Mandarin A2 Course Guide IB A2

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Mandarin A2 Course Guide IB
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General information Aims The language A2
courses, at the upper end of the spectrum, are
designed for students with an already high level
of competence in the target language. Language A2
courses are based firmly on the study of both
language and literature. The main focus of these
courses is on the reinforcement and refinement of
language skills, as distinct from language
acquisition. Students will also be given the
opportunity to explore the culture(s) of the
language, and to make connections between other
languages and cultures with which they are
familiar. They will thus be able to use the
language for purposes and in situations involving
sophisticated discussion, argument and debate.
The language A2 courses are available at both
higher level and standard level.  
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Objectives (Higher Level) At the end of the
language A2 course higher level candidates are
expected to communicate clearly, fluently and
effectively in a wide range of situations
understand and use accurately the oral and
written forms of the language, in a range of
stylesand situations understand and use an
extensive range of vocabulary and idiom select
a register and style that are consistently
appropriate to the situation express ideas with
clarity and fluency structure arguments in a
focused, coherent and persuasive way, and support
them with relevant examples assimilate and make
use of complex written and spoken texts engage
in detailed, critical examination of a wide range
of texts in different forms, styles and
registers appreciate the subtleties of
technique and style employed by writers and
speakers of thelanguage show sensitivity to the
culture(s) related to the language studied.
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Objectives (Standard Level) At the end of the
language A2 course standard level candidates are
expected to communicate clearly, fluently and
effectively in a wide range of situations
understand and use accurately the oral and
written forms of the language, in a range of
styles and situations understand and use a
broad range of vocabulary and idiom select a
register and style that are generally appropriate
to the situation express ideas with clarity and
fluency structure arguments in a focused and
coherent way, and support them with relevant
examples understand and make use of moderately
complex written and spoken texts engage in
critical examination of a wide range of texts in
different forms, styles and registers
appreciate some subtleties of technique and style
employed by writers and speakers of the
language show sensitivity to the culture(s)
related to the language studied
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For what students   Language A2 HL is for a
fluent language user who intends to study the
language at this level for a future career or to
meet a Diploma Programme requirement, and who
is a native or near-native speaker wishing to
study a different language as his or her language
A1 is a bilingual student (in reading or
writing or both) lives in a country where the
target language is spoken is taught other
subjects in the target language.
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For what students   Language A2 SL is for a
fluent language user who may not intend
continuing study of the language beyond the
Diploma Programme, and who Is a native or
near-native speaker wishing to study a different
language as his or her language A1 Is an almost
bilingual student(in reading or writing or
both) Lives in a country where the target
language is spoken Is taught other subjects in
the target language.
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What are the advantages of A2 Mandarin Course?
Students will study a well balanced and flexible
course which is designed to familiarize students
with a wide range of topics and enable them to
develop a variety of linguistic and analytical
skills   Students will be rewarded the bilingual
diploma which is highly respected by the
university after they complete the course
successfully and will have wider employment
opportunities in the future   Students will have
the opportunity to study language, texts and
culture, and will explore both literal and
cultural material


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The Course Outline(Higher and Standard)   General
information The course includes two areas,
written component (70) and oral component (30).
  The written component comprises three parts,
Paper 1, comparative commentary (25), Paper 2,
essay (25) and a written task (20).   In Paper
one, it contains four unseen texts(originally
written in the target language) that are
different in nature and grouped in two pairs.
Each pair of texts is thematically linked. A
maximum of four optional guiding questions will
be provided for standard level students No
guiding questions will be provided for higher
level students.   In paper two, it consists of
ten essay questions, candidates must answer one
question. There is no strict word limit as this
largely depends on what you are writing with set
time. Candidates are expected to demonstrate
critical thinking by constructing a relevant,
organized and well-supported discussion or
argument about a given topic or issue.  
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Written tasks Candidates are required to
complete two written tasks, the two individual
tasks need not be of the same length. The
combined length of the two tasks must be between
1200-1800 characters.   The oral component
comprises two parts, Individual oral and group
oral.   The individual oral- this activity is
compulsory, and is taped and sent to the IBO for
moderation purposes.   An interactive oral
activity chosen by the teacher-this activity is
compulsory, but it is not taped or sent to the
IBO for moderation purposes.    
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Assessment Outline ( Higher and Standard
) External Assessment

70   Written Paper Component Two written papers
are externally set and externally
assessed.   Paper 1 Comparative commentary 1½
hours(Standard)2hours(Higher)
25 The paper
consists of two pairs of unseen texts, each
linked by theme. standard level candidates are
provided with optional guiding questions. There
are not guiding questions for higher level
candidates Candidates write one comparative
commentary on one of the pairs of texts. Paper
2 Essay 1½ hours(Standard)2hours(Higher)
25 The paper consists of 10 essay questions, two
for each of the language and culture, and media
and culture options, one for each of the other
three cultural options and three on the literary
options. Candidates answer one essay question.
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Written Tasks 20 Candidates complete two
written tasks. One is based on a literary option,
the other on a cultural option. The combined
maximum word limit for both tasks is 1800 words.
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Internal Assessment
30 Oral Component Two oral activities are
internally assessed by the teacher and externally
moderated by the IBO. Individual oral

15 This activity is based
on a text taken from a cultural or literary
option studied. Interactive oral activity 15 The
mark of one other activity that is based on
either a cultural or literary option studied,
whichever was not the focus of the individual
oral. Interactive oral activity

15 The mark of one other activity that is based
on either a cultural or literacy option studied,
whichever was not the focus of the individual
oral.