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Modern Foreign Languages

The Modern Foreign Languages programme will enable you to enter an exciting and challenging new career teaching young people to communicate in French, German and Spanish. 

Whilst developing your competences as a classroom teacher, you will also need to constantly update your subject knowledge. This includes:

• the practice and improvement of your own skills in the target languages
• updating your knowledge of the culture of the target language countries
• updating your knowledge of the MFL National Curriculum; National Strategies and progression routes as shown in the National Qualification Framework

Trainees will be expected to offer two languages from French, German and Spanish. They are expected to be fluent in their first MFL having studied it to Degree level (or equivalent) and to be competent in their second MFL having studied it to at least A2 standard (or equivalent). This will provide trainees with the best possible chance of gaining employment as an NQT at the end of the course.

The Subject Specific Learning Sessions will:

• apply subject-specific knowledge to the content of the Education and Professional Studies lectures
• recognise and implement good practice in your placements
• use the National Curriculum, National Strategy and Programmes of Study to focus on pupil-centred teaching and learning in MFL

The course will provide trainees with a diverse range of strategies and approaches for use in the classroom, assuming an inclusive stance, focussing on pupil-centred learning and raising self-esteem, and the course will enable trainees to demonstrate:

• competent subject knowledge of the Modern Foreign Language(s) in order to teach across the full ability and age range (11-16 or 11-18);
• experience in the use of a variety of teaching strategies and resources (including ICT) selected appropriately to include differentiation across the ability range;
• ability to plan lessons effectively within schemes of work taking into account the National Curriculum and Key Stage 3 Strategy;
• use of classroom management techniques and organisation in order to promote good behaviour and a positive learning environment;
• use of a range of techniques to monitor, assess, record and report pupil progress and achievement and use this as a basis for planning;
• understanding of the role of MFL in the wider curriculum;
• the personal qualities necessary to make a successful teacher including the ability to accept and react to constructive criticism;
• consistently high expectations and professional values;
• an awareness of personal professional development needs.

If you are accepted onto the programme, you will be expected to attend a 5 day booster course before the commencement of  the PGCE.