CURRICULUM

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Educational Model Interface.

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The two main components of our curriculum are dual language immersion and the standards and methods designed by the International Baccalaureate Organization while satisfying existing California Standards and Frameworks.

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The White Paper
The Language Education Program Model
Goethe International Charter School (GICS) of Los Angeles, California

The International Baccalaureate Program

The IB program combines the best of different educational systems worldwide into a full and rich international curriculum. Initially, Goethe International is planning to follow the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.  As Goethe International grows, we hope to add a middle school and a high school.  At that point, we would add the Middle Years Program and the Diploma Program. Upon graduation, students would receive both a diploma authorized by the State of California and an International Baccalaureate diploma, which allows them to enter universities worldwide. 

IB programs are learner-centered and inquiry-based.  This means that teaching begins with, and builds on, the curiosity of the students, their capacity to understand the materials, and the questions they ask.  Using students' natural curiosity and creativity the IBO emphasizes a dynamic and rigorous combination of content, skills, independent critical thought and international understanding that encourages students to become active, compassionate, lifelong learners who are responsible world citizens.

The classroom environment is geared to an “inquiry approach” to learning and encourages “hands-on” investigations, independent learning and the development of critical and creative thinking.

Goethe International is planning to follow the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program designed for grades K-5.

1. International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program is a transdisciplinary program of international education designed to foster the development of the whole child (ages 3-12), encompassing social, physical, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic development.
2. The curriculum framework consists of five essential elements: concepts,  skills, attitude, action and knowledge. The first four are relevent in and across all subject areas and provide the framework for structured and purposeful inquiry.  The fifth element, knowledge, is considered to be a holistic understanding of ideas, not mereley the acquisition of facts and skills.
3. The  knowledge component is developed through inquiries into six themes of global significance: “Who we are,” “Where we are in place and time,” “How we express ourselves,” “How the world works,” “How we organize ourselves” and “Sharing the planet.” That means that subjects are not separated and taught as individual, isolated topics. Each theme works particularly well with one or two subject areas, however, the themes are also transdisciplinary, meaning they go beyond any of the subject areas.  The purpose of the themes is to encourage student to think broadly and deeply.

See the International Baccalaureate Organization for more information on the Primary Years Program.

Dual Language Immersion Program

To add to the complexity of this instructional model, Goethe International will layer dual-immersion, second-language instruction - the vehicle through which all content is delivered. Half of all instruction will be given in English, the other half in the foreign language of German. This will enable all students to follow the instruction, while gaining confidence in a new language. This approach will neither overwhelm the student who is new to the foreign language, nor exasperate the speaker of the foreign language. This approach is designed to strengthen the English skills through German language acquisition.

A team of two teachers (one German and one English) will work together as a teaching team. They will jointly plan the weekly instruction and share and implement teaching concepts based on the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program methodology. The German language instruction and the English language instruction will rotate weekly.

This immersion model has been very successfully implemented at Albert Einstein Academy Charter School in San Diego, at Chula Vista Learning Community Charter School and in many immersion schools across the country.

Please see this Time magazine article highlighting the effectiveness of immersion schools. 
"How to Bring Our Schools out of the 20th Century”

Why Bilingual

Advantages of early exposure to bilingualism

• Early language immersion improves overall academic achievement. It enhances brain development, memory and cognitive learning. Many studies have consistently found that immersion students do as well or even better than non-immersion students on standardized tests.
• Scientific research has shown that foreign language learning increases social awareness and achievement in basic skills such as communication and listening.
• Bilingualism promotes awareness, appreciation, and acceptance of other peoples and cultures. Immersion students become more flexible thinkers and exhibit greater nonverbal problem-solving abilities.
• It improves understanding of the student’s native language, and gives a new perspective and understanding of language. 
• Furthermore, it prepares students to participate more fully in the global community.

Why German?

• Over 100 million people worldwide speak German.
• German is the most frequently recommended language by U.S. universities.
• Twenty percent of all Americans are of German descent.
• German is the second most used language on the Internet.
• One out of every ten books published in the world is in German. Mastery of German provides insights into a culture rich in literature, science and history.
• Knowing German offers students of all language backgrounds the opportunity to strengthen their English skills, since English is based on a combination of Germanic and Romance language roots.

For more information on this topic, see what others say…

The Goethe Institute

The American Association of Teachers of German