The new secondary
curriculum
S. Barfoot
Aims
O to review the new POS for KS3 languages and
discuss the changes it may bring with it.
O to identify key areas for development at KS3
which might also help prepare us for new
assessments at KS4.
O to explore the possibility of initiating some joint
changes across the RTSA.
QUIZ
O Comparing the old and the new:
In teams of 2 see how well you know
the current POS by answering the 6
questions on the sheet.
1. a
In the 2003 POS there was a long list of topics
but…….there have been no statutory topics since
then.
The dominance of topics comes mainly from
text books, the way the QCA SOW is presented
and the insistence of GCSE exam boards on
organising content around topics
2. d
Schools can decide how often they want you to
report your levels internally.
There is no statutory requirement to report NC
levels in any non-core subjects at KS3
3. c
NC levels were designed as a tool to enable the
uniform measurement of pupil progress
between Key Stages – not to level activities or
progress over short time phrases.
“There is a lot that goes into each level and the
idea that pupils can move between them in a
lesson, or even a course of several lessons
reduces the levels to a ‘label’ rather than a
genuine assessment of the mastery of essential
knowledge and skills which pupils need in order
to progress”.
4. a
There is no statutory measure of progress that a
pupil should make at KS3.
5. a – i are all in the current POS
only j and k are not
The Implications – how will
the new POS affect us?
The current Year 7 pupils will be the first to take the new
GCSE
Emphasis on:
Skills and Core Knowledge – not Content
Freedom and Flexibility – no prescribed approach or
assessment
Rigour – a genuine understanding of how a language
works, not “level 6 because I can say je vais aller au parc!”
Manipulation of TL – not memorisation 
Authentic Language and an increased Awareness of the
Culture in the countries speaking that language
Creativity – inspiring them
Why change?
Discussion: Have a look at the new POS for KS3
and talk on your table about the following:
O What differences do you notice?
O What do you think the motivation behind the
changes are? What is the ‘expected’ result?
What are the advantages and
disadvantages of the following:
1. The new POS is short
+ lacks prescriptive detail
2. The new POS refers to ‘transcription’
3. There is reference to ‘translation’
4. There is reference to ‘literary texts’
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Back to the question “Why change?”
Do we think the overall changes are positive or
negative?
If we look at what the ethos behind the POS is
then it helps us to understand how to implement
it sensibly:
Rigour
Freedom
Raising the bar especially for
lowest and highest performing
pupils
Less prescription – no 3 part
lessons, thinking skills, AFL,
Improving ‘core’ knowledge
Removal of National Curriculum
Levels
Increasing challenge and
ambition
Freedom to build in units of
work which genuinely engage
and motivate pupils
Increasing cultural awareness
through use of authentic material
Freedom from ‘topic’ lists and
prescribed content to
concentrate on skills
Assessment will need ‘genuinely’
reflect pupil ability
Freedom to design SOWs and
assessments which do not just
serve to ‘label’ pupils but
support genuine progression
Some thinking behind the
POS……
‘We have specifically stripped out unnecessary
prescription about how to teach and concentrated
only on the essential knowledge and skills which
every child should master……’ (Michael Gove)
‘these are challenging and ambitious programmes
of study which focus tightly on the fundamental
building blocks of study……’ (Michael Gove)
KS2 POS:
Have a look at the KS2 POS
O Discuss what you read and notice in
particular the emphasis on studying one
language for the whole of KS2
What the new curriculum
might look like in reality:
Transcription + Translation:
Should be….
O sentence / phrase level NOT like old style O’level
where it was a defined activity in the exam
O used to teach skills and precision rather than an
assessment tool
O a useful teaching device to build up awareness
of sound-spelling, improve literacy and
comprehension, grammatical awareness
What the new curriculum
might look like in reality:
Literature:
Could be a poem, song lyric, excerpt from a
short story, film review, a cartoon or a
magazine article
NOT
Goethe and Maupassant!
What the new curriculum
might look like in reality:
Grammar for Communciation:
Grammar should be about acquiring ‘core
knowledge’ that leads to greater ability to
comprehend and manipulate the language.
“Among the main criteria affecting the quality of
language provision is a clear understanding of how
grammar teaching and communicative teaching
can be integrated.” (DCSF research)
A Brief History of Grammar:
Grammar for grammar’s sake
No grammar for communication’s sake
Grammar for communication’s sake
What the new curriculum
might look like in reality:
Assessment:
Principles of assessment remain the same and
schools will want /need to continue to measure
and track progress.
Most schools at the moment intend to retain
National Curriculum levels BUT we will have to
adapt them to address the new POS and feed into
the new KS4 assessments
The Practicalities:
Are your SOWs good to go for your current year 7?
We should:
1. Audit what is successful
2. Look specifically at the progression of skills development
within the SOW and make sure it builds success
3. Build in reference to translation/transcription to the
SOWs
4. Share ideas for including translation/transcription in
depts as a way of promoting good practice
5. Create policies / mini units of work which address
‘literary texts’ which work alongside SOW
6. Re-evaluate assessments to include translation /
transcription / grammatical progression where depts feel
it necessary
Discussion points for your
depts:
1. Are our SOWs fit for purpose?
(Especially thinking of the current year
7 who will sit a new style GCSE exam)
2. Is there a clear build up of grammar
and skills which enables pupils to
tackle ever more challenging work?
Discussion points for your
depts:
3. How are we going to explicitly build in
regular opportunity to tackle
translation and transcription?
4. Is there enough opportunity for pupils
to read, hear, discover, explore pieces
of authentic text – do we need some
mini-units of work?
