IB Group 2
Language Ab Initio – SL
Chinese, French, Spanish
From this group, students choose a second language. The IB philosophy stresses the importance of students having at their command more than one language in order to assist them to think internationally. The apprenticeship of learning a foreign language is both a training for other language acquisition and a testing ground for tolerance, in that it will, by its very nature, teach new ways of thinking and looking at the world.
Entry Requirements
This is a two-year course for non-native speakers of the language who have no prior formal training in this language.
Aims
- To encourage positive attitudes to the learning of other languages and to their speakers and countries
- To develop the students’ ability to communicate in the chosen language, in order to deal adequately with familiar and practical needs
- To introduce the students to a different culture through the study of the chosen language
Content
This course comprises five themes:
- Identities – Explore the nature of the self and what it is to be human.
- Experiences – Explore and tell the stories of the events, experiences and journeys that shape our lives
- Human Ingenuity – Explore the ways in which human creativity and innovation affect our world
- Social Organisation – Explore the ways in which groups of people organise themselves, or are organised, through common systems or interests
- Sharing the Planet – Explore the challenges and opportunities faced by individuals and communities in the modern world
Assessment at Standard Level Ab initio
External Assessment – 75%
Paper 1: Productive skills – writing 25%
Paper 2: Receptive skills – 50%
Listening comprehension (45 mins) (25 marks)
Reading comprehension (1 hour) (40 marks)
Internal Assessment – 25%
Individual oral assessment
Assessment Criteria at Standard Level
Students will be assessed on their ability to:
- Communicate clearly, fluently, accurately and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrating linguistic competence and intercultural understanding (language)
- Organise and express ideas on a range of topics, in a clear, coherent and convincing manner (message/content)
- Use language appropriate to a range of contexts and text types (format)
- Understand, analyse and respond to a range of written and spoken texts
Costs:
- French: DELF Exam (optional) $70
