IB French Ab Initio SL

This language ab initio course is a language acquisition course for students with no prior experience of the target language or for those students with very limited previous experience

The course moves faster than a general French language course covering a 3-year language course in 2 years. The course encourages students to immerse themselves in the language; discussing global issues, making cultural comparisons, and sharing personal experiences as they develop their language skills.

This course is for students who...

are beginners in French
want to develop their own international-mindedness
are heritage speakers wanting to learn a third language
enjoy small classes and personalised learning in an immersive environment

What students say about the course

This video was taken after one semester of French with beginner students.

«My junior year, I scheduled almost all IB courses......My smallest but most fun class was IB French AB INITIO Year 1. With a grand total of 8 students in this first time offered course, we really bonded on a deeper level than ever possible for any regular language course. IB French tested our abilities to learn and adapt at a faster pace while still having fun with games, videos, and even novels within the first quarter of learning French.

While the class is structured to teach us three years of French content in only two years, it doesn't feel as scary as you'd think. I'm so thankful for how much I've been able to learn and pick up on through this class that I didn't know was possible. »
-Carlyn Rothert, 2021 Coffman student

« The activities we did in class like....making a group chat with our French pen pals...helped everyone grow as learners and grow as friends. There are lots of similarities to English and Spanish, even some with Arabic as well. Basically what I'm saying is I would sincerely recommend this class for anyone who is doing the IB Diploma (or) is interested in French. »
-Yousef Hindi, 2021 Jerome student

«This is a great class if you want to really be able to talk in the language your learning and communicate well while having fun! I think the best part of it is talking to everyone and meeting new people in French because everyone’s in the same boat! »
-Max Beckett, 2021 Jerome student

Course Content

Topics covered in the course are defined by the Ab Initio Language 2020 (International Baccalaureate Organization)

Identity
Social Organisation
Experiences
Sharing the Planet
Human Ingenuity

Ab Initio French is an intensive two-year language course that is an accelerated version of the normal three-year high school sequence. The course will provide students who have little or no experience in French with the skills necessary to handle everyday situations in a French-speaking environment. The focus of the course is on “real” communication within the four primary skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Most of the activities will be embedded in culturally authentic materials from a variety of sources and media, i.e. authentic literature, movies, news and magazine articles, popular music and other realia. Students will learn how to communicate effectively with other French speakers in practical and social situations. Upon completion of ab initio, the anticipated proficiency level is intermediate-low.

Scheduling Information

Course Number: 549 (Yr 1) / 550 (Yr 2)

Prerequisite(s): No previous French Credit required. 1-3 years in non-French World Language recommended

Graded: AP / IB / CCP Weight

Grades: 11-12

Time Frame: 2 Years

Credit: 2.00 (over 2 years)

Career Connection

The course provides exposure to foundational content knowledge and helps develop communication skills related to a wide variety of careers. Strong communication skills paired with cross-cultural understanding are beneficial in any career.

International Business
Diplomacy
Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Careers
Translation
International Social Work
Education (International and Domestic)