IB Diploma
Scots College
COURSE HANDBOOK
SPANISH, CHINESE and Japanese AB INITIO
2014-2015
 Introduction
 Ab initio Objectives
 Assessment Outline
 Resources
 Programme of Study
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INTRODUCTION
The ab initio course is a language acquisition course for students with little or no prior experience of
the language. It is organised around three themes: Individual and Society; Leisure and Work; Urban
and Rural Environment.
Each theme has a list of topics that provide students with opportunities to practise and explore the
language as well as to develop intercultural understanding.
Through the development of receptive, productive and interactive skills, students should be able to
respond and interact appropriately in a defined range of everyday situations.
The topics to be covered are:
Individual and Society
Leisure and Work
Daily Routines
Education
Food and drink
Personal details, appearance
and character
Physical Health
Relationships
Shopping
Employment
Entertainment
Holidays
Media
Sport
Technology
Transport
Urban and rural
environment
Environmental Concerns
Global issues
Neighbourhood
Physical Geography
Town and services
Weather
AB INITIO OBJECTIVES
There are five assessment objectives for the ab initio course. Students will be assessed on your ability
to:
 demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the intercultural elements related to the prescribed
topics
 communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations
 understand and use accurately the basic structures of the languages
 understand and use an appropriate range of vocabulary
 use a register and format that are appropriate to the situation
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ASSESSMENT OUTLINE
Formative and Summative Assessment
Formative assessments will be used as appropriate to the topic of work being studied. In general,
these assessments will mirror the modes of assessment indicated in the summative assessment used by
the IBO. All four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) will not necessarily be tested
for each topic, while the intertwined nature of the topics will ensure a continued recycling of topic
content. The results of these formative assessments will be reported to parents as per the normal
school reporting cycle.
The Summative Assessment components for the Diploma Course are indicated below:
External Assessment: 75%
Paper 1: Receptive Skills 1½ hours 30%
Understanding of four written texts (40 marks)
Text-handling exercises.
Paper 2: Productive Skills 1 hour 25%
Two compulsory writing exercises (25 marks)
Written Assignment: Receptive and Productive Skills 20%
A piece of writing, 200-350 words in Spanish or 240-360 characters in Chinese, carried out under class teacher
supervision (20 marks).
Internal Assessment: Interactive Skills 25%
Three-part oral internally assessed by the class teacher and externally moderated by the IB towards the end of
the course.
Part 1: Presentation of a visual stimulus (from a choice of two)
Part 2: Follow-up questions on the visual stimulus
Part 3: General conversation including at least two questions on the written assignment
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RESOURCES
The Languages Learning Area has an abundance of excellent materials readily to hand, which includes
textbooks, accompanying workbooks, works of reference including: dictionaries, CDs, DVDs and
video material.
A variety of resources and textbooks will be used to deliver the Spanish and Chinese courses.
In addition, Spanish students will subscribe to the language magazines Ahora and El Sol published
six times per year by Mary Glasgow Magazines.
PROGRAMME OF STUDY
Year 1
Unit
Unit
1
Unit
2
Unit Title
First Contact
(Term 1: 6 weeks)
Content
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
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Greet and farewell someone appropriately in a formal and
informal situation
Introduce themselves
Introduce someone else
Express how they feel
Ask someone how they are
Spell words
Say where they are from
Say what their nationality is
Say where they live
Ask about nationality, country of abode, address
Say what language(s) they speak
Ask what language(s) someone speaks
Count up to 100
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Say whether or not they understand what someone has said
Personal
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
 Talk about the make up of their families
Information
(Terms 1: 6 weeks)
 Give personal information about family members
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Say who they get on well/better with and why
Say what age they are and what age others are
Discuss dates and birthdays
Describe their own and others’ physical appearance
Describe their own and others’ character traits
Say where they and others work
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Say what their and others’ jobs are
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Unit
3
Unit
4
Where we live
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
 Say what the weather is like
(Terms 2: 5 weeks)
Daily Life
(Term 2: 4 weeks)
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Express destination and purpose
Ask for and give contact details
Answer the phone
Ask and give directions
Describe their home
Indicate exact location
Express quantity
Describe a town/city/village
Compare city/village life
Discuss preferences
Give reasons
Discuss means of transport
Count up to 1000
Compare quantities
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Discuss geographical location & distance
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
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Ask and tell the time
Discuss parts of the day
Discuss days of the week
Discuss frequency of events
Discuss daily tasks
Discuss eating habits
Eating habits in different countries
Discuss opening and closing hours.
