all subjects if this is not already happening.

Pie Corbett’s exhortation to teach pupils to 'read as a writer and write as a reader' is equally applicable to languages, where we try to encourage pupils to store away words, structures and text types to adapt and reapply in their own communication.

Functional Skills in ICT

In ICT the skills means that:

• each individual is confident and capable when using ICT systems and tools to meet a variety of needs in a range of contexts. For example, they will use ICT to find, select and bring together relevant information and to develop, interpret and exchange information, for a purpose
• each individual will be able to apply ICT safely to enhance their learning and the quality of their work.

Language learners often use these skills when researching culture on the internet and using word-processing, blogs, wikis or multi-media presentations to communicate their ideas.