Phonics in MFL: Why Foundations Matter

My Own Experience

When I learnt to read and write French in the 1970s, the method was clear and systematic: phonics, often referred to as the syllabic method. We started with sounds, linked them to letters, and built words from syllables. It was simple, repetitive, and effective — and it gave me the tools to decode my own language independently.

Later, as a teacher, I found myself using a “watered down” version of phonics to help pupils make sense of French sounds that weren’t obvious from the spelling. I would highlight grapheme–phoneme correspondences, especially where French diverges from English expectations. Even without a formal framework, I could see how powerful it was: pupils gained confidence when they could decode and pronounce words without guesswork.

Phonics in MFL Today

Research now confirms what many of us have long intuited: explicit phonics instruction is one of the three pillars of progression in language learning, alongside vocabulary and grammar.

• Sound–spelling correspondences: Pupils need systematic teaching of how letters map to sounds in the target language.

• Confidence in decoding: Learners struggle to develop accurate pronunciation without phonics instruction.

• Reduced need over time: Once pupils grasp the core sound–spelling rules, phonics teaching naturally decreases, freeing up classroom time for richer tasks.

• Curriculum emphasis: Ofsted’s curriculum review (2021) highlights phonics as essential for progression in MFL.

Why Start Explicitly?

I once asked a teacher if they used the target language in Year 7. The answer was: “Not yet, because they don’t know enough.” That response surprised me. If you don’t lay the foundations from the start, it’s almost guaranteed they won’t appear later.

Phonics works the same way. If pupils aren’t given decoding tools early, they will always rely on English spelling conventions, repeating errors and undermining confidence. By contrast, starting with phonics empowers learners to decode independently from day one. Just as with target language use, the earlier you begin, the more natural it becomes.

The Comparison

• Without phonics: Pupils guess pronunciation, rely on teacher correction, and avoid reading aloud. Errors persist.

• With phonics: Pupils decode confidently, pronunciation improves, and reading becomes accessible. Over time, less explicit phonics is needed because the foundation is secure.

This mirrors the broader principle of language teaching: front‑load the foundations, and the rest will follow.

📑 Phonics in National Frameworks and Assessment

Phonics is no longer optional in MFL: it is embedded in national guidance, curriculum expectations, and formal assessment.

• Ofsted Curriculum Review (2021) identified phonics as one of the three pillars of progression in MFL, alongside vocabulary and grammar. It emphasised that pupils must be taught sound–symbol correspondences (SSCs) systematically from the start, setting clear expectations for inspection and curriculum design.

• The DfE MFL Pedagogy Pilot (2016–2018) trialled phonics teaching in French, German, and Spanish. Findings showed that systematic phonics instruction improved decoding, pronunciation, and spelling accuracy, and recommended embedding phonics into schemes of work rather than treating it as an isolated skill.

• The new GCSE subject content (first teaching 2024, first exams 2026) makes phonics explicit in assessment. Pupils are required to “know and be able to apply the principles by which spelling represents sounds… and use clear and comprehensible pronunciation when speaking the language.” Awarding bodies (AQA, Pearson, etc.) have confirmed that dictation and read‑aloud tasks will form part of the exam, directly testing pupils’ ability to decode unfamiliar words using SSCs.

• Professional guidance from organisations such as ALL and NCELP supports teachers with resources and training. NCELP schemes of work, for example, include weekly phonics strands aligned with vocabulary teaching, encouraging the use of chants, rhymes, and decoding tasks to reinforce SSCs.

📝 What This Looks Like in Practice

Assessment tasks now reflect phonics expectations:

• Dictation (Listening Paper): Pupils hear a short sentence (e.g. “Le garçon joue au foot”) and transcribe it accurately, testing their ability to connect sounds to spelling.

• Read Aloud (Speaking Paper): Pupils read a short text aloud, including unfamiliar words, and are assessed on decoding accuracy and pronunciation.

• SSC Application (Across Papers): Pupils encounter words outside the set vocabulary lists and must decode them using phonics rules (e.g. recognising eau = /o/ in French).

🔎 Practical Integration of Phonics in MFL

1. Starter Activities

   • Quick SSC (Sound–Symbol Correspondence) warm‑up: one grapheme, one sound, a chant or tongue twister.

   • Example: French ou → /u/ with “Vous jouez au foot.”

2. Vocabulary Teaching

   • Highlight phonics rules when introducing new words.

   • Example: Spanish jugar → /x/ sound, linked to jamón and jirafa.

3. Reading Aloud

   • Use short texts with unfamiliar words.

   • Encourage pupils to apply SSCs rather than guess.

4. Dictation

   • Regular mini‑dictations (1–2 sentences) reinforce phonics and spelling.

   • Mirrors GCSE dictation tasks.

5. Games and Retrieval Practice

   • Bingo with sounds, grapheme matching, “spot the sound” challenges.

   • Keeps practice playful and low‑stakes.

6. Teacher Modelling

   • Always model pronunciation with phonics rules in mind.

   • Example: “In French, final consonants are often silent — listen to grand vs grande.”

For teachers keen to try this out, I’ve put together phonics resources that complement these strategies and may be useful— feel free to take a look.👉Phonics Resources

🌐 Key Resources for Phonics in MFL

• NCELP Resources – The National Centre for Excellence for Language Pedagogy provides free, research‑informed schemes of work for French, German, and Spanish, including a full phonics collection with SSC slides, exemplar activities, and KS3/KS4 planning tools.

• Pearson KS3 Front‑of‑Class Phonics Packs – Ready‑made phonics schemes of work aligned to Dynamo, ¡Viva!, and Stimmt! courses. Includes interactive PowerPoints with embedded audio, dictation practice, and games to build confidence.

• Association for Language Learning (ALL) – Offers guidance, CPD, and peer‑to‑peer support for primary and secondary teachers. Their phonics guidance is linked to Ofsted expectations and includes practical strategies for embedding phonics into schemes of work.

• Primary Languages Network – Provides planning tools, phonics maps, and progression charts for coordinators. Useful for structuring phonics across KS2 and ensuring smooth transition into KS3.

• EEF Phonics Toolkit – The Education Endowment Foundation summarises the evidence base for phonics, highlighting its effectiveness (+5 months progress on average) and offering implementation advice for whole‑class and targeted interventions.

  
  

Conclusion

→ Teaching phonics explicitly in MFL is not extra workload — it reduces it. Once pupils internalise sound–symbol correspondences, they need fewer corrections and reminders.

→ Just as systematic phonics transformed literacy in the first language (L1), it can transform confidence and independence in a second language (L2). If we want pupils to use the target language meaningfully, they must be given decoding tools from the start.

→ Phonics is not an add‑on; it is the foundation for accurate pronunciation, confident decoding, and independent use of L2. National frameworks — from Ofsted’s curriculum review to the new GCSE content — now make phonics a clear expectation, with dictation and read‑aloud tasks directly assessing SSCs.

✅ In short: embed phonics from day one, and pupils will have the tools to unlock the language.

I’d love to hear how you’re approaching phonics in your own classroom — which of these strategies feels most useful to you, and how might you adapt them for your learners? Share your thoughts, I’m genuinely curious.

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