MYP Language Acquisition Handbook

AIMS 

The aims of all MYP subjects state what a teacher may expect to teach and what a student may expect to experience and learn. These aims suggest how the student’s multi-literacy skills, conceptual and inter-cultural understandings may be developed through the learning experience. The main goal of teaching a language is to help the student to become a critical and competent communicator.

The aims of the teaching and learning of MYP language acquisition are to:

• gain proficiency in an additional language while supporting maintenance of their mother tongue and cultural heritage

• develop a respect for, and understanding of, diverse linguistic and cultural heritages

• develop the student’s communication skills necessary for further language learning, and for study, work and leisure in a range of authentic contexts and for a variety of audiences and purposes

• enable the student to develop multiliteracy skills through the use of a range of learning tools, such as multimedia, in the various modes of communication

• enable the student to develop an appreciation of a variety of literary and non-literary texts and to develop critical and creative techniques for comprehension and construction of meaning

• enable the student to recognize and use language as a vehicle of thought, reflection, self-expression and learning in other subjects, and as a tool for enhancing literacy

• enable the student to understand the nature of language and the process of language learning, which comprises the integration of linguistic, cultural and social components

• offer insight into the cultural characteristics of the communities where the language is spoken

• encourage an awareness and understanding of the perspectives of people from their own and other cultures, leading to involvement and action in their own and other communities

• foster curiosity, inquiry and a lifelong interest in, and enjoyment of, language learning.

The language acquisition subject-group objectives represent some of the essential processes of language and have been organized under four communicative processes. They are as follows.

A Listening

B Reading

C Speaking

D Writing

 A: LISTENING

Comprehending spoken language presented in multimodal text encompasses aspects of listening and viewing. The process involves the student in interpreting and constructing meaning from spoken and multimodal text to understand how images and other spatial aspects presented with oral text interplay to convey ideas, values and attitudes. Engaging with text requires the student to think creatively and critically about what is viewed, and to be aware of opinions, attitudes and cultural references presented in the visual text. The student might, for example, reflect on feelings and actions, imagine himself or herself in another’s situation, or gain new perspectives and develop empathy, based on what he or she has understood in the text.

In order to reach the aims of language acquisition, as appropriate to the proficiency level, students should be able to:

• demonstrate understanding of explicit and implicit spoken information in multimodal texts

◦ What is the content of the text? What details in the spoken language relate to the big ideas and explicit features of the multimodal text? (Message: literal (explicit) and implicit)

• demonstrate understanding of conventions

◦ What language conventions can be heard? For example, form of address, greetings.

◦ What behavioural conventions can be seen? For example, dress code, gestures—shaking hands, bowing.

• demonstrate understanding of relationships between the various components of the multimodal text

◦ What are the relationships between the various components of the multimodal text? Do they share the same context?

◦ Does the text link to the student’s personal world?

 B: READING

Comprehending written language presented with multimodal text encompasses aspects of reading and viewing. It involves the student in constructing meaning and interpreting written, spatial and visual aspects of texts to understand how images presented with written text interplay to convey ideas, values and attitudes. Engaging with text requires the student to think creatively and critically about what is read and viewed, and to be aware of opinions, attitudes and cultural references presented in the written text. The student might, for example, reflect on feelings and actions, imagine himself or herself in another’s situation, gain new perspectives and develop empathy, based on what he or she has understood in the text.

In order to reach the aims of language acquisition, as appropriate to the proficiency level, students should be able to:

• demonstrate understanding of explicit and implicit written information in multimodal texts

◦ What is the text type?

◦ What is the content?

◦ What details in the written language relate to the big ideas and explicit features of the multimodal text? (Message: literal/explicit, implicit)

demonstrate understanding of conventions

◦ What are the language conventions used in the multimodal text? For example, formal and informal language, punctuation, word choice.

◦ What is the communicative purpose of the text?

◦ Who is the intended audience?

◦ What text conventions are used in the multimodal text? For example, use of colour, structure, format—layout and physical organization of the text.

• demonstrate understanding of relationships between the various components of the multimodal text

◦ Do they share the same context?

◦ Does the text link to the student’s personal world?

C: SPEAKING

In the language acquisition classroom, students will have opportunities to develop their communication skills by interacting on a range of topics of personal, local and global interest and significance, with the support of spoken, written and visual texts in the target language (multimodal texts). When speaking in the target language, students apply their understanding of linguistic and literary concepts to develop a variety of structures, strategies and techniques with increasing skill and effectiveness. This is the use of the language system, including their use of grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. In order to reach the aims of language acquisition, as appropriate to the proficiency level, students should be able to:

• use spoken language to communicate and interact with others

◦ What is the role of the student/speaker?

◦ What is the context?

◦ Who is the audience?

