The nature of language

• Language is neither static nor uniform. It changes over time and varies in space and from person to person.
• Language variation, like mulitlingualism, is a right and a resource.
• Language is a system that is used with purpose and in context.
• Language is borth an object of study and a means of constructing and communicating meaning.
• Language is a means of exploring ourselves and others, and diverse world views and cultures.

The nature of communication

• Communication is often mulitmodal, incuding non-linguistic elements.
• Meaning is not univocal but is constructed through a process of exploration, negotiation, and cooperation.
• The means and opportunities for meaning making are aided and extended by the use of technologies.
• The means of and opportunities for meaning making are broadened by creative and aesthetic forms of expression.

The language learner

• Individuals' linguistic repertoires are inextricably linked to their identities.
• Studens bring valuable, rich, complex linguistic repertoires to the communication and learning process.

Learning language and communication

• Language is learnt, taught, and developed in context
• Language learning is nether uniform nor linear.
• Language development thrives in environments that by design embrace it.
• The learning of language and communication goes beyond the development of language skills and includes a wider range of skills that enable meaning-making. 

Language philosophy

We believe that language is a powerful tool for learning, communicating, and expressing ourselves.

Language is not only a set of rules and symbols, but also a dynamic and diverse system that reflects our identities, cultures, and world views. We value language as a right and a resource, and we celebrate the multilingualism of our school community.

We believe that by learning language and communication, students develop not only their language skills, but also a wider range of skills that enable them to make meaning and to participate in the world.

These skills include thinking, researching, socializing, self-managing, and communicating. Through these skills, students become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners who contribute to a better and more peaceful world.

Language profile

We aim to develop students who are competent and confident in using language for various purposes and contexts. We recognize that communication is often multimodal, involving not only words, but also gestures, images, sounds, and other forms of expression.

We encourage students to explore, negotiate, and cooperate with others to construct meaning and to appreciate different perspectives.

At Elverum vgs most students have a background from the Norwegian school system where they study English from class 1. Many of our students begin studying a second foreign language from class 8 (Spanish, German, French, Italian, Russian being the most common languages).

This means that most of our students have a good understanding of at least one foreign language when enrolling in the IB-programme.

Language of instruction

English: 
The primary language of instruction in IB classes is English. All teachers and students are expected to communicate in English during lessons, discussions, and assessments.

Norwegian: 
As a Norwegian upper secondary school, we value the preservation of our national language. Norwegian language and literature courses are integral to our curriculum.

Language options

Language and Literature

Norwegian Literature A (SL/HL): 
The language and literature course aim at studying the complex and dynamic nature of language and exploring both its practical and aesthetic dimensions. 

The course will explore the crucial role language plays in communication, reflecting experience and shaping the world, and the roles of individuals themselves as producers of language.

English Language and Literature A (SL/HL): 
The literature course aims at exploring the various manifestations of literature as a particularly powerful mode of writing across cultures and throughout history. Students explore a diverse array of literary and non-literary texts across various media. 

The course aims at developing an understanding of factors that contribute to the production and reception of literature and the essence of the language itself. The creativity of writers and readers, the nature of their interaction with their respective contexts and with literary tradition, the ways in which language can give rise to meaning and/or effect, and the performative and transformative potential of literary creation and response. 

The course encompasses a broad range of approaches, including literary theory, sociolinguistics, media studies, and critical discourse analysis (IBO, 2019).

Language Acquisition

Norwegian B (SL/HL): 
designed for students with some experience in the target language; providing students with an appropriate degree of challenge is important for their development.

English B (HL): 
The recent introduction of English as a language B course recognizes that some of our students are not fluent in the language of instruction of the DP programme. This provides students with opportunity to focus on developing the language skills needed in several their subjects without being overwhelmed by additional literature requirements.

Language A self-taught (SL)

Students with another mother tongue than Norwegian or English can choose to study Literature A self-taught. 

Students taking Literature A self-taught will participate in English or Norwegian classes (depending on what language they know best) to be able to practice their skills and to understand the requirements of the course.

Multilingualism and Diversity

We acknowledge that language learning is a lifelong process that is neither uniform nor linear. We respect the diverse linguistic backgrounds and needs of our students, and we provide them with differentiated and scaffolded instruction and assessment. 

We also create a supportive and stimulating environment that embraces language development and promotes a culture of inquiry and reflection. The school encourages students to aim for the bilingual diploma and will provide booklists for students taking on Language A self-taught.

