Homework

At Key Stage 3, students are set weekly homework tasks. GCSE students are expected to learn vocabulary on a regular basis. Written homework is also set as preparation for Written Coursework. AS/A2 courses require students to complete several hours of independent study per week. Students will be given set tasks and advice on additional activities to help develop their linguistic skills.

Here is a selection of ideas for students to try out of lessons:

• Use homework task ladders.

For each homework task, students have a task ladder. This is a step by step way of approaching the homework. It is in English. If they understand what to do, the homework follows naturally. You can use it to discuss how to do the homework with them.

• Test vocabulary.

Use vocab sheets to test them - you read out the English, they tell you the French/German/Spanish

Write out some French/Chinese/Spanish words from the vocab sheet and get them to fill in the English.

Get them to tell you words and phrases they have learnt in class this week.

• Our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is available to students and parents, and is being continually updated.

Sound files for Year 7 Spanish and Year 8 French are currently available

• Introduce to sites on the internet.

www.languagesonline.org.uk has a variety of games and tasks, grammar exercises and topic work for all abilities in French/German/Spanish.

The college has a subscription to www.linguascope.com It can be accessed at home with the username "callington"; students can ask their languages teacher for the current password

There are also several other sites; try www.bbc.co.uk/languages for more ideas. We will update students with new sites as and when they come online.

For KS5 students, we subscribe to the Kerboodle resources - details available from their languages teacher

• Explore cultural aspects.

Try some Chinese/French/Spanish food.

Help to find out about Chinese/French/German/Spanish pop stars/football players/film stars on the internet.

• Label items around the house.

Little labels can be made and stuck on items around the house.

Encourage your child to write out key phrases and put them around their room. Do them in different colours for different languages.

• Fridge magnets.

You can buy sets of these in places like Waterstones. Everyone can write phrases/messages/shopping lists etc for all to see.

• Watch DVDs.

Some DVDs have French/German/Spanish dubbing and subtitles. You can watch them in French/German/Spanish with English subtitles OR in English with French/German/Spanish subtitles.

• Get them to teach YOU new words!

It always helps you learn something if you teach it to someone else. Get your child to teach you the new words they learn.

Parents/guardians can also contact their son/daughter's languages teacher at the college if they require further advice/guidance. Please let us know if you have any other ideas that could be added to this list.