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Languages can unite or divide us. Learning a new language and other ways of communicating, behaving, relating, thinking and being is an essential step towards understanding others and developing respect for cultural diversity. Expanding communicative skills in an additional language also fosters intercultural understanding, open-mindedness and empathy which are essential parts of the skillset of a globally aware 21st-century problem-solver and life-long learner.
Language course choice in G9 and 10 is a two-year commitment. This entails that students may not change language course in G10. In keeping with our educational goal and values, we ask that students embrace challenge and take responsibility for this area of learning over the two-year period.
Course Aims
Course Aims
Develop both receptive and productive language skills as well as conceptual understandings in the target language in order to communicate effectively in multiple contexts, and for a variety of purposes
Explore multimodal texts (written, audio, visual, audio-visual), artefacts, and different cultural perspectives in order to foster empathy and international mindedness
Develop communicative and interpersonal skills, as well as information and cultural literacy, through inquiry and creative collaboration
Consider how the connections between languages, perspectives and cultures shape our identities
Course Outline
Course Outline
Students will engage with conceptual themes such as identities, communication, relationships, culture and wellbeing. They will focus on a range of familiar topics, such as family, friends, home and school life, hobbies, travel etc. They will also develop their understanding of linguistic concepts, such as context, audience and purpose. In addition, students will make connections with all other areas of the UWCSEA learning programme : Activities, Service, Outdoor Education and Personal and Social Education.
Below are some highlights of the course in the 3 languages offered:
Chinese Units
Chinese Units
汉语基础知识 Basic Knowledge of Chinese Language
G9 students get to know the Chinese phonetic (Hanyu Pinyin) and handwriting (strokes and structures of Chinese characters) systems. They also learn numbers, time and how to say the date.个人与社交生活 Personal and Social Life
G9 students learn to express who they are and interact with Chinese speakers appropriately according to their age, gender and the communicative context.日常生活 Everyday Activities
G9 students learn to talk about their daily routine. They also discuss hobbies and leisure activities.购物与饮食 Shopping and Diet G10 students learn to order food and drinks in Chinese restaurants, as well as to cook simple, but popular Chinese dishes such as dumplings. They also learn phrases used when shopping.
交通与居住环境 Transport and Living Environment
G10 students explore means of transportation and urban facilities. They also describe their living environment by providing details about their home and their neighbourhood.
Spanish Units
Spanish Units
¿Cómo somos? (The Way we Are)
G9 Students learn how to introduce themselves. They talk about their motivations to learn Spanish and how their own culture can help them understand this new language. They are also able to talk about their family.¿Qué haces? (What are You Doing?)
G9 students express what they and others look like and are like. They also describe their daily routine and learn to express likes and dislikes, especially about music and dance.¿A dónde vas? (Where are You Going?)
G9 students learn about fantastic new places. They list what they need to take on their trip, talk about the weather, learn how to book a hotel and buy a train ticket in Spanish.¿Somos lo que comemos? (Are we what we eat?)
G10 students learn about different Hispanic street food dishes, create their own recipe and cook it!¿Cómo vives? (How do you live?)
G10 students learn about places in Singapore and how to give directions. They also talk about their home and furniture.¿Antes o Ahora? (¿Before or Now?) G10 students discuss how the world used to be and how it has changed.
French Units
French Units
Viens t'amuser avec moi! (Come Have Fun with Me!)
G9 students take part in a range of activities to organise a birthday party, from inviting guests to designing an activities programme and menus.Dans la peau d'un élève français (A Day in the Life of a French Student)
G9 students learn about the French school system and compare and contrast it with their own setting and experiences.Une vie de chef (Living as a Chef)
G10 students learn about French cuisine and healthy eating, design a balanced 3-course meal and engage in a crêpes making workshop.Un monde d'aventures (A World of Adventures)
G10 students study the accomplishments of famous adventurers, explore adventure TV shows and learn to express their passions and outdoor education experiences, as well as those of others.Pour un monde solidaire! (A more Equitable World)
G10 students inquire into French NGOs and a famous fund-raising event in France, organise community service projects, as well as talk about their engagement in service at UWCSEA.
Skills Developed
Skills Developed
In this language acquisition course, students at a beginner level in the language will develop:
Receptive skills: listening and reading
Productive skills: speaking and writing
Interactive skills: listening and speaking - responding to others
Intercultural competence, by making connections with the target cultures and developing empathy and international mindedness
Application of linguistic concepts to demonstrate conceptual understanding
Learning skills: thinking, research, collaboration, self-management, and creativity
Assessment
Assessment
A varied range of both formative and summative assessments will be used to evaluate students' progress in the Beginners course, for example:
Vocabulary and grammar quizzes
Oral presentations
Group discussions and role plays
Individual orals
Listening comprehension tasks
Reading comprehension tasks
Writing tasks: responses to texts and some text types
If you have any other questions, please email Ms Laurie Kraaijeveld, Head of High School Languages, at lkr@uwcsea.edu.sg
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