Teaching languages in the PYP

Language is involved in all learning and is an essential vehicle for inquiry and the construction of meaning. It provides an intellectual framework to support conceptual development and critical thinking.

All PYP teachers have a responsibility to address the language needs of their students in the language of instruction. When teachers plan learning experiences that enable students to develop language within meaningful and enjoyable contexts, students are able to make connections, apply their learning, and transfer their conceptual understanding to new situations.

In many schools, students are learning in a language other than their mother tongue. This means that schools pay close attention to students’ language needs and abilities to ensure they participate fully in the programme and are able to reach their full potential.

Learning Language in the PYP

Beginning in kindergarten, all students in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) in AACPS have the opportunity to learn more than one language. In addition to weekly instruction in French, our school supports language learning through morning announcements, classroom connections and language inquiry.

South Shore Elementary's ESOL program supports English learners in becoming empowered problem solvers. Our students access grade-level academic curriculum through instruction in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students improve these skills in a small group environment, either within the regular classroom or in the ESOL classroom. They create projects that align with content and concepts being taught in that grade level. These projects are showcased throughout the school so our English learners teach their peers.