Urdu

• Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of carefully selected sources, including authentic audio texts where appropriate.
• Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation.
• Read and respond to a wide range of textual sources in each target language, including authentic and literary texts; and to enhance their linguistics knowledge and fluency, an learn more about parts of the world where Urdu is spoken, through reading for enjoyment from an extensive Urdu reading list.
• Write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt.
• Discover and develop an appreciation of the countries and cultures where Urdu is used.

The following principles underpin the Urdu curriculum:

• essential substantive knowledge carefully sequenced across units of study and year-on-year to support fluency in the spoken and written word.
• disciplinary knowledge that includes vocabulary, grammar and phonics.
• procedural knowledge is captured through listening, speaking, reading and writing.
• explicit disciplinary knowledge components that lead to a series of composite tasks at the end of lessons, topics and units of study. These help to secure fluency in the spoken and written word over time (fluency composites).
• Ensure pupils record the Target Language and English (or vice versa) when completing translations in the back of their MFL Writing Passport.
• Check new language is being retained in the working memory and recycled in subsequent lessons to develop automaticity.

Year 7

Year 7 focuses on securing a love of the language and culture, forming positive language learning habits and securing a strong linguistic foundation with a focus on knowing and remembering more. Fluency is key.

Year 8

Year 8 builds on the strong foundation of Year 7 by recycling some content in greater depth, practised and extended through more complex linguistic structures and sustained listening, speaking, reading and writing. Some new topics are also introduced, as well as the past tense.

Year 9

Year 9 allows students to explore familiar topic areas in greater depth, practised and extended through more complex linguistic structures and sustained listening, speaking, reading and writing. All three tenses – present, past and future – are rehearsed, including in third person, in different combinations. Developing cultural awareness and active engagement verbally and in written form remain at the core of the curriculum.

Year 10

In Year 10 pupils revisit topics studied at Key Stage 3 in more depth through the Key Stage 4 GCSE specification. They listen and read for gist and detail with increasing stamina. Pupils speak and write confidently in some detail. They use correct verb endings more consistently, develop greater confidence in combining time frames and learn a wider range of verb tenses. They offer and justify opinions on a range of topics. Pupils recall high frequency vocabulary and structures and now start to draw upon more nuanced and specialised vocabulary.

Year 11

In Year 11, pupils continue to build upon a strong foundation of prior learning to tackle more complex content relating to future plans, healthy lifestyle choices and social and global social issues. They know how to synthesise learning across topics and recycle language more proficiently from memory. The simple future tense, subjunctive voice and passive voices are introduced. Pupils end the course well-prepared for the rigour of GCSE exams in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Pupils communicate competently and confidently in spoken and written Urdu and appreciate francophone culture in different country around the world; they have a strong foundation to study A-Level Urdu or use Urdu proficiently in future.

AQA GCSE Urdu 8648

Paper 1: Listening

Paper 2: Speaking

Paper 3: Reading

Paper 4: Writing

Students participate in a variety of clubs, e.g., Film clubs and reading clubs where they learn different aspects of the Urdu culture in addition to celebrating Urdu language Day.

At KS4, Students are invited to intervention sessions to consolidate their learning and prepare them for the GCSE examination.

There are excellent professional careers for Learning Urdu. Proficiency in Urdu is a major asset for those seeking a career in international business as well as telecoms and manufacturing. Many global companies, especially in information technology, require Urdu besides English. Mastering Urdu will provide an opportunity to work in exciting and rewarding jobs such as translating, interpreting and even giving tuition in the UK and across the globe!

• AQA Urdu (8648)
• Memrise
• Quizlet