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Language Policy

MISSION

IB mission statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

School mission statement

Druga gimnazija Sarajevo teaches and encourages students to learn, nurture their talents and apply them to various challenges of today. It introduces young people to a rich world of friendship, tolerance and intercultural understanding, while guiding them to think critically, be just and socially responsible.

INTRODUCTION

As language forms the basis of all learning, we at Druga gimnazija Sarajevo sincerely believe that language lessons are not just a process of mere acquisition of language – directed at promoting a complete development of a student, they represent the best possible field for both students and teachers to tackle the issues that are relevant to young people and significant to their development. At the same time, not only language lessons are the place where the language is learned.

The purpose of this Policy is to serve as a guideline connected to key resources that we use in our language programs. Our language policy is shaped by our core values, language ideologies and our commitment as an IB school. It is a statement of purpose and action, describing practices for achieving and evaluating our goals.

This policy leans on the language practice, management and philosophy, and it represents a statement of action, describing practices for achieving and evaluating goals, taking into consideration particular language factors of the local context.

BACKGROUND

Druga gimnazija Sarajevo welcomes scholars of all language backgrounds – we aim to make it possible for all students, whether they attend national or IB programmes, to study their mother tongue as well as to acquire a number of foreign languages.

Languages Taught in the National Programme

The language of instruction in the national programme is Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, which are the country’s official languages. In addition to the mother tongue, all students study at least two foreign languages, English as the obligatory and main foreign language and French, German ot Turkish as their second choice. Besides modern languages, all the students take the Latin language for two years. In addition, in the last two years of their secondary education, the students who take languages as their major field of study also take Italian as their third foreign language.

Languages Taught in the IB Middle Years Programme

The language of instruction in the IB Middle Years Programme is English, with the exception of Bosnian language and literature which is taught in Bosnian, and Bosnian, German and French language acquisition, which are taught in those respective languages. All Bosnian-Herzegovinian students study Bosnian and English in the Language and literature subject group, and either German or French in the Language acquisition subject group. Unfortunately, the school is not able to offer all foreign students the opportunity to study their mother tongues, since teachers for some languages are unavailable, and the IB Middle Years Programme does not provide for a possibility of a self-taught language, therefore the international students study English in the Language and literature subject group, while they study either German or French in the Language acquisition subject group, as well as Bosnian as the language of the host country.

The aims of MYP language and literature are to encourage and enable students to:

use language as a vehicle for thought, creativity, reflection, learning, self-expression, analysis and social interaction
develop the skills involved in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and presenting in a variety of contexts
develop critical, creative and personal approaches to studying and analysing literary and non-literary texts
engage with text from different historical periods and a variety of cultures
explore and analyse aspects of personal, host and other cultures through literary and non-literary texts
explore language through a variety of media and modes• develop a lifelong interest in reading
apply linguistic and literary concepts and skills in a variety of authentic contexts.

Language and literature subject group - Mother tongue

The IB Middle Years Programme students are taught to appreciate and learn about both their own and other cultures. Mother tongue is a very important part of every student’s national and cultural heritage and that is why students are encouraged to study their mother tongue in any way accessible. For the students whose study of their mother tongues the school cannot support through formal teaching and learning process, it aims to raise the awareness of students and their parents about the importance of mother tongue learning, encouraging them to pursue any opportunities they may have to study their mother tongue: at their embassy’s cultural centres, through distance learning, online etc.

Language and literature subject group - Additional language course (English support)

Languages taught in Language and literature subject group refer to the first language of the student, but when it comes to English in most cases it is an acquired second language in which the student is proficient and cognitive. This not being the student’s first language sometimes can cause the problems and make it difficult for the student to follow the classes. DGS aims to support those students and allows them to take English additional, support classes during the scheduled class time.

Language and Acquisition subject group

Languages taught in Language and acquisition subject group refer to the second or learned language of the student. Since the IB MYP years 4 and 5 are implement in DGS, students that enroll are mostly familiar with the basis of the languages offered (German and French). In year 4, students usually start from phase 2 and in year 5 they move to phase 3, while the students who possess better knowledge of the language in year 4 start from phrase 3 and move to phase 4 in the year 5. Bosnian language is taught in all phases.

