Transition

Objective : To be able to improve the transition of MFL from KS2 to KS3.

At The Piggott School:

The more French we teach at KS2, the fewer pupils choose French for their language GCSE option!

Spanish and German are by far more popular choices…

Does it matter?

New National Currilum

• At KS3: “ teaching should build on the foundations of language learning laid at key stage 2, whether pupils continue with the same language or take up a new one”

Examples of Transition Documents – see your pack for extracts! – full documents on Blackboard

Self-Assessment

What does Research tell us?

Key Issues of Transition

• Lack of curriculum continuity and repetition of content

• Discontinuity in pedagogy • Insufficient cross-phase liaison – lack of mutual

observations and pupil informationLeading to:• A ‘hiatus’ in learner progress • Decreasing learner motivation

Issues of Transition in languages – learner motivation

• Several previous studies of transition in languages have reported a noticeable decrease in learner motivation across transition which is attributed to:• Discontinuity in approach• Repetition of content• Unsatisfactory progress made across transition

(Burstall 1974; Bolster et al. 2004; Evans and Fisher 2009; Low et al. 1993; 1995; McElwee 2009)

Issues of Transition in languages – two recent studies

• Courtney (2014) and Graham et al. (2014)– Both studies incorporated a detailed view of

learner motivation which produced detailed and nuanced information on the nature of learner attitudes across transition

Issues of Transition in languages – Courtney (2014); Graham et al. (2014)

• Previous studies have found young learners to be generally positively motivated and this was corroborated in both studies

• However, some learners displayed low levels of self-efficacy in Year 6 and were frustrated with their perceived lack of progress in primary school

Issues of Transition in languages – Courtney (2014); Graham et al. (2014)

• Retained positive attitudes to language learning in general and to the French speaking community

• General levels of self-efficacy maintained or increased

• Learners preferred French lessons in term 1 Year 7 as they felt they ‘learnt more’

• However, in Graham et al. (2014) there were signs of declining attitudes to language learning by the end of Year 7

Issues of Transition in languages – Courtney (2014); Graham et al. (2014)

• Expressions of disaffection in relation to secondary classroom experience –Book work/copy writing –Lack of interaction and opportunities to speak–Amount of assessment–Lack of intercultural activities–Irrelevant topics

• French lessons in KS2 more in line with learners stated aims for language learning – travel and interpersonal communication

Implications

• Transition practices need to take into account what we have learnt from research:

• Importance of aligning teaching approaches in both primary and secondary with learners’ goals for language learning

• Importance of a sense of progress (especially in relation to those goals)

Pass the paper

What would your ideal transition document look like? What is important to include?

Write any ideas at all about the MFL information we could share between KS2 and KS3.

What did you like so far from examples?

Group Activity

• Design a Transition Document that you could take away today and use.

Some ideas so far….

How do we manage transition?

• Make contact with the Head of Languages of the Secondary Schools the Yr6 are going to.

• Choose a transition document that you find is the best for you (your own from today? All examples on Blackboard)

• Events• Secondary/primary teacher visits – two-way

communication

Building on prior learning

• Fast-tracking / setting early• AQA FCSE • Review of schemes of work• Fundamental principles of differentiation –

e.g. buddy system, varied tasks, grouping within a class

• Bridging unit• Adopting some primary approaches

Merci!