Year 2009 / 10 – ENGLISH First Language – MS 4&5 – Subject expectations

 

In preparation for their IGCSE exams learning partners will work on various projects this year. Much of their work will be based on units 9 to 16 of the IGCSE First Language course book, covering topics on People: society, lifestyles, relationships and Ideas: art, science, and  technology.

In addition, as LPs choose to read a piece of modern literature, we will study the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell.  This will be a major project which will involve all four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) into the curriculum.

a)      Learning partners will develop English Reading Skills. They will:

 

-          use reading techniques (skimming and scanning) effectively

-          read for gist and detail

-           improve their methods of working with texts, e.g.  guessing the meaning of unknown words by looking at their form and context, identifying topic sentences, summarizing, paraphrasing, re-expressing

-          understand how writers achieve their effects by looking at some linguistic devices and different registers

-          evaluate information; order and present facts from informative texts, identify facts from opinions, understand implicit meanings and attitudes

 

b)      Learning partners will develop English Writing Skills. They will:

 

-          utilize techniques of summarizing and paraphrasing in writing

-          present facts, ideas and opinions, and articulate what is thought, felt and imagined

-          write for specific purposes and audiences, e.g. to interest, inform or convince a reader

-          improve spelling, punctuation, syntax and grammar

-          expand their vocabulary by using a dictionary and a thesaurus, and employ complex sentence structures confidently

 

 

c)       Learning partners will develop English Speaking and Listening Skills. They will

 

-          improve conversational skills; communicate effectively and appropriately

-          articulate and express ideas and opinions in an orderly sequence

-          develop presentation skills, improve fluency, tone, volume, posture and rhythm

-          make relevant comments on what is heard; give statements of opinion and attitude

-          listen for general comprehension,  gist and detail

-          identify important points and attitudes

Year 2009 / 10 – GERMAN SECOND LANGUAGE – MS 4&5 – Subject expectations

 

In preparation for their IGCSE exams learning partners will work on various projects this year. Their work will be based on the Defined Content Booklet published by the Cambridge IGCSE exam board. Therefore, learning partners will cover the following five topic areas: Everyday activities, Personal and social life, The world around us, The world of work, and The international world.

 

 

a)     Learning partners will develop German Reading Skills. They will

 

-          read for gist and detail

-          read and answer questions about texts in German

-          improve their methods of working with texts, e.g.  guessing the meaning of unknown words by looking at their form and context

 

 

b)      Learning partners will develop German Writing Skills. They will

 

-          communicate as accurately as possible using a wider variety of idiom, vocabulary, structure and appropriate tenses

-          expand their vocabulary by using a dictionary

-          improve  spelling and grammar

-          draft and re-draft their writing by revision, editing and correction

 

 

c)      Learning partners will develop German Speaking Skills. They will

 

-          develop the ability to use German effectively for purposes of practical communication

-          talk about familiar topics spontaneously

-          answer open questions

-          take part in role-plays

-          do presentations

d)     Learning Partners will develop German Listening Skills. They will

 

-          listen to a variety of types of authentic spoken language

-          listen for general comprehension,  gist and detail

-          identify important points and attitudes

Year 2009 / 10 – ENGLISH – MS 3 – subject expectations

N.B.: At ISN we value the input of our learning partners, these expectations will be constantly updated to include learning partner ideas into the curriculum.

 

To support MS 3’s CAS topic Food for Body, Mind and Soul, learning partners have started the first semester discussing the role of literature in our lives. They have identified types of fictional and non-fictional writing which may serve as ‘food’ for body, mind and soul. Studying examples of such writing, e.g. cooking recipes, restaurant reviews, word games, historical fiction, poetry, and drama, will give learning partners an overview of literature.

As part of a combined English / Science project, learning partners will study the novel Unique by Alison Allen-Gray.

