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Connections is also one of the key concepts of Language acquisition when developing the curriculum. The global contexts also serve to connect what students learn to the real world.

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The language acquisition global proficiency table provided in the guide is a useful broad tool that can be used to determine and interpret student achievement at an international scale.

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Students will be exposed to multimodal texts in each criteria which will bring a balance of media and cater to different learning styles which will definitely enhance student learning and teaching overall.

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When planning curriculum the Inquiry questions for each unit or lesson that teachers plan for language acquisition should include conceptual questions. Many times, students can brainstorm these questions as a class and this creates a more conceptual understanding of the unit/learning.

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The topics for the e-assessment are not prescriptive. This means schools have the discretion to add topics that are relevant to their local environment. This allows for breadth and depth at the same time.

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The simple change to grouping the phases in 3 levels gives more balance to the framework. There is more time to integrate and explore the objectives and teachers can truly balance the amount of work they do on each one.

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The new objectives and criteria are much more concept based. The concepts nouns are actually used (e.g. conventions), explained and unpacked for teachers and students. This is a great change, truly focused on teaching the skills of language acquisition vs. the target language.

Other changes are the example SOI given. They  actually use concepts unlike previous examples.

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There is also a much clearer connection to the DP in the objectives.
The fact students are asked to analyze connections is also a great move!

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Quote:
They also focus on offering students authentic opportunities to connect their learning to the world around them.

Reflection:
We now have to use authentic multimodal texts as stimuli. The emphasis on multimodality inherently makes the learning more authentic

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Quote:
Emphasis is placed on the importance of analysing assessment data to inform teaching and learning, and on recognizing that students benefit by learning how to assess their own work and the work of others
Reflection:
The new objectives strands phrased as questions, and the new Criteria level descriptors are more student friendly and lend themselves to be used effectively by students to assess their own work and the work of others.

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Quote from the IB document
IB programmes promote conceptual learning
Reflection
The new criteria and level descriptors are more conceptual in nature, while at the same time managing to be more practical than the old ones.

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The programmes emphasize the importance of making connections

Reflection:
Making connections is literally one of the Criteria A and B strands.

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Broad…like the world around us!
We now have to use authentic multimodal texts as stimuli. The emphasis on multimodality inherently makes the learning more authentic
They also focus on offering students authentic opportunities to connect their learning to the world around them.

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Balanced…like using different ways of assessing!
The new objectives strands phrased as questions, and the new Criteria level descriptors are more student friendly and lend themselves to be used effectively by students to assess their own work and the work of others.
Emphasis is placed on the importance of analysing assessment data to inform teaching and learning, and on recognizing that students benefit by learning how to assess their own work and the work of others.

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Conceptual for sure, but more practical too!
IB programmes promote conceptual learning | The new criteria and level descriptors are more conceptual in nature, while at the same time managing to be more practical than the old ones.

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Connected…to everything!
The programmes emphasize the importance of making connections Making connections is literally one of the Criteria A and B strands.

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What does "broad" mean for IB education?
1. Access to a broad range of academic studies and learning experiences.
2. The four programmes are all underpinned by a shared focus  on international mindedness and developing the attributes of the IB learner profile.
3. Each programme requires the completion of a culminating project which is a broad inquiry into students' learning experiences and interests.
4. Meaningful and rigorous assessment depicts a broad and holistic approach to the demonstartion of students' higher order thinking.
What does "broad" mean for Language Acquisition?
The breadth of teaching and learning in LA is presented through the aims which suggest how the student's multi-literacy skills, conceptual and intercultural understandings may be developed through the learning experience.
Here are some of them:
- develop a respect for, and understanding of, diverse linguistic and cultural heritages;
- enable the student to understand the nature of language  and the process of language learning, which comprises the integration of linquistic, cultural and social components.
Based on Merriam-Webster's definition of "broad", we can see a broad correlation of the LA aims and the aims of IB education.

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having ample extent from side to side or between limits; having a specified extension from side to side; extending far and wide : spacious... See the full definition

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What does "balanced" mean for IB education?
1. IB programmes organize powerful ideas that are relevant across subject areas and this approach helps create a balanced curriculum.
2. The assessments balance validity and reliability, offering assessment tasks.
What does "balanced" mean for Language Acquisition?
1. A balanced progression of learning for the levels and through the levels.
2. The content of on-screen examination help teachers and students create new strategies for summative and formative assessment and be ready for self assessment in balanced ways.
In conclusion, I want to mention that balance is not only in our classrooms and communities. The balance starts in our personal life. Here are some recommendations to balance our life as teachers.

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Figuring out how to achieve work-life balance as a teacher is a huge challenge. Teachers enter the profession because they hope to change lives, but they often find that there are obstacles in their path, and the expectations teachers face can seem impossible to live up to. Finding the sweet spot between achievement and work-life balance can help teachers build a long, happy, and healthy career. Here are some tips on how to achieve work-life balance as a teacher.

Respect Your Time

Teachers tend to be hard workers. It's not unusual for teachers to stay at school until 7 p.m. helping students, to stay up until midnight correcting papers, and to spend weekends planning lessons, chaperoning field trips, or attending conferences. And make no mistake about it: I understand that teachers' duties are almost impossible to accomplish without putting in extra hours. However, recognizing that you cannot plan countless field trips, attend every school event, and serve on all committees can help you focus on what will have the most impact on your students' success.

