WIS Prospectus 2012 - West Island School New Portal

FACULTY AND CURRICULUM INFORMATION
West Island School
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Language provision at West Island School reflects the nature of our community and aims
to equip students with the skills and competences needed to adapt to and participate in
both local and international environments.
We offer the opportunity to study both an Asian and European language or to strengthen
skills in one language. Currently our linguistic menu includes Chinese as a first language,
Chinese as a foreign language, Chinese as a second language and French and Spanish
(foreign language).
Our foreign language courses emphasise the use of the language for practical
communication. Students develop their abilities in all four skill areas – listening, speaking,
reading, and writing – through pair work, role play, games and a wealth of other activities
and assignments. In accordance with the West Island School Learner Profile, students
are also encouraged to show initiative and drive their own progress in the language by
working more independently and at their own pace using the faculty’s own websites as
well as a host of excellent online materials. The skills of senior students (Year 10 to Year
13) are further enhanced and reinforced by regular contact with our language assistants.
Through conversations with these native speakers, students are offered insights into the
culture of the target-language countries as well as an immersion language experience.
In Years 10 and 11 students may study either one or two languages at IGCSE. They then
continue with either one or, if their university course requires, two languages at IB level.
Our first language Chinese course emphasises literature, genre and register and aims to
develop learners who will study the IB Bilingual Diploma (A1 Chinese) in Years 12 and 13.
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