Modern Languages

Cecile Leonard Head of Dept

Our Philosophy:
“The inclusion of Modern Languages in the core academic curriculum is important for educational, social and cultural reasons. The purposes for learning a Modern Language are communication and the development of an open-minded, balanced and well-educated person. At IST, with our multi-racial and mobile student population, Modern Language study, including exposure to the host country language, is essential.”

IB Middle Years Programme:

In grades 6 to 10 we follow the IBMYP, using a curriculum designed by the teachers with published MYP language B principles. Students have five lessons per week of Kiswahili, French or Spanish. The teaching and learning of language B, a modern language in addition to one’ s own, is a compulsory aspect of the MYP in every year of the program.

IB Diploma

In grades 11 and 12, we follow the IB programme, offering Kiswahili and Spanish ab- initio, French, Spanish and Kiswahili language B at a Standard and a Higher Level (subject to student demand), as well as Kiswahili A1 (subject to student demand).

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

The language B, higher and standard level, is normally defined as a modern language learned at school. This option exists for those students who have three to five years of previous studies in the target language. The main focus of the course is language acquisition and the development of skills considerably beyond those of an ab initio candidate, up to a fairly sophisticated degree at higher level. Language B courses give students the opportunity to explore the culture using the language.

The Kiswahili A1 programme is primarily a pre-university course in literature. It is aimed at students who intend to pursue literature or related studies, at university, as well as students whose formal study of literature will not continue beyond this level. The former would normally follow the Higher Level (HL) and the latter the Standard Level (SL).

The Modern Languages Faculty uses IST’s internationalism and the host country by organizing and celebrating alternatively “Modern Language Awareness Day” and “Africa Day”; running language trips and taking opportunities as they arise within the community.

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"The acquisition of language is doubtless the greatest intellectual feat any one of us is ever required to perform."

L. Bloomfield, Language, 1933