Language Policy

I. General

Chengdu Shude High School understands that a language is closely related to a culture and aims to cultivate talented individuals with international perspectives based on the understanding or Chinese values and at the same time the openness ad respect for all cultures.

Communications are based on a language. At ChengduShudeHigh School, the students’ mother tongue is Chinese. However, for the purpose of enabling them to communicate smoothly with the people from other countries, English is taught and used as their second language.

II. Aim of the Language Policy

To have a common language of interaction throughout the campus, whether the interaction is academic or social or recreational.
To discourage formation and thus isolation of any group of students on the basis of language and ethnicity.
To prepare students adequately for higher studies at various English speaking universities.
To ensure clear communication and understanding with and by students in the classroom.

III. English as the Primary Language of Instruction

Language development and use is a complex process. The school plays an important part in developing a child’s language skills as the student spends the second major component of his / her time at school apart from home. Thus, it is a responsibility shared among school faculty, students, and parents.

We understand that the primary language of a student serves as the foundation on which English proficiency is built. We encourage students to continue to increase literacy and proficiency in their primary language.

English is an important and the most popular medium of communication in the world and it is the medium of communication and instruction at ChengduShudeHigh School.

Learning English enables students to communicate with others within and outside the classroom. Students are provided with ample opportunities to hone their skills in English speaking through group discussions, presentations, role-plays and peer interaction in classroom. Students are also encouraged to participate in inter-house debates and declamations and extempore speech competitions to enhance their public speaking skills.

Studying English also promotes listening, reading and writing skills of the students. A study of the linguistic patterns, structures and origins of a variety of texts from different genres enables students to understand and appreciate the dynamic and critical role of language in cultural context.

Students are encouraged to read as widely as possible. They are encouraged to experiment with different forms of writing. Students are exposed to novels, poetry, drama and non- fiction texts.

Use of Information Technology:

The World Wide Web is a vast pool of information. Information is available on the internet for exploration on every possible topic. We believe that use of IT enriches a subject area and enhances learning. It makes the curriculum more accessible helping students widen their knowledge and skills. We encourage students to:

Access internet for research work and independent learning
Collaborative and interactive work
Submission of assignments.

Language support services:

Teachers: Comprehension of the language of instruction is vital to the entire taught curriculum at school because no matter how good the teacher is, if the student is not able to comprehend and follow what the teacher is saying in class, all the effort put in the class goes down the drain. Thus developing the skills in language is the responsibility of every teacher irrespective of their specialty subject.

The teacher reinforces the comprehension of the student within and outside the classroom. All teachers, including activity and additional language teachers undergo IBO training and are actively involved in the frequently held collaborative planning sessions.

The Library and Media Centre: are kept up to date with resources needed for language learning. Adequate audio – visual support is provided for honing the listening and speaking skills.

ESL classes are held for students who need assistance and practice to be able to use English effectively. ESL classes are especially useful for students coming from Non-English speaking backgrounds. Students are provided opportunities to develop their comprehension and expressive skills. Personal reading lessons and audio-visual inputs aim to expand vocabulary as well as increase reading speed. Grammatical notions of the language are taught in a meaningful context. Special TOEFL or IELTS classes will also be integrated into the curriculum with an aim to help the students improve their English proficiency for the requirement of universities.

IV. Chinese as the Mother Tongue

At the school, various kinds of student clubs use Chinese as the medium to organize activities. And, some famous experts will be invited to give lectures in Chinese and communicate with the students. Daily conversations are also carried out in Chinese. When festivals come, students are encouraged celebrate them by performing Chinese folk music and dance to help them retain their cultural identity.

V. Teachers’ Professional Development

To ensure best language teaching practices and professional development, we invite resource people; teachers are encouraged to join forums where they can exchange resources and suggestions. Teachers keep themselves informed of and committed to the IBO standards and practices in relation to language teaching and learning. They regularly consult the OCC and other language forums. The standard and practice is a working document, which is regularly referenced and cross referenced.

VI．Review of the Policy:

The Coordinators and the management are responsible for ensuring that the policy is reviewed and revised annually.