Sir Winston Churchill High School offers the following languages at the IB level:

• Chinese - offered at The Chinese Academy in partnership with the Calgary Board of Education.
• French IB ab initio & B Standard Level
• Spanish IB ab initio

French IB Program

Spanish

*see course descriptions of regular courses

Grade 11

International Languages – Ab initio Level

The two year ab initio language course is designed for students enrolled in the IB program who have a limited experience of learning the target language. The language ab initio course aims to develop a variety of areas of linguistic skills. In addition, students will become familiar with aspects of the everyday life and culture of the countries in which the language of study is spoken. Three themes are used to explore the life and culture: Individual & Society, Leisure & Work, and Urban & Rural Environment. A specific core syllabus and language-specific syllabus for the International Baccalaureate Program (IB) is used to guide the course.

French 20 IB ab initio – 5 credits

Prerequisite: French 10
In addition to covering the French 20 Alberta curriculum, students in this course are challenged further with additional oral, writing and reading comprehension activities within each of the language IB ab themes, thus increasing the breadth and depth of the French 20 course. Attention will also be paid to increasing students’ cultural awareness of the Francophone community.

Spanish 20 IB ab initio – 5 credits

Prerequisite: Spanish 10
In this Spanish course students will begin to study the three themes of the language IB ab initio curriculum through reading, writing, listening and speaking activities while also fulfilling the Alberta Education language curricular requirements. Students will explore various aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures.

International Languages – Standard Level

French 30 IB – 5 credits

Prerequisite: French 20 or Grade 9 French immersion
This course prepares students for the French 30/31 IB oral reading comprehension and written exams. The regular French 30 Alberta Education curriculum is initially covered. Additionally, a variety of supplements readings are added to the program to improve reading comprehension and a source for developing oral skills. Language, vocabulary, idiomatic expressions and grammatical structures will be introduced using several different types of text and discourse that serve particular communicative purposes. Students will be able to explore cultural aspects of the Francophone world through the study of texts and visual materials as a mean of exploring the history, current events, values and attitudes of a range of French speaking countries. Comparisons to other cultures will be established in order to celebrate the difference.

Grade 12

International Languages – Ab initio Level

French 30 IB ab initio – 5 credits

Prerequisite: French 20 IB ab initio
Based on the French 30 curriculum of Alberta Education and the language IB ab initio curriculum, this course prepares students for the French 30 IB ab initio oral, reading comprehension and written exams through the expansion of the three ab initio themes. Students will engage in more advanced enriched activities in terms of scope and depth, frequency, and richness of expression.

Spanish 30 IB ab initio – 5 credits

Prerequisite: Spanish 20 IB ab initio
Based on the Spanish 30 Language and Culture curriculum of Alberta Education and the language IB ab initio curriculum, this course prepares students for the Spanish 30 IB ab initio oral, reading comprehension and written exams. Students will further explore the three ab initio themes and enhance their understanding of the Hispanic community.

International Languages – Standard Level

French 31 IB – 5 credits

Prerequisite: French 30 IB
This course is designed to expand proficiency in all four primary skill areas of listening, speaking, reading comprehension and writing. Students will cover the regular French 31 curriculum of Alberta Education and IB language SL curriculum. They will continue to practice using language in practical and social situations, but will also cover more expressive and intellectual domains. They will be able to give and defend their opinions on controversial issues. Emphasis is placed on consolidation of grammatical structures to enhance written composition using a variety of formats: Journals, blogs, editorials, personal and formal letters, etc.