Language Development

What is Language Development?

Language development ensures that all students have access and are exposed to an additional language, which is a central tenet of an IB education and will increase their understanding of the wider world. Students are encouraged to begin or extend the study of a language other than their best language that suits their needs, background and context. It develops students in the areas of oral, visual and written linguistic and communicative abilities.

A minimum of 50 hours is expected to be devoted to language development. To support you with this you will be allocated a linguist mentor who will meet with you every 2 weeks (during the Personal & Professional Skills lesson) to monitor your progress and guide your development. Language development can take any one of the following 3 options:

IBDP Language Course

Students may choose to study one of the IB language courses currently offered at Atlantic Community High School. The only restriction to this that it must not be one of the two IBDP courses used to meet the CP requirements. This language course must be in addition to that but, on a positive note, does not require final assessment of ability, simply evidence of participation and progress.

Language Classes

Students may also choose to study any language they wish through a variety of venues, online, at the local college, through the use of a private tutor or at Atlantic Community High School in the honors classes. Again, the focus is not grade, but the journey. The goal is to participate and develop the skills of learning a new language.

Duolingo

This is a (free) online program that was recommended to us by the language teachers. Our one stipulation is that students must select a language that is not one they have already taken. The good thing about this program is that it monitors student performance and provides a print out of their progress

language_development.pdf

Language Portfolio.pdf

Students will be expected to create their own portfolio which will be monitored and assessed by the Language Development Coordinator. Students will have opportunities to add to their portfolio and work on it throughout the year and in their Personal and Professional Skills class. In addition, students will learn about the culture as well as the target language as this will allow them to understand and respect other languages and cultures from around the world.

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