Philosophy
Language is the foundation for communicating and learning. The acquisition of language is a lifelong process and is a central component of intellectual and personal growth allowing students to meet the demands of a global society. All teachers are language teachers. Language allows students to become inquirers as well as develop critical thinking and social skills. Students have the opportunity to engage in realistic and meaningful language learning experiences within a positive and encouraging environment. Language learning refers not only to the acquisition of another language, but also to the appreciation of a different culture. Language is taught through context and relates new information to existing knowledge. Sydney Academy also acknowledges that the curriculum must be presented in such a fashion as to provide each student with an opportunity to succeed within the limits of their capabilities. Each student must be encouraged to participate and be challenged to excel.
Language Profile
The two official languages of Canada are English and French. Within the province of Nova Scotia the vast majority of the population is English speaking. Sydney Academy is a public high school (9-12) that offers almost its entire core in English. A smaller Francophone and Mi'kmaq community exists within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. In 2024-25, Sydney Academy has a population of approximately 890 students.
Language Instruction
English is the language of instruction at Sydney Academy. In addition, a Certificate in Integrated French studies is offered with instruction of 6 courses where French is the language of instruction. In addition, French B, French Ab initio and IB Histoire (French) are offered through the IB program. Students can opt to take Core French or Mi'kmaq Language from grades 9-12. We currently offer Spanish Ab initio in grade 12 but this will not continue after this academic year.
All Sydney Academy teachers, students and members of the school community, work to enable students to learn and use language confidently in a variety of contexts. We promote student understanding and enjoyment of literature, leading to the exploration of different perspectives through language. The school promotes an environment that allows them to express themselves through language.
Current Practices
The language policy at Sydney Academy will evolve based on any changes to the school population and changing expectations. The language of instruction is English with comprehensive French , Spanish, and Mi'kmaq as second language acquisition programs.
Program Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
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Core French Core French 10 Core French 11 Core French 12
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IB French SA Pre IB French 10 IB French B 11 IB French B 12
IB French Ab initio 11 IB French Ab initio 12
IB Histoire 11 IB Histoire 12
IB Spanish IB Spanish ab initio 12
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Mi’kmaq Mi’kmaq Language 10 Mi’kmaq Language 11 Mi’kmaq Language 12
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Integrated French
Certificate
(PSP courses) Mode de vie actif 11 Géographie globale 12
Art dramatique 11
Core French Students
All students enrolled in the NS Public Schools Program begin learning French-language skills in grade four and are required to study French until the end of grade nine. In grade 10, they may enroll in Core or Pre-IB French.
Integrated French Program/IB Diploma/Course
This program is available for students with a strong French background, typically but not limited to, students previously in French Immersion or Integrated French programs. Student will take Pre-IB and IB French-B courses with three other courses offered from the PSP, all delivered in French. Upon completion students may earn an Integrated French Certificate as well as an IB Diploma/IB Course dependent upon their program of studies based on an agreement with the NS Dept.of Education.
IB Bilingual Diploma
A student can obtain a bilingual IB diploma by taking a Group 1 subject (English), as well as a course in a language other than the one taken in Group 1 that comes from Group 3. At Sydney Academy, students take IB History in French (Group 3) to receive their Bilingual Diploma.
Sydney Academy students are:
• encouraged to preserve and value their own native language as it enhances their personal identity, highlights their cultural heritage, and increases their overall ability to learn
• given the opportunity to become active language learners through inquiry and authentic experiences
• introduced to a variety of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate and respond to a variety of media and non-fiction sources
• exposed to a range of literature reflecting other cultures
• given constructive and specific feedback
• given time to reflect on their learning and to apply remediation strategies
EAL students at SA are supported in the following ways:
School Administrators are responsible for ensuring that individual students who require EAL programming services are provided with the appropriate assessment and evaluation methods and strategies to support their needs.
English as an Additional Language teachers are responsible for:
Collaborating with program staff, classroom, resource and learning centre teachers to assist EAL students in achieving the learning outcomes.
Assessing and evaluating students using the following process.
