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St Joseph’s Primary School, Carnacaville

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Shimna Integrated College Primary languages Initiative

 On Friday 18th May P1 pupils at St Joseph’s Primary School, Carnacaville celebrated completing an 8 week French course with a special French picnic laid on to reward their outstanding enthusiasm and participation . Shimna Integrated College French teacher Anne Clarke has been working with the children and their teacher Mrs Murphy for the past eight weeks as part of a new Primary languages initiative in the college. “We are delighted to bring foreign language learning into Key stage one where children are most receptive to new language”.

 Advantages of early language learning:

The teaching of MFL at key stage 1 offers opportunities for children to:

• become increasingly familiar with the sounds and written form of a modern foreign language;
• develop language skills and language-learning skills;
• understand and communicate in a new language;
• make comparisons between the foreign language and English or another language;
• increase their cultural awareness by learning about different countries and their people, and working with materials from those countries and communities;
• foster positive attitudes towards foreign language learning;
• use their knowledge with growing confidence and competence to understand what they hear and read, and to express themselves in speech and in writing;
• form a sound basis for further study at key stage 2 and beyond.