Phase descriptions:

Phase 1: Students understand and respond to simple phrases, statements and questions. They identify basic messages; facts, opinions, feelings and ideas presented in oral, visual and written language, and demonstrate their comprehension in simple oral and written phrases. They convey basic information in a limited range of everyday situations, using oral and written language appropriate to a very limited range of interpersonal and cultural contexts. They begin to be aware that language use is connected to a purpose and an audience.

Phase 2: Students understand and respond to simple spoken and written texts. They identify messages, facts, opinions, feelings and ideas presented in oral, visual and written language, and demonstrate their comprehension in short oral and written form. They interact to share information in a limited range of familiar situations, using basic language appropriate to a limited range of interpersonal and cultural contexts. They are aware that language varies according to purpose and audience.

Phase 3: Students understand and respond to a limited variety of spoken and written texts. They understand specific information, main ideas and some detail presented in oral, visual and written language, and demonstrate their comprehension in a limited range of oral and written forms. They engage in conversation and write structured text to express their ideas, opinions and experiences in a range of familiar and some unfamiliar situations, in a limited range of interpersonal and cultural contexts. They understand that they can speak and write in different ways for different purposes and audiences.

Phase 4: Students understand and respond to a variety of spoken and written texts. They interpret specific information, main ideas and some detail presented in complex oral, visual and written language, draw conclusions and recognize implied opinions and attitudes in texts read and viewed. They engage in conversation and write structured text to share informative and organized ideas on topics of personal interest and global significance, in a range of interpersonal and cultural contexts. They can communicate substantial information containing relevant and developed ideas and justified opinions on events, experiences and some concepts explored in class. They identify aspects of format and style, and speak and write with a clear sense of audience and purpose.

Phase 5: Students analyze specific information, ideas, opinions and attitudes presented in oral, visual and written language. They draw conclusions, infer information and recognize implied opinions and attitudes. They respond and react to questions and ideas in a range of spoken, visual and written texts. They engage actively in conversations in social and some academic situations to contribute substantial information containing relevant and focused ideas supported by examples and illustrations. They organize information and ideas into a clear and effective structure to express their understanding and opinions on topics of personal interest and global significance. They interpret aspects of format and style, and are able to adapt register and style of language to suit the context.

Phase 6: Students evaluate the important information, details and ideas presented in spoken, written and visual language in social and academic contexts. They analyze the information, draw conclusions and make inferences about ideas, opinions and attitudes implied in a wide range of spoken, visual and written texts. They engage actively in conversations in social and academic situations to contribute substantial information and give detailed analysis and explanation. They organize information and ideas logically and effectively to communicate their understanding, opinions and perspectives to a wide range of audiences, and for a variety of social and academic purposes.

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 heritage
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 language learning, within an enjoyable setting.

Languages taught in the IB Diploma Programme

The language of instruction in the IB Diploma Programme is English, while the main mother tongue for Bosnian-Herzegovinian students is Bosnian A Literature HL. All Bosnian-Herzegovinian students are required to take Bosnian A Literature HL. It represents an important part of our identity and we find it highly important that Bosnian is recognized as a full language by the IBO. It is our aim to nurture the tradition of our language and we want our students to be highly proficient in their mother tongue. The school also offers English A Literature to international students who are proficient in English, while the other international students are given the opportunity to take their mother tongue as a self-taught language. Also, all students, except the ones taking English A, are required to take English B HL since English is the language of instruction in the programme and the students need to be proficient in it in order to score as high results as possible in the final exams. In addition to English B, the school also offers German and French B, which students can take as their sixth subject instead of a Group 6 subject.

At any moment our school has scholars that speak well over a dozen different mother tongue languages. Although it is impossible to organize taught Language A courses, the scholars are encouraged to use their mother tongue accessing the curriculum, in extra-curricular activities, in communication within the community and with their parents, as well as to take school-supported self-taught courses at the IB DP.

When the School receives a request for a mother tongue course, the scholars will be appointed an ST Supervisor who will inform them on the need to identify a tutor, who will be provided suitable course materials. Consultation meetings with the ST Supervisor take place within regular school hours. The scholars/parents commit to identifying the tutor and paying them for the services – this is a private arrangement between the tutor and the families, for which the school receives no responsibility.

This all should enable students to keep the tradition of their mother tongues as well as to acquire at least two world languages on their way to a successful life and career.

