Language Acquisition

As an International Baccalaureate school, The York School values second language learning, and seeks to give every child an opportunity to learn two languages in addition to English. Because of our Canadian heritage, all of our students will take French up until at least Grade 9. They may also take either Spanish or Mandarin. Students wishing to take a language beyond French will begin taking the language in either Grade 7 (Mandarin or Spanish), or Grade 10 (Spanish). Students who wish to continue in either Mandarin or Spanish must continue to choose Mandarin or Spanish as an option each year (during Grade 9, only French is offered).

At the Diploma level (Grades 11 and 12), students will generally opt to take one second language (in rare cases, the timetable may allow them to take a third language), either French, Spanish or Mandarin.

Students seeking to enter the Mandarin or Spanish stream at points other than indicated above must either demonstrate the requisite proficiency in the language or commit to receiving the requisite number of hours of instruction in the language over the summer in anticipation of entering the program. Parents should be in touch with the Division Principal before considering this option.

French

Please note that the school only offers Core French. Students who have come from an early or late entry immersion program may wish to consider online French immersion courses for grades 9 and 10 offered by online schools offering Ontario credits. One example is the Ontario Virtual School, which offers both Grade 9 and 10 French immersion credits. These courses tend to run asynchronously at the student’s pace and have to be completed in a 12 month period. Where a student intends to take a French Immersion course outside the school, they should indicate this on their course option form. A student taking a course outside the school would be responsible for all associated fees. A report card would be produced by the online provider and The York School would add the mark to the student’s transcript. Students should speak with their French teacher if they are considering taking the French Immersion courses outside the school.

Core French Grade 9, Academic (FSF1D)

This course provides opportunities for students to communicate and interact in French with increasing independence, with a focus on familiar topics related to their daily lives. Students will develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing by using language learning strategies introduced in the elementary Core French program, and will apply creative and critical thinking skills in various ways. They will also enhance their understanding and appreciation of diverse French-speaking communities, and will develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Prerequisite: Minimum of 600 hours of French instruction, or equivalent

Additional Note: This course emphasizes the further development of oral communication, reading, and writing skills. Students will build on and apply their knowledge of French while exploring a variety of themes such as their daily life and personal histories. Thematic readings, which include a selection of articles, dialogues, songs, etc. will serve as stepping stones to oral and written activities. A short French novel will also be studied. In addition, students have access to online resources that enrich the cultural aspects of the course. Worksheets and online resources are used to refine students’ grasp of French grammar. Assessments FOR and OF Learning are designed to support and improve student learning. There will be a written and spoken project in May and a listening and reading comprehension exam in June.

Core French Grade 10, Academic (FSF2D)

This course provides opportunities for students to communicate in French about personally relevant, familiar and academic topics in real-life situations with increasing independence. Students will exchange information, ideas, and opinions with others in guided and increasingly spontaneous spoken interactions. Students will develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through the selective use of strategies that contribute to effective communication. They will also increase their understanding and appreciation of diverse French-speaking communities, and will develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Prerequisite: Core French Grade 9, Academic or Applied

Additional Note: This course enables students to increase their knowledge of the French language, further develop their language skills, and deepen their understanding and appreciation of francophone culture around the world. Exploring a variety of themes, such as childhood, injustice, exclusion, and identity, students will develop and apply critical thinking skills in discussion, in their analysis and interpretation of texts, and in their own writing. Short stories from plays, films, and a variety of francophone songs will also be studied. This course provides continuous reinforcement of new and previously taught grammatical concepts.

As this marks the culminating year of the MYP program, four final pieces of work (amongst several other forms of evaluation) will be produced over the course of the year, namely: one writing assignment produced under supervision in class (min. 200 words), two reading comprehension exercises (between 600-700 words each), and one recording of an interactive oral activity (3-5 minutes).

There will also be an in-class written assignment and an oral exam in May and a listening and reading comprehension exam in June.

Grades 11 and 12

IB Diploma Program: B Higher or Standard Level Ministry Credits: FSF3U, FSF4U

Core French Grade 11, University Preparation (FSF3U)

This course offers students extended opportunities to speak and interact in real-life situations in French with greater independence. Students will develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, as well as their creative and critical thinking skills, through responding to and exploring a variety of oral and written texts. They will also broaden their understanding and appreciation of diverse French-speaking communities, and will develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Prerequisite: Core French Grade 10, Academic

Additional Note: This course offers students extended opportunities to speak and interact in real-life situations in French with greater independence. Students will develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, as well as their creative and critical thinking skills, through responding to and exploring a variety of oral and written texts. They will also broaden their understanding and appreciation of diverse French-speaking communities with films from around la Francophonie. They will also broaden their understanding and appreciation of diverse French-speaking communities, and will develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Core French Grade 12, University Preparation (FSF4U)

This course provides extensive opportunities for students to speak and interact in French independently. Students will develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, apply language learning strategies in a wide variety of real-life situations, and develop their creative and critical thinking skills through responding to and interacting with a variety of oral and written texts. They will also enrich their understanding and appreciation of diverse French-speaking communities, and will develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Prerequisite: Core French Grade 11, University Preparation

IB Description

IB Diploma Program Higher or Standard Level French B is a two-year university preparatory course. This is a comprehensive program in which a variety of literary genres and language activities are used to develop good communication skills in oral and written French. Included are poems, short stories, excerpts of novels and plays. Francophone guest speakers are invited periodically to class.

The Language B course is organized into five themes.

