Language B: English, Chinese, Spanish & French

Language B courses intend to provide students with a high degree of proficiency in their chosen language and to further develop their understanding of different cultures and ways of life of the languages studied.

The Language B course focuses on 5 conceptual themes: Social Organisation, Identities, Experiences, Human Ingenuity and Sharing the Planet. These themes are explored through factual, conceptual and debatable questions. Here are some examples of Language B guiding questions:

• How do we relate to others, both as individuals and as groups? (social organisation and identities)

• To what extent are our lifestyle choices a product of our society, and how do they change us? (experiences and human ingenuity)

• What can travelling teach us? (experiences and sharing the planet)

• How do the media impact us? (human ingenuity and identities)

• How do educational systems reflect values, and how do teenagers experience school life in the countries where the target language is spoken? (social organisation and experiences in French, Chinese and English)

• What environmental issues are we facing, and what solutions are we creating to address them? (sharing the planet and human ingenuity)

• How do lifestyles and values affect our health? (identities and social organisation)

• What are human rights? (experiences and sharing the planet)

Throughout the Language B course, students also develop their understanding of 5 linguistic concepts as they become more effective and knowledgeable communicators in the target language: audience, context, purpose, meaning and variation.

SL external assessment – 75%

• Paper 1: written productive skills (1 hour 15 minutes) – 25%

  • • one writing task of 250-400 words from a choice of three, each from a different theme, choosing a text type for each task from among those listed in the examination instructions

• Paper 2: receptive skills (1 hour 45 minutes) – 50%

  • • listening comprehension (45 minutes) and reading comprehension (1 hour); comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts, drawn from all five themes

HL External Assessment – 75%

• Paper 1: written productive skills (1 hour 15 minutes) – 25%

  • • one writing task of 450–600 words from a choice of three, each from a different theme, choosing a text type for each task from among those listed in the examination instructions

• Paper 2: receptive skills (2 hours) – 50%

  • • listening comprehension (1 hour) and reading comprehension (1 hour); comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts, drawn from all five themes

Frequently Asked Questions 

If you have any other questions, please email Ms Laurie Kraaijeveld, Head of High School Languages, at lkr@uwcsea.edu.sg