Key Stage 2 languages · Writing

KS2 languages: writing phrases from memory

Writing in Key Stage 2 languages starts small: children learn to write short phrases from memory rather than copying them from the board or a book. Being able to recall and write a phrase shows that the language has really been learned, and it is the foundation for writing longer sentences in later years. Teachers aim for a balance between speaking and writing, with spoken practice coming first.

Writing phrases from memory, explained

The programme of study asks pupils to write phrases from memory and to adapt them to create new sentences, expressing ideas clearly. Adapting phrases is a separate topic. Here the focus is the first step: being able to write a familiar phrase such as “J’habite à Leeds” or “Tengo un perro” without a model in front of you. The teaching should balance spoken and written language and lay the foundations for further language learning at Key Stage 3.

In most lessons the writing follows the speaking. Children hear a phrase, say it several times, read it and only then write it. This order matters because a child who can say a phrase correctly has the sounds and rhythm in their head to rely on when they spell it. A common routine is look, say, cover, write and check. The child looks at the phrase, says it, covers it, writes it from memory, and then compares what they have written letter by letter.

Accuracy matters in different ways in different languages. In French many letters at the ends of words are silent but must still be written, such as the s in “les chats”, so spelling cannot rely on sound alone. In Spanish the spelling is much closer to the sound, but accents still have to be learned, and questions and exclamations start with an upside-down mark (¿ and ¡) as well as ending with one. Accents are part of the spelling, not decoration, and can change a word: “où” means where, but “ou” means or.

Teachers do not expect perfect spelling at the start. They look for phrases that can be understood and are mostly accurate, and they use mistakes to decide what to revisit. Over time, children notice conventions that differ from English. For example, in French and Spanish the days of the week, months and names of languages are written with a small letter, so lundi, janvier and français need no capitals. Schools teaching Latin or another ancient language also use short written phrases, but the main work is reading and translating.

Words your child will hear

Phrase: A short group of words that carries a meaning, such as “J’aime le chocolat”.
From memory: Written without looking at a model, using only what has been learned and remembered.
Accent: A mark on a letter, like é, è, ç or ñ, which is part of how the word is spelled.
Silent letter: A letter written but not pronounced, which is common at the ends of French words.
Spelling pattern: A regular link between sounds and letters in the language, such as French “ch”, which is said like the English “sh”.
Capital letter: A large letter at the start of a sentence or name. Some words that take capitals in English do not in French or Spanish.

What the National Curriculum says

The programme of study for Key Stage 2 says:

Pupils should be taught to write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
The teaching should provide an appropriate balance of spoken and written language and should lay the foundations for further foreign language teaching at key stage 3.

Objectives from the National Curriculum in England, © Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Try it: learning three phrases to write from memory

Learn to write these three French phrases from memory: “J’habite à Leeds.” “J’ai un chien.” “J’aime le chocolat.”

Say each phrase aloud and check you know what it means: I live in Leeds, I have a dog, I like chocolate. Say them three times, listening to the sounds.
Look closely at the spelling and break the phrases into chunks. “J’” joins to the next word, “habite” starts with a silent h, and “chien” has an unexpected “ie”. Notice the accent on “à”, which separates it from “a” (has).
Cover the phrases and write them from memory. Try not to look back until you have written all three.
Uncover them and compare one letter at a time. Put a small dot under any mistake, such as a missing accent or a dropped silent letter, rather than rubbing it out.
Come back later. Write the phrases again the next day and a few days after that. Each time, the dots should get fewer.

The correct phrases are “J’habite à Leeds.” “J’ai un chien.” “J’aime le chocolat.” In Spanish the same task could use “Vivo en Leeds.” “Tengo un perro.” “Me gusta el chocolate.” The learning comes from recalling and checking, and it is the repeated writing from memory that makes it stick.

Common mistakes and how to help

Spelling by sound alone

French words often end in letters you cannot hear, so a child may write “je mange” as “je mang” or “les chats” as “les cha”. In Spanish a silent h is often left out, so “hola” becomes “ola”.

What helps: Teach words as a picture as well as a sound. Look for the unusual letters before covering and writing, and keep an eye on silent endings.

Treating accents as optional extras

Accents do not exist in English, so they look like decoration. Leaving them out makes the word wrong, and sometimes changes the meaning: “ou” (or) and “où” (where) in French, or “si” (if) and “sí” (yes) in Spanish.

What helps: Say the accent as part of the spelling of the word, like a letter. Show your child how to find accented letters on a keyboard.

Copying without remembering

Copying letter by letter can be done with no thought at all, so a child can finish the task and remember nothing.

What helps: Always use the look, say, cover, write, check routine. If a child cannot write it with the model covered, it is not yet learned.

Using English capital letter rules

In English we always capitalise days, months and languages, so children write Lundi, Janvier and Français, or Lunes and Español.

What helps: Treat it as a pattern to notice: in French and Spanish, these words begin with a small letter unless they start a sentence.

How to help at home

Look, say, cover, write, check. Choose three phrases from this week’s lessons and go through the routine together. Do it again on the following day without looking, so the phrases are recalled rather than copied.
Write a postcard or a note. Ask your child to write a two-line note to a relative using phrases they know, such as their name, age and a favourite food. A real reader makes writing worth doing carefully.
Make a phrase notebook. Keep a small notebook where your child writes useful phrases with the English meaning beside them. Reviewing a page for a minute once or twice a week keeps older phrases from fading.
Hunt for accents. Look at a keyboard or a phone together and find how to type é, à, ç or ñ. Knowing how to write the letters properly makes accuracy easier.