LANGUAGE POLICY

LANGUAGE POLICY

School-Gymnasium №201 recognizes language as central to learning, identity, intercultural understanding and international-mindedness. Linguistic diversity within the school community is valued as a resource that enriches learning and promotes respect for different cultures and perspectives. The school is committed to developing students who are confident communicators, critical thinkers, and reflective learners in more than one language.

In alignment with the International Baccalaureate (IB) philosophy, the school supports multilingualism as a means of increasing access to education, fostering intercultural understanding, and enabling students to participate actively in local and global communities. Language learning is viewed not only as the acquisition of communication skills, but also as a tool for thinking, inquiry, and self-expression across all subject areas.

All teachers at School-Gymnasium №201 are considered language teachers, and language development is recognized as a shared responsibility across the curriculum.

2. Language Profile 

• The Kazakh language is the main language of instruction at School-gymnasium 201.

• Students start learning English from grade 3 and Russian from grade 2 as additional languages.

• The school recognizes the importance of the mother tongue for cognitive development, self-identity, and learning other languages.

• Acquiring additional languages enhances personal skills and encourages students to have an international perspective.

• The language policy aims to develop multilingual students who can communicate effectively in both oral and written forms.

• All teachers at the school are seen as language teachers, as language is considered essential for all learning.

• The goal is for students to not only learn the language for communication, but also to understand how it works and to use it as a tool for understanding, thinking, and reflecting.

3. Principles and Practices of Language Teaching and Learning

In order to develop fluent communicators, we believe that:

• Teaching the Kazakh language encompasses the enhancement of skills in areas such as reading, writing, observing and presenting, as well as listening and speaking.

• The evaluation curriculum focuses on gauging the actual learning outcomes for each student through both formative and summative assessments at various points within the curriculum.

• Given that Kazakh is the national language, the Ministry of Education regulates and oversees the creation, instruction, and evaluation of the Kazakh language curriculum to ensure compliance with its standards.

• Differentiated instruction is a key strategy in language education, allowing for the customization of teaching and assessment methods to match the distinct needs, capabilities, and learning preferences of each student.

• The school has a dedicated Support unit designed to assist students facing difficulties in learning the English language by offering additional courses to bridge their learning gaps. Teachers are involved in scheduling and providing guidance to these students.

4. Beliefs and Standards Alignment

This policy aligns with IB Programme Standards and Practices, including:

• The school places importance on language learning, including mother tongue and other languages. Standard A7

• The school supports access for students to the IB programme and philosophy.

• The school strongly encourages participation for all students. Standard A 9a.

• The school has developed and implements language policy that is consistent with IB expectations. Standard B1.5a.

• Teaching and learning addressed the diversity of student language needs, including those for students learning in a language other than their mother tongue. Standard C3. 7

• Teaching and learning demonstrates that all teachers are responsible for language development of students. Standard C3. 8

5. Student Language Profile

• Language plays a crucial role in shaping and communicating one’s identity, influencing self-confidence and students' faith in their own success. 

• The process of language learning involves a dynamic interaction of acquiring the language, learning via the language, and understanding the language itself. 

• The creation of a Student Language Profile will be facilitated by the entire educational community, following the implementation of a Diagnostic Assessment. This allows teachers to assess students’ abilities, challenges, understanding, and skills prior to beginning their teaching.

Extra support will be provided to our students according to their Language Profile as follows:

6. Instruction and Assessment in Language and Literature

Kazakh is the Language of instruction. Within the MYP, students will read a variety of texts including narrative, informational and argumentative. Through listening, reading and writing instructions, students will locate, evaluate and synthesize information in order to develop existing and create new knowledge.

MYP assessment criteria to consider the fundamental concepts of analyzing, organizing, producing text and using language with the purpose of communicating, learning holistically and promoting intercultural awareness. 

State exams will be assessed separately from the MYP programme since the Ministry of Education regulates and oversees the creation, instruction, and evaluation of the Kazakh language state exams for 5,6,7,8,9,10,11 grades.

