Language Acquisition

The ability to communicate in a variety of modes in more than one language is essential to the concept of an international education that promotes multilingualism and intercultural understanding, both of which are central to the IB’s mission. The languages offered within the MYP at Good Shepherd Lutheran College are German, French and Japanese. The study of these additional languages provides learners with the opportunity to develop insights into the features, processes and craft of language and the idea of culture. This process of learning and acquiring an additional language helps learners understand that there are diverse ways of living, behaving and viewing the world.

Through listening, speaking, writing and reading learning experiences that are designed to enable learners to acquire proficiency in a second language, learners develop critical thinking skills that are considered essential for the cultivation of intercultural awareness and their development as internationally minded and responsible citizens of our global community. The acquisition of a second language equips students with multi literacy skills and attitudes that enable them to communicate successfully in a variety of contexts spread across a sphere of cultural boundaries. Through second language development, learners ultimately come to realise how language is our most important link to the world around us, how it is culture in motion through people interacting with people.

Organisation of Languages

"The limits of my language are the limits of my world". – Ludwig Wittgenstein

The ability to communicate in a variety of modes in more than one language is essential to the concept of an international education that promotes multilingualism and intercultural understanding, both of which are central to the IB mission. Within the IB Middle Years Programme at Good Shepherd Lutheran College we provide opportunity for our students to become multilingual and express themselves confidently in more than one language. It is our firm belief that the acquisition of a second language broadens our student’s worldview and provides them with greater opportunities beyond their school life.

Within the Middle Years Programme at Good Shepherd Lutheran College we allocate students to the Language Acquisition of French or German which is determined by the students prior experience and availability. To ensure that students have the opportunity to become proficient in the target language, the IB stipulates that students are required to study the same language the entire way through their MYP journey to the end of Year 10. The only way in which a student can transition from one language to another is by achieving a satisfactory proficiency of Phase 4 language development. At this point, students may then transition to a different language offered by the College.

Movement that occurs for students within Language Acquisition is through the promotion to a higher phase. For example, when a student has reached the learning expectations for Phase 1 within the language they are studying, they will be promoted to Phase 2. To ensure our students are given sufficient opportunity to become proficient in the language they are studying, we only allow forward movement between the phases. Each decision for Language Acquisition phase promotion is an evidence-based and well-considered move made by Language Acquisition teachers in consultation with the Language Acquisition Coordinator.

In order to ensure that students have opportunity to strive to be the attributes of the IB Learner Profile, in particular – Communicator, “we express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways”, proficiency in the Language Acquisition target language is paramount to learning at Good Shepherd Lutheran College.

For information regarding Language Acquisition, please contact the College on: 8983 0300 / admin@goodshepherd.nt.edu.au