Int. Baccalaureate (Group 2) Language B: French, German & Spanish Standard Level and Higher Level

Int. Baccalaureate (Group 2) Language B: French, German & Spanish Standard Level and Higher Level
The course will equip you with the necessary language skills to communicate spontaneously and effectively in a range of situations and contexts which require an understanding of the subtleties of the language and an awareness of another culture.

What does the course consist of?
The four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will provide the opportunity for students to develop their linguistic competence and, at a Higher Level, their ability to infer and analyse fairly complex ideas.
Interactive activities in the target language will be the main thrust of the classroom approach such as, for example, role-plays and debates, to simulate real situations and provide a positive encouragement to language learners, but at the same time the need for accuracy and clarity of expression will be addressed via a rigorous study of grammar and structures in context whenever possible.
Whether at Standard or Higher Level, most activities will be linked to contemporary themes, and will provide an awareness of social and cultural issues in French, German or Spanish speaking countries, as well as global issues.
Students will also be encouraged to develop a degree of autonomy in language learning through tasks which will involve conducting their own research, either from written and audio-visual sources (satellite TV, websites, etc.) or through contact with native speakers. At Higher Level students will be encouraged to study literary texts relevant to our contemporary world. By year 2 students should have developed their knowledge of lexis and structures sufficiently to be able to use the language of debate and analysis.

What else do I need to know?
The subject is assessed via both an external paper (written component: 70%) and an internal oral component (30%). The written paper tests the ability to read and handle information from a range of texts and to produce a written response with specific communicative purposes.