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

SPANISH
IB DP Spanish B Ab Initio
This course is studied at the standard level, over two years, by 11 th and 12 th grade
students who have had no previous experience of learning Spanish. It meets the
needs of IB diploma students who have had little or no opportunity for foreign
language study previously, and are therefore unable to fulfil the IB diploma
requirements for group 2; it is also open to students who are interested in learning a
new foreign language as part of their IB diploma, possibly in addition to language A2
or B.
The aims of the course are to:
• Develop students’ ability to communicate in speech and writing to enable them
to deal adequately with familiar and practical needs.
• Introduce students to the culture of Spanish-speaking countries.
• Provide students with a foundation for further study of Spanish.
• Provide intellectual stimulation.
• Encourage positive attitudes to the learning of other languages, and to their
speakers and countries.
The course is communicative: it focuses primarily on interaction between speakers
and writers of Spanish. The main aim is to prepare the learner to use the language
appropriately in a range of situations and contexts, and for a variety of purposes.
The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and developed
through the study of a wide range of oral and written texts of different styles and
registers. Equal emphasis will be given to the teaching of the four skills, and
authentic material will be used whenever possible, the teaching of the language
functions, the related grammar, and vocabulary will be integrated with the study of
the topics.
The course is learner-cantered and takes into account the interests, needs and
social context of the learning group.
IB DP Spanish B, SL
This course aims to enrich students’ linguistic and cultural acquisition and
development after having completed 3 to 4 years of Spanish. In an integrated and
comprehensive approach, all four language learning vehicles – speaking, listening,
reading and writing – are incorporated into a programme which stresses three main
focuses woven into the curriculum. These are language, cultural interaction and
message.
Objectives:
The student should:
• understand and use Spanish in diverse oral and written contexts
• gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse Spanish-speaking
population through the study of texts and social interaction
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1. develop students’ intercultural understanding / develop the students´ awareness
of the German culture and to encourage them to compare, understand, and
respect the differences between the German culture and their own.
2. enable students to understand and use the language they have studied in a
range of contexts and for a variety of purposes
3. encourage, through the study of texts and through social interaction, an
awareness and appreciation of the different perspectives of people from other
cultures
4. develop students’ awareness of the role of language in relation to other areas of
knowledge
5. develop students’ awareness of the relationship between the languages and
cultures with which they are familiar
6. provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use
of an additional language
7. provide the opportunity for enjoyment, creativity and intellectual stimulation
through knowledge of an additional language
IB DP German A Language & Literature SL/HL
This two-year course is designed for students who aim either at the higher or
standard level examination of IB German A Language & Literature. It affords
candidates from a variety of backgrounds ranging from a high level of competence
(near native) in German as a second language to native level.
The course aims to develop in students skills of textual analysis relating to both
literary and non-literary texts. An understanding of the ways in which formal
elements are used to create meaning in a text is combined with an exploration of
how that meaning is affected by reading practices that are culturally defined and by
the circumstances of production and reception.
A wider aim of the course is the development of an understanding of “critical literacy”
in students.
In view of the international nature of the IB and its commitment to intercultural
understanding, the language A: Language & Literature course does not limit the
study of texts to the products of one culture or of the cultures covered by any one
language. The study of literature in translation from other cultures is especially
important to IB Diploma Programme students because it contributes to a global
perspective, thereby promoting an insight into, and understanding of, the different
ways in which cultures influence and shape the experiences of life common to all
humanity.
The aims of language A: language and literature are to:
1. introduce students to a range of texts from different periods, styles and genres
2. develop in students the ability to engage in close, detailed analysis of individual
texts and make relevant connections
3. develop the students’ powers of expression, both in oral and written
communication
4. encourage students to recognize the importance of the contexts in which texts
are written and received
5. encourage, through the study of texts, an appreciation of the different
perspectives of people from other cultures, and how these perspectives
construct meaning
6. encourage students to appreciate the formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities of
texts
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