Course Offerings - Languages

Course Offerings - Languages

High School Languages Program Chart

Language Acquisition (Chinese, French, Spanish)

IB MYP Language Acquisition (Chinese, French, Spanish)

IB MYP Language & Literature (Chinese)

IB DP Group 1
• Chinese A: Literature
• Chinese A: Language and Literature

IB DP Group 2
• French B; French Ab Initio
• Spanish B; Spanish Ab Initio
• HS Conversational Chinese

Grade 9 & 10 Language Acquisition (IB MYP)

IB MYP Language Acquisition is for students whose primary language is not the target language. The main aim of language acquisition in the MYP is to encourage students to gain competence in a modern language (Chinese/French/Spanish) other than their primary language.

The study of MYP language acquisition aims to encourage in the student a respect for and understanding of other languages and cultures and to provide a skills base to facilitate further language learning.

The Language Acquisition subject group will be organized into 6 phases. The phases represent a developmental continuum of additional language learning. Students may commence their Language B course at any phase on the continuum.

Content

Units are planned to ensure ample opportunities to practice and develop the skills of language: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and viewing.

Assessment

To measure the progress and achievement of a student in each phase of the course, four criteria have been established:

A: Listening B: Reading
C: Speaking  D: Writing

Chinese is also offered as mother tongue (Language A).

It is a joint effort of the teachers, parents, and students to make sure that students choose their foreign language courses appropriately. Teachers’ recommendations and students’ assessment results are key elements in the course selection process for languages.

As part of the course selection process for Grade 11, students need to:

  • Carefully and thoughtfully choose an appropriate level language course according to their current Grade 10 academic achievements. A course that is too easy for a student, or too challenging to allow him/her to succeed, is not an appropriate course

  • If a student is in Language Acquisition Phase 3 or 4 in MYP but hoping to study an Ab Initio course in DP, he/she should choose a different language
    to study in Ab Initio DP. Otherwise, the student should go to BSL or BHL according to HS Language Pathways. In such case, the student should seek recommendations from his or her language teacher.


Note: Winter break of their Grade 11 year is the last opportunity students will have to change their language or language level.

Students need to be aware that:

  • If a class has less than 4 students enrolled, it is likely to be cancelled

  • After studying a language for 2 years (i.e., in Grades 9 and 10), students are able to enroll in Ab Initio (SL) or Language B SL depending on their level/phase by the end of G10.

  • If students are at near-native level in speaking and listening, but find reading and writing challenging, they should choose a Standard Level course in that language in Grade 11

High School Chinese Courses

Conversational Chinese

WAB conversational Chinese is a two-year course designed for Grade 11 and 12 students who are only focusing on practical day-to-day conversation. The aim of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to learn speaking and listening skills and to learn about Chinese culture within the context of China. By the end of this course, students should be able to conduct a relatively intensive conversation in Chinese and have a thorough and clear understanding of Chinese culture.

Content

The topics covered include introducing oneself and family members, daily routines, shopping, transportation, customs and festivals, etc. Cultural activities and field trips will be an important part of the course. The course is assessed according to the criteria described below. The course uses Developing Chinese: Elementary Speaking Chinese (by Wang Shuhong and others) and Developing Chinese: Elementary Listening Chinese (by Yao Shujun) as textbooks, each specifically focusing on Chinese speaking and listening skills.

Assessment

Students will be assessed on listening and speaking skills. The grades are based on individual orals (50%) and interactive oral activities (50%).

IB DP Chinese Ab Initio

Chinese Ab Initio is a language acquisition course for students with little or no experience of learning Chinese. This course is designed to be studied over two years by students in Grades 11 and 12.

Content

A key aim of the language ab initio course is to develop international mindedness through the study of language, culture, ideas, and issues of global significance. Explicit links to TOK strengthen the ability to communicate in the target language by increasing students’ self-awareness as inquirers in their own language learning process. As appropriate to the level of the course, communication skills are reinforced through the other categories of approaches to learning skills: thinking, research, social, and self-management skills.

Five prescribed themes are common to the syllabuses of language B and language ab initio; the themes provide relevant contexts for study at all levels of language acquisition in the DP, and opportunities for students to communicate about matters of personal, local or national, and global interest.

The five prescribed themes are:

  • identities

  • experiences

  • human ingenuity

  • social organization

  • sharing the planet.

Assessment

Internal Assessment
     Individual oral – 25%

External examination
     Paper 1 (Writing) – 25%

External examination
     Paper 2 (Listening and Reading) – 50%

IB DP Chinese B SL

Chinese B SL is for students who have studied at least two years of Chinese. The main focus for the course is language acquisition. These language skills should be developed through the study and use of a range of written and spoken materials.

Content

A key aim of the Language B course is to develop international-mindedness through the study of language, culture, ideas, and issues of global significance. Explicit links to TOK strengthen the ability to communicate in the target language by increasing students’ self-awareness as inquirers in their own language learning process. As appropriate to the level of the course, communication skills are reinforced through the other categories of approaches to learning skills: thinking, research, social, and self-management skills.
Five prescribed themes are common to the syllabuses of language B and language ab initio; the themes provide relevant contexts for study at all levels of language acquisition in the DP and opportunities for students to communicate about matters of personal, local or national, and global interest.

The five prescribed themes are:

  • identities

  • experiences

  • human ingenuity

  • social organization

  • sharing the planet.

