The IB is very concerned with developing the language capabilities of all students. The ability to speak multiple languages at some level of proficiency is important to the IB's mission to promote international mindedness. From the IB's Guidance for studies in language and literature and language acquisition courses document
Students are required to select at least one language from studies in language and literature. They are also required to select a different additional language from either studies in language and literature or language acquisition. Students also have the option of studying a third language as an elective instead of an arts subject.
As listed on the IB courses offerings page we offer the Group 1 courses Amharic Literature HL/SL and School Supported Self-Taught Literature (SSST) SL. In Group 2 we offer French or Spanish B HL/SL and French or Spanish ab initio. Students can also take Mandarin ab initio online.
The IB is concerned with students being placed at the right level of language acquisition. If a student is in a course that is too challenging, they will not have success. However, if a student is placed in a course that is too easy for them the IB can consider this to be academic malpractice as it undermines the integrity of the IB exams. A fluent speaker is not "acquiring" a language and should not be placed in a language acquisition course. Unfortunately, due to the diversity of possible language experiences of incoming IB students, the IB can only offer guidance as outlined in the IB's Guidance for studies in language and literature and language acquisition courses. It is up to the individual school's language teachers, who are the experts, to work with the counseling department to determine if a student is in the right course.
In order to know which course to select, we have to first consider which course you are presently taking. At ICS, prior to IB, students take language classes from Level 1-4 and Advanced, which covers native speakers.
If you are presently in a Language 1 or 2 course an ab initio course is the most likely option.
If you are presently in a Language 3, 4 or Advanced course a Language B course is the most likely option.
If you are presently in the Advanced course Language B HL or SSST might be the most appropriate option.
As outlined, starting at 4 minutes and 30 seconds, in the Group 2 department's course information video the main difference between HL and SL is that at the HL level students begin reading, discussing and writing about literary works. Normally, students at the Language 4 or Advanced level will take Language B HL. Depending on the level of proficiency, it might not be possible to take the language at the SL level and a student will be requested to take the course at the HL or even SSST level.
For most students the decision is to continue with their current language acquisition path.
For other students this decision might mean to stop language acquisition and to bring in their first and best language as an SSST course.
For still other students they may wish to stop their current language acquisition path and start a new language when they start the IB program. Switching languages in grade 10 or 11 is a decision that is not to be taken lightly. For example, if a grade 10 student were to want to stop French 3 to switch to Spanish ab initio for grade 11 they would need to explain why as this decision undermines the IB's overall goal of promoting as high a language level as possible.
If you are already enrolled in a language course here at ICS Addis, we will not require you to take a test to prove your language placement for IB. The level of the course you are taking and your marks in the course are enough to determine your language placement for IB.
However, if you are transferring to ICS from another school we normally require taking a language placement test. This is because of a lack of uniformity between schools in what is learned at different levels. For example French 3 in one school might mean much lower or higher levels of language acquisition than French 3 at ICS.
Yes, as stated above you can take a third language as an elective instead of an arts subject. One example schedule would be Group 1 English Language and Literature HL/SL, French or Spanish B HL/SL and then the other French or Spanish at the ab initio SL. Another example schedule would be Group 1 English Language HL/SL and Literature, SSST Literature SL first and best language (recently we've had students do SSST French, Norwegian, Dutch, German, Oromo), and French or Spanish at either the B level (HL/SL) or ab initio.
We believe you can also take a third language and a Group 6 arts elective by taking ESS in order to fulfill both Group 3 and 4 requirements at the same time. As no student has ever tried this, we would verify with the IB first.
In certain circumstances we might place a student in a Language B course in grade 10, but that course will appear as Advanced on their transcript. As per IB regulations, the IB is only allowed for students in their final two years of high school.
While the IB regulations permit up to two SL exams to be taken at the end of IB Year 1/grade 11, at ICS we do not teach any SL courses on that schedule. It is not permitted to take an ab initio or HL course at the end of IB year 1.
For more information please consult the IB's Guidance for studies in language and literature and language acquisition courses (August 2020)