Curriculum Handbook 2012-2013 Grades 11-12 - International ...

LANGUAGES 3
Philosophy: Languages A (Native Languages)
We believe language is essential to most human activities. It is the principal means
by which we experience, create and interpret the changing world in which we live. It
is the way we think and communicate.
We believe language acquisition grows incrementally through a constant and natural
interaction of the four modes: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The language
curriculum recognizes and respects the varied interests, abilities, needs and diverse
cultural backgrounds of our students.
We believe that literature, the written word, is an indispensable tool for the
development of language competence. Students are given opportunities to create
and explore language through literature. We want this to stimulate and elicit critical
and creative responses from our students, which will lead to a deeper understanding
and appreciation of literature and life itself.
Finally, we believe that each student should be challenged through the
implementation of a variety of instructional methods and strategies within a positive
environment, conducive to further learning. It is our conviction that this approach will
foster an atmosphere of international tolerance and respect for the ideas of others
and increase the individual’s awareness of self-identity.
Philosophy: Languages B (Foreign Languages)
We believe language is essential to most human activities. It is the principal means
by which we experience, create and interpret the changing world in which we live. It
is the way we think and communicate.
We believe language acquisition grows incrementally through a constant and natural
interaction of the four modes: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The language
curriculum recognizes and respects the varied interests, abilities, needs and diverse
cultural backgrounds of our students. It presents a progressive course of study,
which gives insight into structures and functions of the language, emphasizes
communication and ultimately encourages the development of a critical appreciation
of literature.
We believe that learning a foreign language is essential in a global world. It raises
the students' awareness as citizens of the world open to international exchange,
capable of critical analysis and appreciation, and enables them to be more aware of
their own identity, language and culture. It allows students to gain access to realities
beyond their native language concepts and thus contributes to international
understanding.
We believe that learning a foreign language involves communicating in the target
language as well as knowing about the language. Therefore the students should be
actively engaged in meaningful, authentic and purposeful learning tasks, allowing for
opportunities for creative and aesthetic expression.
Finally, we believe that each student should be challenged through the
implementation of a variety of instructional methods and strategies within a positive
learning environment conducive to further learning. It is our conviction that this
approach will foster an atmosphere of tolerance and respect for the ideas of others
and increase the individual’s awareness of self-identity.
IB DP History HL
Aims
• To promote the acquisition of knowledge and understanding of the past sufficient
to serve both as a basis for the development and practice of appropriate skills
and for a better understanding of the present.
• To provide an introduction to the nature of history as a discipline, the nature and
variety of historical sources and the historian’s method.
• To develop an awareness of the existence of different interpretations of the past.
The two-year course is a study of Europe and the Middle East from the beginning of
the 19 th century to 1990. Three topics are emphasized throughout the first year:
Causes, practices and effects of war in the 20th century: detailed study of the
changing nature of warfare and developments underlying war. Examples include: the
First and Second World Wars; the Chinese Civil War; the Korean War; the Arab-
Israeli Wars; guerrilla warfare.
The rise of single party states: modern political history has witnessed the emergence
and evolution of one-party authoritarian rule. The one-party systems vary in
ideology, in social composition, in structure and in their means of attaining goals.
Leaders studied include: Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Mussolini, Nyerere and Castro.
East-West relations since 1945. Some of the consequences of the division of
Europe after WWII are considered: the emergence of the superpower blocs; the
development of nuclear weapons; the course of the Cold War; NATO and the
Warsaw Pact; US-Soviet relations; Sino-Soviet relations; Cuba; Korea.
In the second year the emphasis is on Europe from 1815-1939. Topics include: the
Congress System, Revolutions in 1830 and 1848, Italian and German Unification,
Imperialism, World War I, the League of Nations, World War II.
3 Course descriptions for IB courses reflect the official wording of the respective IB language guides
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