Assessment

External assessment
     Paper 1: writing – 25%
     Paper 2: listening and reading – 50%

Internal assessment
     Individual oral assessment – 25%

IB DP Chinese A: Language and Literature (HL & SL)

In the Chinese A Language and Literature course, students study a wide range of literary and non-literary texts in a variety of media. By examining communicative acts across literary form and textual type alongside appropriate secondary readings, students will investigate the nature of language itself and the ways in which it shapes and is influenced by identity and culture. Approaches to study in the course are meant to be wide-ranging and can include literary theory, sociolinguistics, media studies, and critical discourse analysis, among others.

The aims of all subjects in studies in language and literature are to enable students to:

  1. Engage with a range of texts, in a variety of media and forms, from different periods, styles, and cultures
  2. Develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, presenting and performing
  3. Develop skills in interpretation, analysis and evaluation
  4. Develop sensitivity to the formal and aesthetic qualities of texts and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings
  5. Develop an understanding of relationships between texts and a variety of perspectives, cultural contexts, and local and global issues and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings
  6. Develop an understanding of the relationships between studies in language and literature and other disciplines
  7. Communicate and collaborate in a confident and creative way
  8. Foster a lifelong interest in and enjoyment of language and literature.

At WAB, Chinese A Language and Literature is targeted ideally for students who have:

  • Finished MYP Chinese A course
    or

  • Achieved excellent levels of achievement in the MYP Chinese Language Acquisition Phase 5

Content

The course is consisted of 3 Areas of Exploration:

    • Readers, writers, and texts

    • Time and space

    • Intertextuality: connecting tests

      The Learner Portfolio is a central element of the course and is mandatory for all students. It is an individual collection of student work compiled during the two years of the course.

Assessment

External assessment

     Paper 1: Guided literary analysis – 35% (SL & HL)

     Paper 2: Comparative essay – 35% (SL) / 25% (HL) Essay (HL) – 20%

Internal assessment

     Individual oral – 30% (SL) / 20% (HL)

IB DP Chinese A: Literature (HL & SL)

In the Chinese A Literature course, students will focus exclusively on literary texts, adopting a variety of approaches to textual criticism. Students explore the nature of literature, the aesthetic function of literary language and textuality, and the relationship between literature and the world.

The aims of all subjects in studies in language and literature are to enable students to:

  1. Engage with a range of texts, in a variety of media and forms, from different periods, styles, and cultures
  2. Develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, presenting and performing
  3. Develop skills in interpretation, analysis and evaluation
  4. Develop sensitivity to the formal and aesthetic qualities of texts and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings
  5. Develop an understanding of relationships between texts and a variety of perspectives, cultural contexts, and local and global issues, and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings
  6. Develop an understanding of the relationships between studies in language and literature and other disciplines
  7. Communicate and collaborate in a confident and creative way
  8. Foster a lifelong interest in and enjoyment of language and literature.

At WAB, Chinese A Literature is targeted ideally for students who have:

• Finished MYP Chinese A course
or
• Achieved consistently high levels in the MYP Phase 5 Chinese Language Acquisition course

Content

The course consists of 3 Areas of Exploration:
• Readers, writers, and texts
• Time and space
• Intertextuality: connecting tests
The Learner Portfolio is a central element of the course and is mandatory for all students. It is an individual collection of student work compiled during the two years of the course.

Assessment

External assessment
     Paper 1: Guided literary analysis – 35%
     Paper 2: Comparative essay – 35% (SL) / 25% (HL) Essay (HL) – 20%

Internal assessment
     Individual oral – 30% (SL) / 20% (HL)

IB DP French and Spanish AB Initio (SL only)

French or Spanish Ab Initio SL (IBDP) serves as an introduction to the language and culture. Although all abilities are a part of the course’s curriculum, the emphasis will be placed on the practical use of the language to allow students to deal with everyday situations effectively. A strong focus will be put on the development of speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills.
Note: French Ab initio is only available through an external online course provider, and the cost of the course is born by the student’s family, not by WAB

Content

Upon completion of the course, students should
be able to engage in and understand basic conversations on a variety of topics relating to everyday life as well as respond to simple, authentic texts in the target language. Students should also be able to carry out a variety of written tasks and be able to understand and extract general ideas and specific information from texts.

The five prescribed themes provide relevant contexts for study at all levels of language acquisition in the DP, and opportunities for students to communicate about matters of personal, local or national, and global interest.

The five prescribed themes are:

  • Identities

  • Experiences

  • Human ingenuity

  • Social organization

  • Sharing the planet.

Assessment

Assessment will be based on tasks students are expected to do in the second year of the program. Students will also gradually be exposed to the IBDP examination format.

Internal assessment

     Individual oral – 30% (SL) / 20% (HL)

External examination

     Paper 1 (Writing) – 25%

External examination

    Paper 2 (Listening and Reading) – 50%

IB DP French and Spanish B HL

The French and Spanish B HL (IB DP) courses are similar to IB DP French and Spanish B SL but will differ in in the level of competency the student is expected to develop in the receptive, productive and interactive skills. In addition, the study of two literary works originally written in the target language is required for language B HL.

Assessment

The students will be assessed using the following methods:

Internal assessment

     Individual oral – 25%

External examination

     Paper 1 (Writing) – 25%

External examination

    Paper 2 (Listening and Reading) – 50%