◦ What is the purpose of the interaction?

◦ What is the message?

• demonstrate accuracy and fluency in speaking

◦ How accurately is the language used?

◦ To what extent is the language conversation intelligible?

• communicate clearly and effectively

◦ How well does the student communicate information?

◦ How accurately and fluently are the relevant information and ideas communicated?

D: WRITING

This objective relates to the correct and appropriate use of the written target language. It involves recognizing and using language suitable to the audience and purpose, for example, the language used at home, the language of the classroom, formal and informal exchanges, and social and academic language. When writing in the target language, students apply their understanding of language, form, mode, medium and literary concepts to express ideas, values and opinions in creative and meaningful ways. They develop a variety of structures using strategies (spelling, grammar, plot, character, punctuation, voice, format, audience) and techniques with increasing skill and effectiveness. In order to reach the aims of language acquisition, as appropriate to the proficiency level, students should be able to:

• use written language to communicate with others

◦ What is the role of the student/writer?

◦ Who is the audience?

◦ What is the purpose of the written text?

◦ What is the message?

• demonstrate accurate use of language conventions

◦ How accurately is the language used?

◦ To what extent is the language comprehensible?

• organize information in writing

◦ Does the student use an appropriate format?

◦ To what extent are the cohesive devices used in the organization of the text?

• communicate information with a sense of audience and purpose.

◦ How are the relevant information and ideas communicated?

◦ How well does the student communicate such that the text makes sense to the reader?

In addition to the learning experiences suggested in the continuums, formative and summative tasks should provide students and teachers with feedback on development of the specific skills objectives and concepts in language acquisition. The table gives suggested task types and guidelines for designing assessment tasks to assess progress and achievement of the four objectives in language acquisition. 

Key concepts promote the development of a broad curriculum. They represent big ideas that are both relevant within and across disciplines and subjects.

The key concepts to be explored across the MYP. The key concepts contributed by the study of Language acquisition are communication, connections, creativity and culture.

• Communication 

• Connection

• Creativity

• Culture

Communication

Communication is the exchange or transfer of signals, facts, ideas and symbols. It requires a sender, a message and an intended receiver. Effective communication requires a common “language” (which may be written, spoken or non-verbal).

Connections

Connections are links, bonds and relationships among people, objects, organisms or ideas.This concept is central to the study of language and allows for the exploration of language, applying knowledge of, and about, the language, and relationships between text, creator and audience.

Creativity

Creativity is the process of generating novel ideas and considering existing ideas from new perspectives. Creativity is nurtured through the process of learning language as this process involves us in divergent thinking, applying ideas, taking risks and expressing ourselves in order to relate to, and interact with, the world.

Culture

Culture encompasses a range of learned and shared beliefs, values, interests, attitudes, products, ways of knowing and patterns of behaviour created by human communities.

Other key concepts can also be important in language acquisition, including identity, perspective, form, time, place and space.

Related concepts promote deep learning. They are grounded in specific disciplines and are useful for exploring key concepts in greater detail.

The following table lists related concepts for the study of language acquisition. Teachers are not limited to the related concepts listed in this chart and may choose others when planning units, including from other subject groups.

Global contexts for teaching and learning Global contexts direct learning towards independent and shared inquiry into our common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet. Using the world as the broadest context for learning, MYP language acquisition can develop meaningful explorations of:

• identities and relationships

• orientation in space and time

• personal and cultural expression

• scientific and technical innovation

• globalization and sustainability

• fairness and development.

Teachers must identify one of these global contexts for teaching and learning, or develop additional contexts that help students explore the relevance of their inquiry (why it matters).

Global contexts for teaching and learning

Identities and relationships

Who we are: an inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families,

friends, communities and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.

Orientation in space and time

Where we are in place and time: an inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between, and the interconnectedness of, individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.

Personal and cultural expression

How we express ourselves: an inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.

Scientific and technical innovation

How the world works: an inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.

Globalization and sustainability

How we organize ourselves: an inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.

Fairness and development

Sharing the planet: an inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share

finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

All MYP units of work offer opportunities for students to develop and practise approaches to learning (ATL) skills. These skills provide valuable support for students working to meet the subject-group aims and objectives. The table suggests some of the indicators that can be important in language acquisition. 

Assessment for language acquisition in all years of the  programme is criterion-related, based on four equally weighted assessment criteria: 

Subject groups must assess all strands of all four assessment criteria at least twice in each year of the MYP.

In the MYP, subject-group objectives correspond to assessment criteria. Each criterion has eight possible achievement levels (1–8), divided into four bands that generally represent limited (1–2); adequate (3–4); substantial (5–6); and excellent (7–8) performance. Each band has its own unique descriptor that teachers use to make “best-fit” judgments about students’ progress and achievement.