Spanish
Learning a foreign language is a necessary part of being a member of a multi-cultural society and provides an opening to other cultures. It is our intention at Lily Lane that teaching high-quality but also fun Spanish lessons should foster children's curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. It helps pupils to develop communication skills including key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing and extends their knowledge of how language works.
We use digital and online resources to allow children to see and hear Spanish spoken by native speakers and encourage children to use this to help them develop their confidence to have a go at speaking Spanish. Children begin learning Spanish in Year 3 and follow the programme up through Key Stage Two. We teach the children how to: ask and answer questions; use correct pronunciation and intonation; memorise words; interpret meaning; understand basic grammar; use dictionaries; work in pairs and groups, and communicate in the other language and look at life in another culture.
It is our intention that learning Spanish at Lily Lane should prepare the children to be confident, engaged and comfortable with learning a language - no matter which one – at high school by providing them with the necessary skills and strong foundation to do this. It is also intended that when they leave, the children will have developed a natural curiosity and confidence to explore other countries, cultures and languages, realising that it is a valuable skill to be able to communicate effectively with others in another language.
Learning another language gives children a new perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures and those of others, and fostering respect for those who speak languages other than English. Many of our children have considerable skills in a number of world languages. We believe that study of languages is important in our diverse, multilingual school community, and prepares our children for life as citizens of the world.