Mother Tongue Programmes
The IBO recommends that, from at least the age of 7, all students in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) have the opportunity to learn more than one language.
UISG strongly promotes international mindedness on the part of everyone.
Whilst the school’s medium of instruction is English, we recognise the importance of bilingualism and strengthening our students’ home languages. The school encourages access to different cultures, perspectives and languages.
Research shows that children who have a strong foundation in their home language can be more successful at school than monolinguals and enjoy a greater feeling of self-worth and identity. It enriches personal growth and helps facilitate international understanding for both the student and his/her peers. By continuing to have opportunities to engage in a mother tongue, learners are able to build on the language skills they have already established and it facilitates the learning of additional languages.
The ability of our students to speak languages is highlighted year on year by the number of students completing a bilingual IB Diploma. The mother-tongue programme promotes students’ native language and culture.
Japanese language
The Japanese Mother Tongue programme at UISG is designed to facilitate a return to or entry into the Japanese National curriculum. The Japanese Mother Tongue programme strengthens our students’ cultural background and makes them aware of their own identity in an international environment.
The Japanese Mother Tongue curriculum is based on the PYP Language Scope and Sequence and AERO standards. The teaching of Japanese includes using oral and written language to make sense of the world and to communicate, problem solve and participate in decision making. The foundation for these literacy skills is language and an understanding of how language works.
The Japanese language foundations curriculum references the Japanese National Primary/Elementary Curriculum.
日本語母語クラスにおける基礎技能習得カリキュラムは、小学校学習指導要領を参考に しています。
Japanese Mother Tongue classes includes:
• A specialist Japanese teacher.
• A programme with diverse communicative activities (e.g. role-plays, games, songs, creative work) which provides students with the opportunity to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
Students eligible to join the Japanese Language Programme :
● come directly from Japan.
● have attended a national school
● use Japanese outside school with their family.
The school reserves the right to place students accordingly.
Korean language
The Korean Mother Tongue programme at UISG is designed to facilitate a return to or entry into the Korean National curriculum. The Korean Mother Tongue programme strengthens our students’ cultural background and makes them aware of their own identity in an international environment.
The Korean Mother Tongue curriculum is based on the PYP Language Scope and Sequence and AERO standards. The teaching of Korean includes using oral and written language to make sense of the world and to communicate, problem solve and participate in decision making. The foundation for these literacy skills is language and an understanding of how language works.
The Korean language foundations curriculum references the 2015 revised curriculum (Elementary Korean Language Curriculum).
한국어 기본언어 교육은 2015 개정 교육과정(초등 국어 단원지도계획)을 참고하고 있습니다.
Korean Mother Tongue classes includes:
- A specialist Korean teacher.
- Aprogrammewith diverse communicative activities (e.g. role-plays, games, songs, creative work) which provides students with the opportunity to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
Students eligible to join the Korean Language Programme :
- come directly from Korea.
- have attended a national school
- use Korean outside school with their family.
The school reserves the right to place students accordingly.
French Mother Tongue
The French Mother Tongue programme at UISG is designed to facilitate a return to or entry into the French National curriculum. The French Mother Tongue programme strengthens our students’ cultural background and makes them aware of their own identity in an international environment.
The French Mother Tongue curriculum is based on the PYP Language Scope and Sequence and AERO standards. The teaching of German includes using oral and written language to make sense of the world and to communicate, problem solve and participate in decision making. The foundation for these literacy skills is language and an understanding of how language works.
The French language foundations curriculum references the French National Curriculum.
Le programme des fondements de la langue française fait référence au programme national français.
French Mother Tongue classes includes:
- A specialist French teacher.
- A programme with diverse communicative activities (e.g. role-plays, games, songs, creative work) which provides students with the opportunity to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
Students eligible to join the French Language Programme :
- come directly from a French speaking country.
- have attended a French speaking school
- use French outside school with their family.
The school reserves the right to place students accordingly.
German Mother Tongue
The German Mother Tongue programme at UISG is designed to facilitate a return to or entry into the German National curriculum. The German Mother Tongue programme strengthens our students’ cultural background and makes them aware of their own identity in an international environment.
The German Mother Tongue curriculum is based on the PYP Language Scope and Sequence and AERO standards. The teaching of German includes using oral and written language to make sense of the world and to communicate, problem solve and participate in decision making. The foundation for these literacy skills is language and an understanding of how language works.
The German language foundations curriculum references the Curriculum for Primary School, state of Thuringia. Das Curriculum für Sprachgrundlagen orientiert sich am Lehrplan für die Grundschule des Landes Thüringen.
German Mother Tongue classes includes:
- A specialist German teacher.
- Aprogrammewith diverse communicative activities (e.g. role-plays, games, songs, creative work) which provides students with the opportunity to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
Students eligible to join the German Language Programme :
- come directly from a German speaking community .
- have attended a German speaking school
- use German outside school with their family.
The school reserves the right to place students accordingly.
Chinese Mother Tongue
The Chinese Mother Tongue programme at UISG is designed to facilitate a return to or entry into the Chinese National curriculum. The Chinese Mother Tongue programme strengthens our students’ cultural background and makes them aware of their own identity in an international environment.
The Chinese Mother Tongue curriculum is based on the PYP Language Scope and Sequence and AERO standards. The teaching of Chinese includes using oral and written language to make sense of the world and to communicate, problem solve and participate in decision making. The foundation for these literacy skills is language and an understanding of how language works.
The Chinese language foundations curriculum references the Chinese curriculum standard of compulsory education.
中文教学会参考《义务教育语文课程标准》的部分内容。
Chinese Mother Tongue classes includes:
- A specialist Chinese teacher.
- Aprogrammewith diverse communicative activities (e.g. role-plays, games, songs, creative work) which provides students with the opportunity to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
Students eligible to join the Chinese Language Programme :
- come directly from a Chinese speaking community.
- have attended a Chinese speaking school
- use Chinese outside school with their family.
The school reserves the right to place students accordingly.
Chinese As An Additional Language
The foci of the Chinese As An Additional Language Programme are listening, speaking and reading skills. Writing is developed according to proficiency level.
The Chinese As An Additional Language programme includes:
- A specialist Chinese Language teacher
- Aprogrammewith diverse communicative learning engagement that give the students opportunities to develop all language skills
- A cultural studies component which allows students opportunities to explore different aspects of Chinese culture (food, clothing, lifestyle, geography, traditional celebrations, arts)
Chinese For All
Chinese For All (CFA) is a program for UISG Primary students who do not attend the Chinese Mother Tongue programme. Participating students are grouped into 2 levels, beginner language learners and intermediate language learners. The program includes both Chinese language skills and cultural studies. Participation in the programme is dependent on students English language level.
Spanish Mother Tongue
The Spanish Mother Tongue at UISG is a tailored program aimed at speakers of Spanish in the Secondary School. Students in the program come from Spanish speaking countries and aim at maintaining and improving their native language outside of their home country.
Spanish Mother Tongue classes include:
- Language Acquisition specialist teachers whose mother tongue is Spanish.
- A program with diverse communicative activities orientated to improving their linguistic skills in literary and non-literary texts.
Students eligible to join the Spanish Language Program:
- Are native speakers of any of the 21 speaking countries
- Or, have Spanish at a nearly native-like level
The school reserves the right to place students accordingly.
