At The Boerum Hill School for International Studies, we have a robust language acquisition program. We foster bi-literate, multicultural and multilingual citizens who can navigate the world around them through multifaceted perspectives.
BHS offers French and Spanish Language Acquisition in the MYP and DP. High school students with native or near native proficiency in French or Spanish may access French or Spanish Language & Literature courses or self-studies, rather than Language Acquisition courses. Those students never having studied language previously, will be placed in a French or Spanish I class. Finally, those students with some linguistic proficiency in French or Spanish will be placed into a course with French or Spanish phase 1/2 or higher phases.
In grades 6-12 at the Boerum Hill School for International Studies, a continuum of French and Spanish language instruction is offered as a LOTE (Languages Other Than English) course, aligned to MYP and DP guidelines. Students pursue the same language of study throughout their time in the MYP (grades 6-10), until demonstrating proficiency. In the DP, students usually study the language they studied in MYP years 4 and 5. Students who are not or are no longer identified as MLs are required to take a LOTE course to satisfy their Language Acquisition requirement for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program and Diploma Program.
Phases of Language Acquisition
Beginning to speak, read and write in French/Spanish
MYP – Phase 1
DP – Ab initio
Understand simple, authentic texts in predictable contexts; can use simple oral and written phrases; can engage in simple, rehearsed exchanges to share basic information on everyday personal and social topics
MYP – Phase 2
DP – Ab initio or French/Spanish SL
Understand a variety of simple, authentic texts in predictable contexts; can use simple short oral and written phrases; can engage in simple, rehearsed and unrehearsed exchanges to share their understanding and opinions on everyday personal and social topics
Can have a (simple or complex) conversation and read in French/Spanish
MYP – Phase 3
DP – French/Spanish SL
Understand a variety of simple, and some complex authentic texts; can use a range of simple, and some complex, oral and written language; can engage in some authentic and spontaneous conversations to share their understanding and opinions on everyday personal and social topics, as well as some topics of global significance
MYP – Phase 4
DP – French/Spanish SL/HL
Understand a wide variety of simple, and some complex authentic texts; can use a range of simple and complex oral and written language; can engage in authentic and spontaneous conversations to share their understanding and opinions on topics of everyday personal, social, and global significance
Can read and analyze challenging texts in French/Spanish
MYP – Phase 5
DP – French/Spanish SL/HL or French/Spanish Lit SL
Analyze a wide variety of complex authentic texts; can use a range of complex oral and written language; engage in authentic and spontaneous conversations to share their understanding and perspectives on topics of personal, academic, and global significance in a wide range of contexts
MYP – Phase 6
DP – French/Spanish Lit SL/HL
As above, with an added emphasis on evaluating texts