Defining starters  

Whilst the Foundation Subjects MFL programme is guidance and not prescription, it does invite a particular kind of lesson and teaching structure. Section 3 (Appendix 1): From Framework to classroom models a sample lesson. Reference to the lesson’s starter is brief:

‘The first five minutes are spent on a brisk starter activity to focus the whole class and to promote engagement and challenge. This could involve informally assessing prior learning or priming pupils for work on a Framework objective later in the lesson.’

MFL Framework: Section 3: 1 General description of a Foundation Subjects MFL lesson

It is clear that an appropriate starter should satisfy the features laid down within this description. It should be relatively short (five minutes or so), brisk, focused, motivating, engaging, challenging, and integrated into the planned learning of the language. The starters provided within this resource will hopefully serve to provide useful ideas and activities that will evolve into readily-adaptable variations which feature the attributes listed above.

As you become more familiar with the teaching objectives, you will be able to create appropriate starters of your own. This collection is intended to give wings to the undoubted skills and imagination of the classroom teacher who, in time, will improve and extend their bank of resources appropriate to the lesson structure outlined in Foundation Subjects MFL. Many of the ideas are not new, but they are presented here in an adapted form suitable for use as a lesson starter.