Using the CC scheme with mixed age classes

[wendybudsworth]

Does anyone have any models of/advice on how they are using the Catherine Cheater schemes in schools with mixed ages - especially where those where some children will remain in the mixed class although they have moved up a year but others will move into the straight age class? Wendy Budsworth, MFL Consultant, Salford

[Jenny Core]

We have schools in Devon who are trying the scheme of work with mixed age classes but most are at the early stages of this. Confident teachers can manage to adapt it for Y3/4 classes and so hopefully in the future Y5/6 as well. However, where we have whole KS2 classes or 3 year mixes, sometimes including KS1, we are using a different model of a rolling programme. We then suggest that teachers who want to use the scheme of work use it as guidance for progression in language learning over 4 years and as a resource bank of ideas and activities that they can adapt for the different year groups. One of our lead teachers is starting to use it to track that the activities she is providing for her different year groups are appropriate in terms of language progression.

[Michaela]

A number of schools in the East Midlands are using the Y3 and Y4 schemes in a mixed-age setting, and we have adapted the schemes for this context. Schools wanting to do this need to make sure that Y4 pupils have the opportunity to make progress, and Y3 children have the richness of experience that the scheme offers in terms of tuning the ear to the sounds of the languages. If you are going to consider using the scheme in a mixed-age setting, make sure you have some dedicated time with each year group while the rest of the class works on an independent activity - there are plenty of ideas in the parcels for this. Also, make sure that your Y4 children still get chance to do the dictionary skills which are largely done in parcel time in Y4 - timings are critical when putting this scheme into a mixed-age context.

[Catherine Cheater]

Hi everyone,
I help to teach French at my daughter's school, working closely with the class teachers of the three Y3/Y4 mixed-age classes.
We adapt the Y3 and the Y4 schemes to create a 2-year programme.
In general I find no problems with text-level work, e.g. listening to stories, listening to and joining in with songs (e.g. Mon Ane and Henri Dès), and learning and performing finger rhymes.
I also find no problems with vocabulary. We learn such a small amount, but we use it a lot when creating sentences.
The children also seem to enjoy listening to Debussy one year, and to Ravel the next.
I think that Michaela's advice is good, that's important to find some discrete time with each year group from time to time.
Does anyone have any more experience to share?