 

a)      Learning partners will develop English Reading Skills. They will

 

-          read a wide range of non-fictional and fictional texts

-          begin to understand the main features of literary  genres; i.e. they will  comment on features of narrative writing such as character, setting, theme, and the way in which the plot is put together

-          recognize ways in which writers use different registers and other methods to communicate with their audiences

-          understand  how words are used for different purposes, e.g.  to persuade the reader

 

 

b)      Learning partners will develop English Writing Skills. They will

 

-          expand their vocabulary by using a thesaurus and a dictionary

-          improve spelling and grammar

-          draft and re-draft their writing by revision, editing and correction

-          use quotations according to the MLA conventions

-          demonstrate a sense of audience and engage the reader’s attention

-          write persuasively, e.g.  script for commercial

-          write to analyse, review and comment

 

 

c)       Learning partners will develop English Speaking and Listening Skills. They will

 

-          listen for general comprehension, gist and detail

-          use speaking and listening to increase their own personal confidence

-          develop skills in solo, paired and group assignments, including role-play

-          give presentations and improve their presentation skills

Year 2009 / 10 – ENGLISH – MS 2 – Subject expectations

N.B: At ISN we value the input of our learning partners, these expectations will be constantly updated to include learning partner ideas into the curriculum.

 

To support MS2’s CAS topic Food for Body, Mind and Soul, learning partners have started the first semester discussing the role of literature in our lives. They have identified types of fictional and non-fictional writing which may serve as ‘food’ for body, mind and soul. Studying examples of such writing, such as cooking recipes, restaurant reviews, poetry, and drama, will give learning partners an overview of literature.

 

Learning partners will develop English Reading Skills. They will

 

•  read for gist and detail
•  improve note-taking
•  learn reading techniques such as skimming
•  demonstrate understanding of the features of various texts, such as travel writing and advertisements
•   understand vocabulary and comment on a writer’s use of language, such as formal vs. informal style, or choice of words to create effects
•  recognize and comment on the attitudes of a writer

 

 

a)      Learning partners will develop English Writing Skills. They will

 

•   improve their spellings and punctuation
•  develop grammar and vocabulary
•   improve their sentence and paragraph structure, e.g. by identifying topic sentences and linking one paragraph to another
•  write in a range of forms and for a variety of purposes, e.g.  poems, descriptions, leaflets, letters, reports, reviews, summaries

 

 

 

b)      Learning partners will develop English Speaking and Listening Skills. They will

 

• develop conversational skills
• communicate more effectively and appropriately
• develop presentation skills
• develop skills in solo, paired and group assignments, including role-play
• listen for general comprehension, gist and detail

Year 2009 / 10 – ENGLISH – MS 1 – Subject expectations

Year 2009 / 10 – ENGLISH – MS 1 – Subject expectations

N.B.:  At ISN we value the input of our learning partners, these expectations will be constantly updated to include learning partner ideas into the curriculum.

 

This semester, learning partners will work on various projects, the first one being Cinderella Stories from around the World.  This will be a major task that will involve all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). Learning partners will be expected to read fairy tales, identify typical fairy-tale elements, write their own fairy tale, find fairy tales from other countries, and compare those versions to the ones they are familiar with.

 

a)     Learning partners will develop English Reading Skills. They will

• read for meaning, understanding and pleasure
• read a variety of texts, such as stories, newspapers, magazines, advertisements, cartoons, brochures, poetry
• practice reading for a group
•  recognize explicit meaning
• select information which will be used in summaries
• collate and summarize facts and ideas using their own words
• demonstrate understanding of features of narrative and non-narrative texts and by explaining and developing them in their own discussions and writing

 

b)     Learning partners will develop English Writing Skills. They will

 

• continue working on spelling, grammar and vocabulary
• practice note-taking
• practice creative writing exercises to build on writing skills
• write different pieces of fiction (e.g. a fairy tale) and non-fiction, and write for different purposes and audiences
• structure their writing using paragraphs

   

c)    Learning partners will develop English Speaking and Listening Skills. They will 

 

• view and listen to a variety of media
• speak for a variety of purposes, e.g. to explain, describe, narrate, explore, analyze, imagine, discuss, persuade
• begin to make significant contributions to group discussions, and  help to plan and give  presentations