Assessments for the purpose of qualification for EAL placement.
Formative assessments to guide teaching and learning.
Assessments for the purpose of discontinuing direct EAL programming and services.
Ensuring that annual assessments of English proficiency are conducted.
Ensuring that linguistic and cultural diversity are factored into the interpretation of assessment results.
Providing individual written reports on the progress of each student for whom they have provided direct support services; including information regarding the student’s English proficiency.
Making appropriate adaptations available to English as an Additional Language students as part of any assessment and evaluation process.
EAL teachers will collaborate with classroom teachers to help provide appropriate adaptations.
Every DP teacher is a language teacher
Within the framework of the DP program, the concept of international-mindedness encompasses the three aspects of multilingualism, intercultural understanding and global engagement. At Sydney Academy, it is understood that language is the tool that can be used across the IB to encourage and develop the intercultural understanding that international-mindedness brings to the diploma program.
Every teacher in the diploma plays an important role in the development and support of students in their language development. At Sydney Academy, each DP teacher is encouraged to highlight their current practices and their future goals for language development in their classrooms.
Group 1
Current Practices: To foster an environment that allows the student to appreciate the value of English literature and its applications to other disciplines.
Future Goals: To develop an international-mindedness through an enhanced awareness of their own culture, as well as being more inter-culturally appreciative.
Group 2
Current Practices: We encourage all students to develop language skills that will assist them to live and function effectively in a diverse society and a bilingual country through reading, writing, and speaking in a second language classroom.
Future Goals: We will continue to promote growth in a second language environment through a variety of mediums. We will promote awareness of the cultural diversity that exists in other areas of the world, not only in Canada.
Group 3
Current Practices: Students are encouraged daily to use command terms which are instructed at the beginning of each course. Comprehension and use of these terms will foster a greater understanding of problems and theories.
Future Goals: To encourage the use of group 3 vocabulary in the breakdown of studying various situations. We will continue to perfect our students ability to break down subject related questions by properly defining their terms, drawing graphs or other appropriate representations and using equations when appropriate. These skills are reinforced in the creation of students internal assessments.
Group 4
Current Practices: Group 4 takes a science-centered language development approach so that in our science classrooms, language development is intimately involved in learning about the natural world. The use of the group 4 command terms are used daily in classrooms to assist students when they discuss, write and read about concepts explored in each scientific investigation. Lab reports are also used as a means to demonstrate comprehension and the appropriate level of language to communicate effectively in the sciences.
Future Goals: To develop a vocabulary across the sciences that students can use in ways that demonstrate understanding of the scientific concepts the words represent, not simply recite scripted definitions. Developing classroom strategies that focus on giving new words conceptual meaning by assisting students to make connections to what they already know. Scientific literacy can also be increased in terms of reading and responding to published peer-reviewed articles.
Group 5
Current Practices: In mathematics, we emphasize that communication of understanding is as important as understanding. To that end, we tailor our classroom instruction and discussion to include a focus on the notation and terminology relevant to the syllabus topics at hand. We make connections in describing the appropriate use of notation, and unacceptable forms of usage. We strive to include variations of notation found in different academic cultures internationally, and provide historical background to notation and terminology to demonstrate the paradigm of the evolution of mathematical language. We endeavor to foster a confidence in the use of appropriate mathematical language so that students may succeed in all future academic settings.
Future Goals: As part of our formative and cumulative assessment, we will prompt the students to demonstrate their understanding by explaining their approach to problems. We will also ask them to choose among variations in explanations to Why..? and How..? type questions to generate class discussion as to which mathematical arguments best support a correct solution.
Group 6
Current Practices: To foster an environment that allows the student to appreciate the value of artistic expression and cultural appreciation.
Future Goals: To develop an international-mindedness through an enhanced awareness of their own culture, as well as being more inter-culturally appreciative.
This policy will be reviewed on a yearly basis by the IB Coordinator, the administration, and IB staff and will be revised as necessary.
Language Policy Committee:
Heather LeBlanc
Andrew Unsworth
Heather Urquhart