Language acquisition aims:

The following aims are common to both language B and language ab initio.

Develop international-mindedness through the study of languages, cultures, and ideas and issues of global significance.
Enable students to communicate in the language they have studied in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes.
Encourage, through the study of texts and through social interaction, an awareness and appreciation of a variety of perspectives of people from diverse cultures.
Develop students’ understanding of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which they are familiar.
Develop students’ awareness of the importance of language in relation to other areas of knowledge.
Provide students, through language learning and the process of inquiry, with opportunities for intellectual engagement and the development of critical- and creative-thinking skills.
Provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional language.
Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of language learning.

Studies in language and literature aims

The aims of all subjects in studies in language and literature are to enable students to:

engage with a range of texts, in a variety of media and forms, from different periods, styles, and cultures
develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, presenting and performing
develop skills in interpretation, analysis and evaluation
develop sensitivity to the formal and aesthetic qualities of texts and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings
develop an understanding of relationships between texts and a variety of perspectives, cultural contexts, and local and global issues, and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings
develop an understanding of the relationships between studies in language and literature and other disciplines
communicate and collaborate in a confident and creative way
foster a lifelong interest in and enjoyment of language and literature.

Extra-curricular and optional

Within the CAS activities, there is an opportunity for students to attend and teach different language courses which are not a part of the official curriculum. This gives the students an opportunity to learn different languages, some of which are usually not available in our school, such as Chinese, Albanian, Turkish, Italian, Ancient Greek and other languages
In addition, there is an option offered to IB students to attend extracurricular German course which leads towards an internationally recognized DSD language certificate.

Our beliefs and goals

We at DGS strongly believe that:

All children are language learners, but learning is shaped by each learner’s background and experiences.
Language is fundamental to learning and it represents a cornerstone of the entire curriculum.
All teachers are language teachers.
Language learning is best in a meaningful context.
A proficient level of literacy in the mother tongue language facilitates the transfer of skills to other languages.
Language is a key to cognitive development.
Parents, as the teachers of mother tongue, are an inseparable part of the language learning community
Language is a part of each person’s individual, national and cultural identity.
Acquisition of languages fosters international mindedness.

Therefore we strive to:

Provide an appropriate ambiance for each learner to express their own individuality in a supportive environment.
Value each scholar’s language and literacy background as a foundation for further development and acquisition.
Ensure all teachers teaching in a language other than their mother tongue, especially English, the language of instruction, possess adequate proficiency to help scholars achieve their goals.
Ensure all staff members understand the needs of students learning in a language other than their mother tongue.
Provide both scholars and teachers the opportunity to learn language, learn through language and learn about and appreciate language.
Support development of the mother tongue directly and indirectly.
Foster in scholars the ability to think and express themselves with precision, clarity, confidence and imagination in more than one language.
Prioritize and explore relationship between language and culture not only in the language curricula, but in other subjects.
Make sure parents are involved as organizers and teachers of the mother tongue in supporting the school’s language community.
Ensure that all scholars understand that language is not only a means of communication, but also vehicle of learning about other cultures and identities.
Ensure that all scholars understand that language is a means of learning, thought, creativity, reflection and self-expression.

Policies and protocols

Policy on Bibliographic Style

The school has adopted the MLA citation style as its official. It has been established by the Modern Language Association for acknowledging sources used in any kind of research. MLA citation style identifies and credits the sources used in any work based on research and allows others to access and retrieve the material. Students are introduced to this style and its rules by the Approaches to Learning Leader.

Spelling protocol

The school requires from students to use standard spelling formats for every language.

In cases where there are more than one standard formats in place (e.g. British and American English), the students are allowed to use whichever spelling format they choose as long as they use it consistently.

Also, where there is more than one alphabet in place for a language (e.g. Latin or Cyrillic), the students can use whichever they choose as long as they use just one alphabet in a single text.

Roles and Responsibilities for Policy Implementation, Monitoring and Revision

The primary role of school administrators (head of school and programme coordinators) is to provide overall leadership for the school and therefore, among others, it is their responsibility to ensure the successful implementation of the school’s language policy. In promoting, monitoring and revising the Language Policy they have the support of language heads of departments in the national programme, language teachers representing all languages taught in the IB programmes and the school librarian. As a language policy steering committee they have the responsibility of discussing issues such as curriculum, instructional techniques and methods, staff development needs and opportunities, materials used, assessment policy application and student progress. Depending on the conditions, especially new needs that may arise, they have the responsibility of introducing appropriate amendments to the school’s Language Policy.