Recognize That You're Having an Impact (Even When It Doesn't Feel Like It)

If you've been a teacher for as long as I have (23 years and counting!), you recognize that you don't always know the effect you've had on your students until many years later. Eddie, for example, was a bright but oppositional student in my senior English class. He was so defiant that I initially wanted him moved from my class.

He had a great sense of humor, though. He responded when I matched wits with him, and his grade climbed. He still drove me a bit crazy, but he graduated, and I didn't hear from him for almost 10 years. Then, one day, he stopped by my classroom. He told me that my class was transformative for him, and he was now studying to be an English teacher.
Further reading: What Makes a Teacher Memorable?
I was shocked, but perhaps I shouldn't have been; every teacher I know has a story like this. So remember, you might not see the immediate results of your hard work, but teachers do change students' lives each and every day just by being themselves and building connections. Keeping that in mind can help when you feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of teaching.

Shut Off the Electronics

With email and online education platforms like Schoology, students and parents can now connect with teachers at any time. While this can be very helpful in some cases, I found myself replying to student posts at 11 p.m. and answering emails in the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes, those posts and emails would get me excited or upset about something, and keep me awake. Now, I let my students know I will not get to anything posted after 7 p.m., when I shut off my phone. Forcing myself to switch off electronics at a certain hour was difficult at first, but it has had a profound impact on my mental and emotional health, as well as my energy level.

Know When to Say No

The other day, my principal sent me an email asking me to present at an event. I was already teaching a credit recovery course and Saturday school, running two clubs, serving on two committees, speaking at another conference, and mentoring three new teachers. I knew this new assignment might break me.

I went to speak with him, explaining what I had on my plate so he understood that I wasn't just being lazy. I then recommended another teacher who had expressed interest in presenting at that event. Too often, teachers are reluctant to say no, but it is absolutely essential if we want to stave off burnout. This is a key part of learning how to achieve work-life balance as a teacher.

Prioritize Your Health

This year, I vowed to in terms of taking care of my physical health. So far, I've lost 22 pounds, and I cannot begin to tell you the effect that it has had on my mood, my energy level, and my endurance. Staying away from sugar and caffeine has made me much calmer, so I'm less likely to lose my temper or fall asleep at 4 p.m. me deal with the daily frustrations of being a teacher and cope with issues outside of my control.

Don't Forget Your Friends Outside of School

Because teachers spend so much time with one another, they often socialize together, too-and that can be an important stress reliever. But don't forget your nonteacher friends. Schedule outings and dinner dates with people outside of the education field.
Further reading: 5 Tips to Be a Happy Teacher
This weekend I spent time with a friend who is a real estate agent and another who is a filmmaker. I found talking about their careers to be fascinating, and it took me outside my classroom. It was a breath of fresh air.

Let It Go

As teachers, it's easy to fixate on small things: the lesson plan that didn't go quite as well as we had hoped, the assessment that needs tweaking, the email that should go out today. But sometimes you just have to let it go. The earth won't fall off its axis if you don't write that email or add that extra lesson on commas to the curriculum tonight. We do our best, but we must recognize that some things are out of our control. Take a deep breath and let it go.

Learning how to achieve work-life balance as a teacher-especially in those early years-can be tough. It is, however, absolutely essential for survival. These strategies can ensure that your teaching career is not only impactful, but also healthy and long-lasting.

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How to Achieve Work-Life Balance As a Teacher

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Figuring out how to achieve work-life balance as a teacher is a huge challenge, but it's essential to avoiding burnout. Here are some tips on how to do it.

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What does "conceptual" mean for IB education?
1. All IB programmes promote conceptual learning, focusing on powerful organizing ideas, that help to integrate learning and add coherence to the curriculum.
2. Culminating projects in the MYP provide an opporunity for students to showcase their knowledge, understanding and skills acquired before in the classroms which are based on conceptual approaches.
What does "conceptual" mean for Language Acquisition?
1. This approach is used in the LA classrooms where the teachers and students collaboratevely develop conceptual understanding in global contexts.
2. The nature of language acquisition is in the ability to communicate in a variety of modes in more than one language is essential to the concept of an international education.
3. Moreover, language acquisition has a conceptual place across the IB continuum. See section "Language acquisition across the IB continuum"

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What does "connected" mean for IB education?
1. IB programmes emphasize the importance of making connections, exloring the relationshops between academic disciplines. They also focus on offering students authentic opportunities to connect their learning to the world around them.
2. Meaningful assessment supports curricular goals. In IB programmes assessment is therefore ongoing, varied and integral to the curriculum.
What does "connected" mean for Language Acquisition?
I want to share only one quote by Savignon (1983) from a pre-published LA guide:
"Learning to speak another's language means taking one's place in the human community. It means reaching out to others across cultural and linguistic boundaries. Language is far more than a system to be explained. It is our most important link to the world around us. Language is culture in motion. It is people interacting with people".
As for me, this quote best describes the alignment of IB and LA aims.
See the video by Khan Academy about theories of language development.

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Theories of language development: Nativist, learning, interactionist

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Learn about the nativist, learning, and interactionist theories of human language development. By Carole Yue.