In order to provide students with an authentic and diverse language and literature learning experience, teachers will:

• Use the MYP aims and objectives as best practice

• Facilitate reading in all subject areas

• Enable students to learn and use language effectively, appropriate, accurately and confidently.

• Develop students’ power of oral and written communication.

• Enable students to develop and use language skills in a variety of contexts and purposes. 

• Promote the appreciation, understanding and analysis of literature.

• To provide an opportunity for enjoyment, creativity and intellectual stimulation through knowledge of language and literature.

• Use formative assessment to drive instruction.

• Design reading/writing instruction with authentic summative assessments.

• Provide opportunities for students to take action within the larger community

• Provide opportunities for real life knowledge and cultural awareness through language instruction.

7. Instruction and Assessment in Language Acquisition

School-gymnasium 201 offers second acquisition courses in the following language recognized by the MYP:

• English

• Russian

Language acquisition courses before the start of the MYP by:

Within the MYP, students will read a variety of texts including narrative, informational and argumentative. Through listening, reading and writing instructions, students will locate, evaluate and synthesize information in order to develop existing and create new knowledge.

MYP assessment criteria to consider the fundamental concepts of analyzing, organizing, producing text and using language with the purpose of communicating, learning holistically and promoting intercultural awareness. 

In order to provide students with an authentic and diverse language and literature learning experience, teachers will:

• Use the MYP aims and objectives as best practice

• Facilitate reading in all subject areas

• Enable students to learn and use language effectively, appropriate, accurately and confidently.

• Develop students’ power of oral and written communication.

• Enable students to develop and use language skills in a variety of contexts and purposes. 

• Promote the appreciation, understanding and analysis of literature.

• To provide an opportunity for enjoyment, creativity and intellectual stimulation through knowledge of language and literature.

• Use formative assessment to drive instruction.

• Design reading/writing instruction with authentic summative assessments.

• Provide opportunities for students to take action within the larger community

• Provide opportunities for real life knowledge and cultural awareness through language instruction.

• The language acquisition subject group objectives represent some of the essential processes of language and have been organized under the same four communicative processes for each of the six phases in order to assist teachers with planning, teaching and assessing. They are follows:

9. Support for the Mother Tongue

School-gymnasium 201 recognizes the Kazakh mother tongue as the language a person has grown up speaking from an early age, 98% of our students are Kazakh speakers. The school maintains and develops the mother tongue by studying it compulsory as one of the Language and Literature subjects according to state in school charter:  Support for Mother Tongues: The "School charter" of the state utility enterprise "School-gymnasium No. 201" under the management right of the Department of Education of the city of Almaty was approved by the resolution No. 3/433 of the Akimat of the city of Almaty dated August 8, 2023. In accordance with clauses 38 and 42 of chapter 5 of the school charter, the language policy of the school was created. According to the charter, teaching in the school-gymnasium is conducted in the Kazakh language. Ensuring that high school students know the Kazakh language as the state language, as well as learn the Russian language and English as foreign language in accordance with the state mandatory education standards of the relevant level of education.

Time allocated for teaching different languages per week

10. Programme Flexibility

In MYP years 1–3, the school offers Arts as a compulsory subject group delivered through discrete arts disciplines, with Visual Art and Music taught as separate courses in accordance with national curriculum requirements. Each discipline develops its own MYP unit planners aligned with the Arts objectives and assessment criteria.

Student achievement in Visual Art and Music is assessed using the MYP Arts criteria. Evidence from both disciplines is considered collectively to determine a single MYP Arts achievement level for each student. This approach ensures valid, reliable, and consistent assessment and compliance with the minimum requirement of 50 teaching hours per subject group per academic year.

In MYP years 4 and 5, in accordance with subject-group flexibility outlined in MYP: From principles into practice, students study six subject groups and choose Physical and Health Education to fulfill the Arts/Design/PHE requirement.

11. Language Policy Review Cycle

This language policy reflects practices for the 2024–2025 academic year. The policy is reviewed annually to ensure continued alignment with IB requirements and school needs.
The next review is scheduled for August 2025.

16. References

• IB. Guidelines for Developing a School Language Policy

• IB. MYP: From Principles into Practice

• Adilet.kz