Identités (Identities)
Expériences (Experiences)
Ingéniosité humaine (Human ingenuity)
Organisation sociale (Social organization)
Partage de la planète (Sharing the planet)

Each theme has a list of topics that provide the students with opportunities to practise and explore the language as well as to develop intercultural understanding. Through the development of receptive and productive skills, students should be able to respond and interact appropriately in a defined range of everyday situations and be able to communicate about a given theme (image), making personal and cultural connections as well as spontaneous conversation with their teacher.

Texts may be informative (articles, reviews, brochures), journalistic (newspapers, magazines, documentaries), and visual and aural. Further literature study for Higher Level students may include full texts and/or excepts.

Examinations, including oral exams, are held in June of Grade 11, and February of Grade 12. Externally assessed IB examinations are held in May of Grade 12, and include reading and listening comprehension and writing tasks. Internal assessment is based on an oral interview with the teacher in Grade 12.

Mandarin

Mandarin Grade 10, Level 1, Academic (LKMBD)

This course provides opportunities for students to begin to develop and apply skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the language of study. Students will communicate and interact in structured activities, with a focus on matters of personal interest and familiar topics, and will read and write simple texts in the language. Throughout the course, students will acquire an understanding and appreciation of diverse communities in regions of the world where the language is spoken. They will also develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Prerequisite: None

Grades 11 and 12

IB Diploma Program: Ab Initio, B Higher and Standard Level Level Ministry Credits: LKMCU, LKMDU

Mandarin Grade 11, Level 2, Academic (LKMCU)

This course provides opportunities for students to increase their competence and confidence in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the language of study. Students will communicate and interact in structured activities, with a focus on matters of personal interest and familiar topics, and will read and write simple texts in the language. Throughout the course, students will acquire an understanding and appreciation of diverse communities in the regions of the world where the language is spoken. They will also develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Prerequisite: Mandarin Level 1, Academic

Mandarin Grade 12, Level 3, University Preparation (LKMDU)

This course provides opportunities for students to increase their competence and confidence in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the language of study. Students will communicate and interact in structured activities, with a focus on matters of personal interest and familiar topics, and will read and write simple texts in the language. Throughout the course, students will acquire an understanding and appreciation of diverse communities in regions of the world where the language is spoken. They will also develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Prerequisite: Mandarin Level 2, Academic

IB Description

The language ab initio courses are language learning courses for beginners, designed to be followed over three years by students who have little to no previous experience of learning the target language. The main focus of the courses is on the acquisition of language required for purposes and situations usual in everyday social interaction. Language ab initio courses are only available at standard level.

The language ab initio course is organized into five themes.

Identities
Experiences
Human ingenuity
Social organization
Sharing the planet

Each theme has a list of topics that provide the students with opportunities to practice and explore the language as well as to develop intercultural understanding. Through the development of receptive, productive and interactive skills, students should be able to respond and interact appropriately in a defined range of everyday situations.

Mandarin resources include ‘Chinese Made Easy’ by Yamin Ma & Xingying Li, Joint Publishing. As well, level-appropriate materials from the web, newspapers, magazines, journals, comic books, plays, poetry and music will be selected.

Examinations, including oral exams, are held in June of Grade 11, and February of Grade 12. Externally assessed IB examinations are held in February and May of Grade 12, and include reading and listening comprehension and writing tasks. Internal assessment is based on an oral interview with the teacher in both years.

Note: Students who enter The York School having received formal Mandarin training (in reading, writing and oral communication) may be assisted in preparing for either Mandarin Standard or Higher Level examinations.

Spanish

Spanish Grade 10, Level 1, Academic (LWSBD)

Prerequisite: None

Grades 11 and 12

IB Diploma Program: Ab Initio Level Ministry Credits: LWSCU, LWSDU

Spanish Grade 11, Level 2, University Preparation (LWSCU)

This course provides opportunities for students to increase their competence and confidence in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the language of study. Students will communicate about academic and personally relevant topics in increasingly spontaneous spoken interactions, and will develop their creative and critical thinking skills through exploring and responding to a variety of oral and written texts. Students will continue to enrich their understanding and appreciation of diverse communities in regions of the world where the language is spoken. They will also investigate personal and professional contexts in which knowledge of the language is required, and develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Prerequisite: International Languages, Level 1, Academic

Spanish Grade 12, Level 3, University Preparation (LWSDU)

This course provides extended opportunities for students to communicate and interact in the language of study in a variety of social and academic contexts. Students will refine and enhance their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, as well as their creative and critical thinking skills, as they explore and respond to a variety of oral and written texts, including complex authentic and adapted texts. They will also broaden their understanding and appreciation of diverse communities where the language is spoken, and develop skills necessary for lifelong language learning.

Prerequisite: International Languages, Level 2, University Preparation

IB Description

IB Diploma Program Spanish ab initio is a three-year university preparatory course. Students choosing to take Spanish ab initio will have very little formal training in Spanish beforehand. As a result, the expectations are not as high as for Language B.

The language ab initio course is organized into themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Each theme has a list of topics that provide the students with opportunities to practice and explore the language as well as to develop intercultural understanding. Through the development of receptive, productive and interactive skills, students should be able to respond and interact appropriately in a defined range of everyday situations.

Examinations, including oral exams, are held in June of Grade 11, and December of Grade 12. Externally assessed IB examinations are held in May of Grade 12, and include reading and listening comprehension and writing tasks. Internal assessment is based on an oral interview with the teacher in Grade 12.