Group 2: Language Acquisition

IB DP French SL
IB DP Spanish SL
This course prepares students for advanced testing at university levels. Students write coherent essays, interact with native speakers in conversation or taped lectures, and speak in a participatory manner. Speaking assignments require students to explain and defend opinions, discuss abstract and concrete topics, and hypothesize on possible future events. Topics vary and include art, politics, science, health, current events, history, and students’ own past and present. They also read a variety of texts, such as articles, short novels, plays, poetry, and short stories. The course is conducted entirely in the target language. Students taking this course are eligible for the IB Second Language (SL) exam.

IB DP Spanish HL 1
This demanding course prepares students for advanced testing at university levels. Students write cohesive essays, interact with native speakers in conversation or taped lectures, and speak in a participatory manner. Speaking assignments require students to explain and defend opinions, discuss abstract and concrete topics, and hypothesize on possible future events. Topics vary and include art, politics, science, health, current events, history, and students’ own past and present. Students also read a variety of texts, such as articles, short novels, plays, poetry, and short stories. The course is conducted entirely in the target language and requires students to be independent, highly motivated, and take initiative for their language goals. This course is the first of the two courses leading to an examination of a Second Language at the Higher Level.

IB DP Spanish HL 2
This course prepares students for advanced testing at university levels. Students write cohesive essays, interact with native speakers in conversation or taped lectures, and speak in a participatory manner. Speaking assignments require students to explain and defend opinions, discuss abstract and concrete topics, and hypothesize on possible future events. Topics include art, politics, science, health, current events, history, and students’ own past and present. Students also read a variety of texts, such as articles, short novels, plays, poetry, and short stories. The course is conducted entirely in the target language and requires students to be independent, highly motivated, and take initiative for their language goals. Students taking this course will be eligible for the IB Second Language B HL exam.

IB DP Japanese ab initio
Language ab initio is a language acquisition course designed for students with no prior experience of the target language, or for those students with very limited previous exposure. This course is offered at SL only, and is not accepted by colleges for credit. At the language ab initio level, a student develops receptive, productive and interactive communicative skills. Students learn to communicate in the target language in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. The course will cover five prescribed themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Within each theme, students will use personal, professional, and mass media texts to explore a variety of prescribed topics including eating and drinking, festivals and celebrations, media, social issues, and climate. The course culminates with an individual oral assessment.