Learner profile link: 

Communicators: We express ourselves con­dently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate e‑ectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

 

 

Towards a continuum of international education, 

Programme standards and practices, 

IB learner profile booklet, 

Learning in a language other than mother tongue in IB programmes, 

Making the PYP happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education and MYP: From principles into practice.

Guidelines for developing a school language policy

 

IB Middle Years Programme In IB World Schools offering the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), a language policy should further consider how to: 

• formulate practices for the provision of languages A and B 

• integrate the learning of languages with learning in the subject groups 

• integrate language learning with interdisciplinary planning. 

 

The MYP language A and language B subject guides and the document MYP: From principles into practice provide further guidance for MYP schools.

 

Constrains:

·      The school main language of instruction is English.

·      The school is required by law to offer Greek for 6 teaching periods per week in all grades up to MYP 4 (Grade 9)

·      The majority of our community are Russian native speakers and there is a strong demand to offer Russian language courses

·      The school can offer a variety of languages (upon request) in the afternoon program 

With the natural exception of other language courses:

All instruction and educational activity take place in English.

Assessments are given in English.

All communication between school stakeholders always takes place in English.

Students are encouraged to always communicate with each other in English.

Students are allowed to always have access to a paper dictionary from their native language to English and vice versa with them.

Greek to English/English to Greek and Russian to English/English to Russian dictionaries are available in each class to be used by students during assessments if necessary.

EAL Students are provided with the agreed supports to access instruction (See Admissions policy, EAL policy, Inclusion Policy)

Teachers understand that all subject teachers are language teachers and ensure the provisions of time within their instruction to facilitate the linguistic requirements related to their subject as well as support the linguistic development of their students through the instruction of their subjects.

Example 1:  Student's native language is Russian:

Student studies Greek as a state requirement up to Grade 9 (MYP4). Student also studies Russian as a language course offered in the Island School across all grades. The student selects to take Greek as an optional Language in Grade 10 (MYP 5).

 --> Student selects either Greek or Russian (his native) as an additional Language A course to obtain a bilingual IB Diploma.  

or

--> Student selects Greek as a Language B course to obtain a regular IB Diploma. 

 

Example 2: Student's native language is neither Greek or Russian:

Student studies Greek as a state requirement up to Grade 9 (MYP4). Student also studies Russian as a language course offered in the Island school across all grades. The student selects to take Russian (but not Greek) as an optional Language in Grade 10 (MYP 5).

--> Student Selects Russian as an additional Language A course to obtain a bilingual IB Diploma.  

or

-> Student selects Russian as a Language B course to obtain a regular IB Diploma. 

 

Example 3: Student's native language is neither Greek or Russian:

Student studies Greek as a state requirement up to Grade 9 (MYP4). Student also studies Russian as a language course offered in the Island school across all grades. The student selects to take both Greek and Russian as an optional language in Grade 10 (MYP 5).

--> Student may select either Russian or Greek as an additional Language A course to obtain a bilingual IB Diploma.  

or

-> Student may select either Russian or Greek as a Language B course to obtain a regular IB Diploma. 

 

Students may select any of the other languages on offer as a Language B (SL) or Language B (ab initio) assuming that they have been studying this language for at least a year prior entering the DP.

 

Links to other policies:

Assessment policy

Admissions and Inclusion policies. 

• a consideration of the role of a language profile in admissions as well as in formative and summative assessment 

• a review of criteria used for language assessment 

• reporting and feedback on language development, early intervention and differentiation strategies for SEN learners.