Compliance with relevant IB Standards

IB Standard A, Practice 7 – The school places importance on language learning, including mother tongue, host country language and other languages.

The difference between language and literature and language acquisition courses in the the National Program and the IB MYP and IB DP taught at the DGS is that the former leans on content-based curricula while the later are outcome-based, with the IB criteria at the core. What all three components have in common is that all promote inquiry-based authentic learning through an investigative approach to different sources.

The scholars are encouraged to learn as many languages as they wish, with at least three language acquisition courses in the national program, at least two in the IB MYP and at least one in the IB DP.

While the language of instruction in the IB MYP and IB DP is English, the students are encouraged to further develop their mother tongue through the Language A courses.

IB Standard C3, Practice 7 – Teaching and learning addresses the diversity of student language needs, including those for students learning a language(s) other than their mother tongue.

At any moment our school has scholars that speak well over a dozen different mother tongue languages. Although it is impossible to organize taught Language A courses, the scholar are encouraged to use their mother tongue accessing the curriculum, in extra-curricular activities, in communication within the community and with their parents, as well as to take school-supported self-taught courses at the IB DP.

Differentiation in language lessons is based on best practice according to the standards and practices of the IB. Teaching strategies may include working in small groups, using different resources with different levels of language complexity, as well as changing the level of questioning and tasks for individual students. The School also follows the IB recommendations on student placement.

IB Standard C3, Practice 8 – Teaching and learning demonstrates that all teachers are responsible for language development of students.

DGS focuses on the transdisciplinary nature of language learning by recognizing and modelling the role of language in each subject as well as in the language of instruction, host country language and in other languages, and by developing an understanding of the IB objectives and pedagogical language of the programs.

Throughout the School there is an expectation that in order to foster an enjoyment and love of reading, students will be encouraged to read at home – from packaging and emails to quality literature – and will read a wide range of genres in school to understand their features.

The writing process of drafting, revising and finalising will be modelled and explored in all languages. The use of literature, games, role-play and multimedia will support students’ understanding of different genres as well as developing their vocabulary, sentence construction, use of tense and punctuation.

IB Standard C4, Practice 1 – Assessment at the school aligns with the requirements of the programme(s).

Assessment is integral to teaching and learning at DGS. Using a range of tools and strategies, teachers are able to determine students’ knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes towards language.

Language assessment in the national programme is completely conducted in line with the requirements set by the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton.

In the IB Middle Years Programme, assessment in both Language and literature and Language Acquisition subject groups is criterion-referenced and is carried out in accordance with the school’s assessment policy. Guidelines defined in the assessment policy follow the requirements and guidelines provided by the IBO.

The language assessment in the IB Diploma Program is also criterion-referenced and follows the school assessment policy and the guidelines provided by the IBO.

At the School, teachers use pre-assessment to determine what students already know, can do and understand. Formative assessment is used to check in and to give constructive feedback or praise on learning. Summative assessments are used to gather evidence about student’s learning at the end of a unit. Various forms of both formative and summative assessment may be used. Along with teacher assessment, students are often asked to peer or self-assess as well.

Assessments are reported to parents in different ways. Students and parents receive written report cards about their learning. Parents are also invited to attend parent-teacher conferences.

IB Standard C1, Practice 8 – Collaborative planning and reflection recognizes that all teachers are responsible for language development of students.

Since students learn about language and through language, we understand that all teachers are responsible for the language development of students in the School. As a result, collaborative planning and reflection is built into the regular schedule of staff as well as it being the focus of staff meetings through the year. In this way, we are able to develop links between different subject areas and departments across the School.

IB Standard B2, Practice 11 – The school utilizes the resources and expertise of the community to enhance learning within the programmes.

All language teachers are responsible for sourcing and purchasing a range of quality texts so that students can explore different genres such as recounts, stories, explanations or persuasive writing in different languages and at different levels. Students also have access to a variety of dictionaries to assist them including mother tongue dictionaries.