QCA schemes and making universally useable resources.

[Lisa Stevens]

Wondering if any of you would like to add to a debate I'm having at the moment re QCA schemes for KS2.

I'm trying to help someone choose the best way to present materials on a site to satisfy as many primary mfl teachers as possible. Having drawn their attention to the KS2 Framework and the QCA units and their thematic and skills rather than topic based approach, they're now in a quandary as to how to best present things.

In your experience, do teachers tend to still take a topic based approach?

Are people using the QCA schemes?

They've just been updated - how long do you think their shelf life will be?
And, here's a tricky one! - do you think if we get a change of government that the Framework / soW will get changed again?

If you were planning resources with the aim of them being used universally, would you go for topic based approach or would you choose a number of themes loosely based on the QCA schemes of work, covering a number of topics, and follow their order to get the progression through the years right.

Any insights more than welcome.

Thanks

Lisa xx

[Jo Rhys-Jones]

Yes. Tricky one indeed.

Here in Hampshire I went for putting up resources on a vle (virtual learning platform that 95% primary schools in Hampshire can access) and I decided to arrange them by year group, and then subdivide into the QCA units. However the electronic folders for each unit are also labelled with the topics within each unit as this is not always evident from the unit title; so for example if a unit includes work on colours, that is included on the label of the folder. The units are pretty comprehensive and are arrranged in such a way that teachers can literally go through them lesson by lesson if they wish, but hopefully as confidence grows they can pick and choose.

I did not go for topics as I was trying to steer non-linguist classteachers away from thinking in terms of 'topic' and more in terms of unit. Also I wanted to arrange it in the order of a scheme of work that was free and available to every school, after all, those schools which have bought into schemes such as Catherine Cheater probably do not have such a need for additional resources. However I did end up creating an extra folder of resources arranged by certain key topics for those teachers who are qualified linguists to be able to dip in and out as they wish. I also added a folder with storybooks as different topics, and another extra folder for celebrations around the year.

It's definitely a work in progress though and I'll be adding/amending things as I get feedback - luckily with this vle I can track which resources are being used and start to build up a picture.

Longer-term I want to add assessment activities into each folder and more phonic focus activities, possibly re-ordering the way they are set out in QCA, but there are only so many hours in the day as you know. Also it does work better the more people you get to collaborate, especially if they teach in different schools and have different backgrounds as far as linguistic experience is concerned, as they prioritise different things.

[Lorraine]

Posted on TES but if you read this first and for others to consider.
I have used QCA guidelines mapped on to our local authorities themes and fitted in nearly all the topics- just a few which would have to be taught discretely. I haven't looked at the revised curriculum , languages ladder yet as might need tweaking.
Cambridge review recommends a thematic approach, but teaching discretely where necessary if it doesn't fit the topic which I think provides a good balance.
Your comment about ensuring progression is the most important consideration for me.
Re progression : The way I have done it; using my old college maxim 'New structure using known vocab' OR 'new vocab using known structure' is to differentiate between the two. I've based it on Joan Dickie and Jo Rhys-Jones work, so vocab is introduced by topic ans 'structures are dealt with independently and this is where I do the 'progression' e.g. J'ai/ Ich habe / Tengo then next time progress to Je 'n'ai pas/ Ich habe nicht/ No tengo then progress to 2nd person and include questions As-tu / hast Du / Tienes.

May not be best way forward, in fact I'd love to discuss the plans I'm sure others could suggest lots of alterations, but at mo' I'm applying for jobs -I'm on supply not even teaching MFL so can't try them out with actual children and my plans are my 'ace up my sleeve' (at least I hope).

[Lisa Stevens]

Thanks ladies! Very helpful.

I too want to steer people away from thinking topics, but it seems most people search by topic rather than QCA unit. it's tricky isn't it!

Your VLE sounds magnificent! Must come and visit if our bid to get somehting similar up here goes ahead!!

Lisaxx

[Lorraine]

Is there some way of having two lists- one of topics for vocab and one of structures to be covered, with links from one to the other?

[Jo Rhys-Jones]

Are you at Bett? If there is wifi somewhere I can show you some then if you like?
Jo x

[Lisa Stevens]

I am sweetie. Catch you there!