Learning Language Through Experience

At Caxton College we know that learning a second language is more than just acquiring new words and grammar structures. While our students are taught in English according to the UK National Curriculum, we understand that learning extends beyond our classroom walls. With a large proportion of our student body being non native English speakers, the Spanish language is also present in many areas of our school. This coexistence of languages serves to provide our students with valuable opportunities to learn from each other.

During English lessons, we use Talk for Writing and Talk for Reading approaches to ensure that speaking and group work play a pivotal role in learning. Across the Key Stages, we provide children with engaging experiences that inspire them to use their newly acquired language in relevant contexts. Whether it be participating in Asian Masterchef to spark curiosity and conversations about different cuisines and cultures, or hiking up a mountain to use newly acquired mountaineering knowledge, our focus is to embed understanding and expand minds.  We know that when learning is exciting, children naturally transfer their newly acquired knowledge beyond their classroom walls and into their daily lives.

Not only does speaking an additional language open up doors to new experiences and opportunities, but there is a vast amount of research that indicates learning an additional language at a young age has an important impact on cognitive development.  Research shows that individuals who are bilingual have better memory and multitasking skills. In addition to this, it also promotes cultural understanding and connects people from diverse backgrounds, promoting global friendships and cross-cultural communication. 

As stated perfectly by Fiona Lewis, an American journalist who specialised in international affairs, ‘Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things’.