Discuss timetables
Discuss daily routine
Express frequency
Talk about things they have done
Discuss domestic chores
Refer to ongoing actions
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Make excuses
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Unit 5
Unit 6
On holiday
(Term 3: 9 weeks)
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
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Talk about where they went on holiday
Talk about events in the past
Extend sentences using sequencers
Describe the weather
Describe accommodation
Describe things in the past
Give and justify opinions
Talk about holiday activities
Use question words confidently
Book a hotel room
Order a meal
Be polite when speaking
Deal with unpredictable questions
Make complaints in a hotel
Join ideas with connectives
Talk about means of transport
Use adverbs confidently
Use & understand 24-hour clock
Plan a day out
Ask for and give directions
Use imperatives
Order food in a restaurant
Describe a day out
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Talk about festivals
School
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
 Give opinions on school subjects
(Terms 4: 7 weeks)
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Describe a school routine
Use time expressions in the present
Describe school life
Talk about things you have done, did and used to do
Give a range of opinions
Describe school uniform and rules
Give and justify opinions
Describe teachers
Use comparatives and superlatives confidently
Agree and disagree
Describe school pressures and problems
Use quantifiers
Describe the schools of the future
Start to use the future tense
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Be comfortable using questions
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Year 1 Term 3 Unit 5
Holidays
Talk about where you went on holiday
Say what you did
Extend sentences using sequencers
Describe the weather
Describe accommodation
Describe what something was like
Give and justify opinions
Talk about holiday activities
Recount events in the past
Use question words confidently
Book a hotel room
Order a meal
Use polite forms of address
Deal with unpredictable questions
Make complaints in a hotel
Join ideas with connectives
Talk about means of transport
Use adverbs confidently
Use & understand 24-hour clock
Plan a day out
Ask for and give directions
Use imperatives
Order food in a restaurant
Describe a day out
Talk about festivals
Term 4 Unit 6 At school Give opinions on school subjects
Express opinions in a variety of ways
Describe a school routine
Describe school life
Give a range of opinions
Describe school uniform and rules
Give and justify opinions
Describe teachers
Use comparatives and superlatives confidently
Agree and disagree
Describe school pressures and problems
Use quantifiers
Describe the schools of the future
Start to use the future tense
Be comfortable using questions
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Year
2
Term
1
Unit 7
At work
Unit 8
Free time, leisure and
sport
Unit 9
Health
Unit
10
Environment
Term
2
Term
3
Describe jobs and part-time jobs
Describe work experience
Describe future plans
Form sentences starting with if…
Understand job adverts and CVs
Discuss what you would/could do
Write and application letter
Prepare a CV
Conduct a job interview
Introduction to TV programmes & films
Express a range of opinions.
Talk about hobbies and pocket money.
Describe sports and sporting events.
Talk about extreme sports.
Make arrangements to go out.
Talk about events that are happening as
you speak
Write reviews.
Use absolute superlatives confidently.
Talk about new technology.
Use language of debate.
Talk about the body and illnesses.
Buy food.
Talk about how to stay fit.
Use a variety of verbs to talk about
mealtimes.
Give advice.
Talk about intended and possible future
events
Talk about issues facing young people.
Understand phrases using the subjunctive
(Spanish)
Talk about the environment.
Talk about what should be done
Use a variety of expressions to give your
point of view.
Talk about global issues.
Talk about hypothetical situations.
Use high numbers confidently.
Consider the problems facing the planet.
Use negative commands.
Talking about global citizenship.
Use if clauses confidently.
Talk about homelessness.
Use the pluperfect tense confidently.
Use different timeframes confidently.
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Year 2
Unit
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit Title
Content
Work
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
 Describe jobs and part-time jobs
(Term 1: 6 weeks)
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Describe work experience
Describe future plans
Use the future tense confidently
Form sentences starting with if…
Understand job adverts and CVs
Use the conditional tense
Write and application letter
Prepare a CV
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Conduct a job interview
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
Free time
 Introduction to TV programmes & films
(Term 1: 6 weeks)
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Express a range of opinions.
Talk about hobbies and pocket money.
Describe sports and sporting events.
Talk about extreme sports.
Make arrangements to go out.
Talk about things you are doing.
Write reviews.
Use absolute superlatives confidently.
Talk about new technology.
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Use language of debate.
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
Health
 Talk about the body and illnesses.
(Term 2: 9 weeks)
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Talk about things you have done to yourself.
Buy food.
Talk about how to stay fit.
Use a variety of verbs to talk about mealtimes.
Give advice.
Use the conditional and future tenses confidently.
Talk about issues facing young people.
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Understand hypothetical language.
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Unit 4
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
Environment
 Talk about the environment.
(Term 3: 9 weeks)
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Talk about what should be done.
Use a variety of expressions to give your point of view.
Talk about global issues.
Use hypothetical language.
Use high numbers confidently.
Consider the problems facing the planet.
Use negative commands.
Talking about global citizenship.
Use if clauses confidently.
Talk about homelessness.
Talk about things you had done.
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Use different timeframes confidently.
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