The school is also offering the following extracurricular language activities:

If students wish to study French, German or Norwegian, they can do so by following classes in the Norwegian programme that the school provides. They will achieve grades in these courses in accordance with the Norwegian grading system.

The school will also support students who wish to take the Goete Zertifikat (German), Diplôme d’études en langue française, Delf (French) or Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera (Spanish).

Language learning and differentiation

As English is our common language platform at the IB-section, all subject teachers are also acting as language teachers, supporting students by assessing both written and spoken language and facilitating communication.

The working language at our IB-section is English why all information provided to students, teachers, and staff must be in English. In order to further strengthen the use of English, the school library has set up an English section that provides both books and periodicals in English.

Information from the IB-department on the school’s website is available in both English and Norwegian and information to parents is communicated in English and Norwegian.

In all classes, except from mother tongue classes, English is used as the language of instruction and students are expected to use English in all written and verbal communication. 

This is communicated to students by teachers and staff to emphasize our mission of being an inclusive school where all students, teachers, and staff are welcome, regardless of origin.

Support for language learners

Teachers employ different strategies to support the language development of students. This includes but is not limited to encouraging students to recognise comparisons with their mother tongue and use this to help develop an understanding of subject specific terminology. 

This is done based on individual needs and in many situations involves students working collaboratively based on previous language experience/learning.

Additionally subject teachers provide vocabulary banks/glossary of terms where students are encouraged to review explanations of key terms and develop explanations in their own words as a means of supporting both language and subject specific learning.

If the student can display the following:

Language A: Literature or Language and literature

Receptive skills

• Demostrate a good understanding of the meaning and purpose of written texts, inlcuding literaty texts.
• Demostrate a good understanding of the meaning and purpose of oral texts
• Recognize some subtleties of specific language use and their effects

Productive skills

• Speaks mostly clearly and fluent and use a varied range of language mostly accurately.
• Demostrate a good understanding of the meaning and purpose of oral texts
• Recognize some subtleties of specific language use and their effects

Interactive skills

• Handle ideas mostly effectively with generaly full interaction.
• Exhibitsome diffeculties with more difficult questions

Language B HL

Receptive skills

• Demostrate a good understanding of the meaning and purpose of written texts.
• Demostrate a good understanding of the meaning and purpose of oral texts

Productive skills

• Speaks generally clearly, responds appropiately to most questions but struggle with responding to difficult questions
• Demostrate an adequate command of vocabulary and grammatical accuracy
• Uses basic and some complex language correctly
• Shows reasonable ability to adapt writing to suit the intended audience and purpose. Express ideas and organize work appropiately

Interactive skills

• Respond appropriately and demostrate comprehension
• Use pronunciation and intonation which facilitate the understanding of the message
• Make independent contributions.

Subject teachers decide

Placement of students in a language A/B course is decided by subject teachers who follow clear IB guidelines on placement based on individual student competence.  

Inclusion policy

As outlined in our inclusion policy and consistent with a universally designed curriculum in relation to barriers to learning, the student has the right to counselling, monitoring, and support by the Educational and Psychological Counselling Service PPT. Consequently, different language options and learning strategies are employed to support inclusion.

Admissions policy

Our admissions policy is designed to help support student achievement. To this end there is a required grade average, which based on experience is an appropriate indicator of student’s ability to succeed when entering the IBDP. 

At the same time our policy recognizes the individual nature and circumstances of students’ previous experience. The policy therefore outlines how, at the discretion of the coordinator, students with a lower-than-expected grade average can also be considered for the diploma programme. This can for example manifest itself in a student who has a lower than required grade in Norwegian due to a short period of residency. 

Moreover, our policy explains how students’ progress is reviewed before advancement to DP2 and where appropriate alternative arrangements are made to help students achieve.

Assessment policy

Assessment at Elverum IBDP is based on the understanding of assessment as: for learning, of learning and as learning described in a policy that embraces individually tailored assessment. This approach helps ensure relevant and appropriate feedback/feedforward irrespective of a student’s current level and language development. 

Furthermore, active student participation in assessment through self and peer evaluation helps to ensure students agency over their language learning process as well as the subject specific concepts. 

The inclusion of diverse identities and cultures is actively promoted at the school, valuing individual linguistical knowledge. This approach is not only seen as important to promote learning and understanding but helps a sense of student ownership of their learning which is deemed to further support inclusion. 

This document will be reviewed annually. The IB-coordinator is responsible for the reviewing process of the document.

This document was last reviewed in June 2024.