FRENCH is the main modern language taught in Cathedral Primary. Pupils also receive a block of Spanish each year.

Learning other languages enables children to make connections with different people and their cultures and to play a fuller part as global citizens.  It is also important for Scotland’s prosperity that young people are attracted to learning a modern language and that they become confident users of a modern language, well equipped with the skills needed in the new Europe and in the global marketplace.

The Cathedral Primary French programme seeks to:

• establish a solid basis for the lifelong learning of modern languages
• ensure that pupils experience success and retain initial enthusiasm
• achieve balance between coverage of language content and development of effective language learning skills
• encourage pupils to investigate and report back on aspects of culture and geography.

Of utmost importance across all stages of the school is that Cathedral pupils experience success when they are learning French by providing them with a range of enjoyable, practical activities.  One of our key aims is to develop pupils’ ability to use and enjoy French in situations as close to real life as possible.  This will develop the children’s ability to use French for a range of relevant purposes in work and leisure throughout their life.

French is introduced in Cathedral Primary from Primary 1.  At early and first level, teachers build on the children’s natural curiosity for sounds and words, and their strong desire to communicate. Activities include playing games, singing songs, carrying out simple instructions, and playing with simple poetry and rhyme. In this way they can begin to be enthusiastic, confident language learners from the outset.

Information and communication technology is used to enhance teaching and learning, and to provide real-life contexts that motivate pupils and help them see genuine purpose in learning French and other modern languages.

By the end of Primary 7, the majority of Cathedral pupils will have learned sufficient French to be able to:

• give a short presentation about themselves
• take part in simple conversations and transaction
• understand classroom instructions and personal information
• enjoy listening to a story, song or poem
• read aloud a simple text
• read and understand a short text
• write a few sentences about themselves and others.