MFL knowledge organisers1: my first KO around 2003. I was part time teacher trainer then. Lots of high freq cross topic structures to use across year groups. Featured Past, Reasons, Opinions, Future, Subj. Teachers v hesitant re: these recycle structures https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=french+knowledge+organiser&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#imgrc=sp2FKvOGGDrdCM:

KO2: teachers didn’t want to expose younger pupils to PROFS. It didn’t match nc levels. How show progress? What slt/OFSTED say? Instinctively teachers got it. But afraid to question orthodoxy.

KO3: my 1st KO were essentially learning mats. In 2003 teachers liked these because an observer could see them. Also, my first ko/learning mats featured NC levels. Observers would see that too. And mats 2 sided: green/orange. Traffic lights! Observer could see that too!

KO4: I’d like teachers to have more faith in their subject knowledge & their own experience of learning their subject. I’d always recommend investing in own subject knowledge &, if ‘good practice’ not getting great results, examine root causes. You or is ‘good practice’ flawed?

Why do kids find MFL hard?1: Teach phonics. Be v picky about every recurring letter combo. Builds written & spoken accuracy & confidence. I don’t do ‘phonics lessons’ but I point out recurring patterns relentlessly. Message? There’s really no such thing as a completely new word!

Why do kids find Mfl hard?2: show written word. Link directly with English. Make every single word clear. ‘I adore to do some lick window.’’He himself takes for the belly button of the world’. Memorable, allows language to be deconstructed & reconstructed.

Kids find Mfl hard3? Written word to aid speaking & listening. Don’t be slave to topics. Think phonics. Radin, lapin, sapin, jardin, intelligent, faut que j’y aille, travailler, bailler.

Kids Mfl hard? 4: increase teacher use of TL over time. Teach kids to extend responses with recyclable phrases: je ne suis pas sûr mais je crois que c’est...peut-être que j’ai tort mais est-ce que c’est...faut que j’y réfléchisse, est-ce que c’est...kids feel accomplished.