PYP Modern Language & Informational Technology Fluency Reporting Updates

As part of our continual review of best practices for our learners, the Primary School has implemented changes in the way we report on modern languages and Informational Technology Fluency (IT and library). Please see below for details.

INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY FLUENCY (ITF)
The Primary School has combined the focus of both Informational Technology and Library standards to be integrated into grade level units of inquiry. Integrated ITF collaborative planning sessions occur during specific units during semester one and two. The ITF teachers then comment on standards in the unit of inquiry comments section for any integrated units that were taught. 

MODERN LANGUAGES
Recognising that learners at AISL enter the modern language programme at different ages and with varying levels of language experience, a sequence of developmental phases has been developed to accurately identify current levels of a student’s development.  Each phase represents the learner’s current language proficiency and is organised either as receptive language - receiving and constructing learning through listening and reading, or productive language - creating and sharing meaning through speaking and writing.

• Phase 1: Learners in Phase 1 are taking their first steps in learning a new language. They are able to recognise a few spoken or written words and phrases. They can speak about some very familiar topics using simple, memorised phrases and can write some simple words.
• Phase 2: Learners in Phase 2 are beginning to be able to use the target language to communicate by using and recognising some memorised words and phrases in context about a familiar topic.
• Phase 3: Learners in Phase 3 are beginning to synthesise their ideas when communicating in the new language. They are now able to understand the main ideas in conversations and texts by recognising key words and phrases.  They are starting to be able to express basic thoughts and ask simple questions while speaking and writing depending partially on memorised phrases.
• Phase 4: Learners are beginning to be independent in their new language.  They can understand the main ideas in short presentations or in simple texts on a familiar subject.  They can engage in short everyday social interactions and present simple information orally or in written form using a series of simple sentences.
• Phase 5: Learners in Phase 5 can communicate comfortably about familiar topics in the target language.  By listening or reading, they can understand the main idea of a variety of topics. They can converse with others using a series of sentences with increasing precision in word choice and can write on a wide variety of familiar topics using connected sentences.