Discussion points for your
depts:
Do we need to adapt our assessments for the
current year 7 to prepare them for a final exam
GCSE which may include small amounts of
translation / transcription and move away from
the memory game?
6. How are we going to ensure levels reflect
genuine ability and progression – this will
have a huge knock on effect on intervention
for a final exam GCSE if we get it wrong!
5.
Practical teaching strategies!
Transcription – 4 ideas
1. la dictée préparée
O Give pupils a list of words to learn in
advance so the dictation is less
threatening and doubles up as a spelling
test.
2. la dictée a trous
O Give pupils a text with words missing
Miaou, miaou,
Mon petit __________,
Pourquoi es-tu si ______________ ?
Miaou, miaou.
Mon ________ _________,
Faut pas pleurer comme ça.
Ma ___________ est partie
Pour chasser les _______________.
Tout seul ________ mon panier,
_________ je m'ennuie.
3. la dictée guidée
O Read a slightly different version – good way to widen
vocab.
Rémy est un jeune rat qui aimerait devenir
un grand cuisinier dans un restaurant
parisien. Sa famille est très hostile à son
projet parce qu’en général les rats ne…..
4. la dictée transformée
O Teach / review grammar through transcription
Je vais au parc
PRESENT
Je vais aller au parc PAST
FUTURE
Je suis allé au parc
J’aime aller au parc
LIKE
CONDITIONAL
J’aimerais
aller au
parc
WOULD
Je
voudrais
LIKEaller au
parc
Il3RD
vaPERSON
au parc SING
Il3RD
vaPERSON
aller au parc
SING
FUTURE
Il3RD
estPERSON
allé au parc
SING
PAST
Il3RDaime
PERSON
aller au
SING
parc
LIKE
Il3RD
aimerait
PERSON
aller
SING
au
parc
CONDITIONAL
Il3RD
voudrait
PERSON
aller
SING
au
parc
WOULD
LIKE
Practical teaching strategies!
Translation – 4 ideas
1. la traduction littéraire
O Use translation as an introduction to or
consolidation of a literature focus
1. la traduction littéraire
Dans une fabuleuse
forêt, un gros monstre
découvre un jour un
étrange objet. Après
l'avoir reniflé et léché, il
le rejette, furieux. Ça n'a
aucun goût! Pourtant, cet
objet étonnant va
changer sa vie... Une
histoire drôle et
touchante, qui raconte
l'incroyable magie des
livres.
Une dame âgée a renoncé aux
fêtes de Noël. Elle préfère
rester bien confortablement
chez elle. Ainsi, elle ne risque
pas de s'exposer à tous les
dangers comme glisser sur un
trottoir glacé, attraper la grippe
ou se faire attaquer par un
brigand. Au moment où elle
s'apprête à prendre un repas
bien tranquillement assise
devant sa télévision, on sonne
à sa porte...
Il était une fois un ours
très heureux et très
affectueux. Il avait
tellement d'amour à
donner qu'il faisait un
câlin à chaque être
vivant qu'il croisait dans
la forêt. Mais un jour, il
rencontra un humain
armé d'une hache.
Soudain, il n'eut plus
aucune envie d'être
affectueux...
2. la traduction parallèle
O Focus on a grammar point or accuracy
Le weekend mon copain adore aller en ville avec sa
petite amie. Ils font du lèche-vitrine et mangent au
McDo et puis ils vont souvent au cinéma pour
regarder un film.
_____ the weekend my friend __________ to go into town
with _____ girlfriend. They _______ some window
shopping and eat at MacDonalds and _______ they often
_______ to the cinema _____ watch a film.
2. la traduction compétitive
O Pupils race to translate sentences in turn
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
My cat is small and cute
My cat loves milk, cheese and mice!
My cat is called Milou and is 2 years
old
My cat sleeps on my bed
My cat is adorable and I love my cat
4. la traduction à vendre
O Pupils can earn ‘points’ by translating words – could
play boys -v- girls. Some words are worth 2 ‘points if
they should know them already!!’
Dans une fabuleuse forêt, un gros
monstre découvre un jour un
étrange objet. Après l'avoir reniflé
et léché, il le rejette, furieux. Ça
n'a aucun goût! Pourtant, cet
objet étonnant va changer sa
vie... Une histoire drôle et
touchante, qui raconte
l'incroyable magie des livres.
Practical teaching strategies!
Literature – discussion
1. Cher Frère Blanc
1
2
3
4
5
Cher frère blanc,
Quand je suis né, j'étais noir,
Quand j'ai grandi, j'étais noir,
Quand je suis au soleil, je suis noir,
Quand je suis malade, je suis noir,
Quand je mourrai, je serai noir.
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Tandis que toi, homme blanc,
Quand tu es né, tu étais rose,
Quand tu as grandi, tu étais blanc,
Quand tu vas au soleil, tu es rouge,
Quand tu as froid, tu es bleu,
Quand tu as peur, tu es vert,
Quand tu es malade, tu es jaune,
Quand tu mourras, tu seras gris.
14
15
Alors, de nous deux,
Qui est l'homme de couleur ?
What would you do
with this poem?
What class would
you use this with?
How would it fit into
your SOW?
Assessment!
Assessment!
What we know at this point:
Many schools intend to retain National Curriculum Levels
We will need to adapt levels to suit the new POS – to include
translation and transcription skills, to take the emphasis off
memory, to reward creativity and grammatical accuracy etc.
Final exam GCSE will mean we must be accurate in our
assessments in order to best inform teaching and intervention.