The ISH approach to the study of Language and Literature is built around the key concepts of communication, creativity, connections and perspective. Our teachers support students to make connections between what they learn in the classroom and their understanding of the world around them.  

Key elements to the study of Language & Literature at ISH is engagement with the Dutch as our host country, English because we are an English language speaking school as well as the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) French, German and Spanish.

To help ensure your child(ren) find their path at ISH they'll learn to use language as a vehicle for thought, creativity and reflection. They'll develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, interacting and presenting ideas to their peers. Our teachers will help them develop not only creative and critical approaches but also personal approaches to analysing texts, contributing to a life long interest in reading.

In Years 12 and 13 of the Diploma Programme students will be given the tools to use both literary and non-literary texts to enable them to develop an appreciation of the nature, power, and beauty of language and literature. The course is divided into four parts: two relate to the study of language and two to the study of literature.

As a school with a particularly diverse community and over 60 languages spoken, ISH is an excellent environment for your child(ren) to acquire language skills.

Consistent with the overarching International Baccalaureate (IB) approach to learning, the curriculum sets out to challenge students in a range of situations beyond the classroom. The programme focuses on four key areas:

• Writing (external assessment)
• Listening (external assessment)
• Reading (external assessment)
• Speaking (internal assessment)

Students are taught using multimodality to support a deeper understanding and effective communication in the target language. Teachers also encourage the student's cultural and historical curiosity and inquiry throughout the programme.

There are two different courses within the Diploma Programme (DP) -  Language B and Language Ab Initio. Language B is available at Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) whereas Language Ab Initio is available as an SL only. Higher Level students also study literature as part of their internal assessment.

Where possible exposure to the authentic context will be encouraged, through for example theatre visits and linguistic field trips.

Throughout both courses, the five core topics are covered:

• Identities
• Experiences
• Human Ingenuity
• Social Organisation
• Sharing the planet

The Language B (SL & HL) is accessible to students having studied the language in the MYP as a Language Acquisition course. The Language Ab Initio is accessible to students who have never studied the language before- or only for a very limited time.

To explore the IB Language Acquisition programme further, read our Guide above.

The ISH vision of inspiring your child(ren) to become pro-active and compassionate global citizens of the future is never more present than in our approach to the teaching of Individuals and Societies. This broad subject area begins with Integrated Humanities for our Yrs7-9, then divides and dives deeper into Business management, Economics, Geography and History specific subjects for Yrs10-11.

Central to our philosophy is encouraging students to understand, respect and make sense of the world around them using authentic examples to stimulate interest in an inter-connected world.

The programme helps students to develop the skills required to inquire into the factors that impact upon individuals, societies and environment. The programme examines the nature and activities of human behaviour and challenges students to question what they see and hear every day, supporting them to become the critical thinkers of tomorrow for both local and global issues.

What does this look like in the Diploma Programme at ISH? 

Bringing the ISH vision to your child(ren) in the Diploma Programme means that in Individuals and Societies your child(ren) will be able to access the following individual subjects: 

• Business Management
• Economics
• Geography
• History
• Global Politics 
• Psychology

 

The scientific mind does not so much provide the right answers as asks the right questions.

Claude lévi-strauss

The ISH approach to learning sciences goes beyond memorising facts and learning terminology. Our teachers support your child(ren) to become critical and creative thinkers, exploring the connections between what they learn in the classroom and the world around them. We inspire our students to think about science as an important tool for shaping a better future for all. 

Our teachers are passionate about helping students discover the deep connections between science and the environment, global and local economies, morality and ethics. In keeping with the ISH Community Profile the way we approach science harnesses your child(ren)'s natural curiosity and compassion, helping them to become aware, to appreciate and respect other people’s views.

In Yr7-Yr9 students begin with integrated sciences, then in Yr10-Yr11, as they prepare for the DP they have the opportunity to focus on Biology, Chemistry or Physics. If this becomes their passion, they can choose to study all three. There are 4 key objectives within the MYP: Knowing and understanding; Inquiry and designing; Processing and evaluating; Reflecting on the impacts of Science.

In the Diploma Programme, science students at ISH have the opportunity to develop the skills needed for careers in academic and corporate research, to become laboratory assistants, teachers, to take part in essential fieldwork or become journalists.

How does the Diploma Programme prepare your children for careers in science? 

Sciences at ISH in the Diploma Programme aims to: 

• support students in understanding and applying scientific method
• support students in understanding theories, laws and hypotheses used by scientists
• help students understand the objectivity of science
• help students see the human face of science
• help develop scientific literacy

Your child(ren) will have the choice of the following sciences:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Environmental Systems and Societies
• Sports exercise and health science

When your child(ren) study Mathematics at ISH they’ll be doing so much more than simply learning formulae or rules. We encourage students to be active participants in exploration and enjoy the rewards of discovering concepts and relationships. Applying the ISH and IB philosophy our teachers promote both inquiry and application, supporting students in the acquisition of problem-solving techniques that go beyond the discipline and the school context.

Our teachers provide students with authentic examples of how mathematics is practically useful and relevant to their lives, encouraging them to go on and apply it to new situations.

We challenge students to be curious, to ask questions, to explore and interact with the environment physically, socially and intellectually.

As a school that understands the value and importance of technology, we integrate information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool for learning, applying and communicating mathematics.

Our teachers support students to acquire mathematical understanding by constructing their own meaning through increasing levels of abstraction, starting with an exploration of their own personal experiences, understandings and knowledge.

What does Mathematics look like in the Diploma Programme? 

The DP mathematics curriculum offers two courses, each of which is available at standard level (SL) and higher level (HL)—mathematics: analysis and approaches (AA), and mathematics: applications and interpretation (AI).

Throughout both of the courses, the following five main topics are covered through:

• Number and algebra
• Functions
• Geometry & Trigonometry
• Probability & statistics

• Calculus

 

The ISH approach to the Arts encourages self-confidence, resilience and adaptability and is built around the key concepts of aesthetics, change, communication and identity.

Working collaboratively with the students we guide them to see creativity as a powerful form of communication and a way of influencing the world around them. Consistent with the ISH philosophy across all subjects, we support students to explore, discover and make connections between their understanding of the world so far and the Arts.

ISH Arts students benefit from excellent facilities such as fully-equipped art, music and drama studios, a 300 seat theatre, music practice rooms and access to the latest audio and visual technology.

Immersed in projects and productions designed to challenge and inspire, students learn quickly to develop specific, practical skills within each discipline so that they can express themselves through their work.

Central to our philosophy is providing students with opportunities to connect with the real world – as such we have strong links with the community: local artists, musicians and theatre-makers. We also host a yearly Artist in Residence to provide more in-depth collaboration with a local artist/ musician/ theatre-maker or collective.

As a school with a rich and diverse community we have a commitment to developing multilingual skills and this comes through in our Arts programme. For example performances and showcases are also conducted in another language such as Japanese or German.

MYP and DP classroom learning is complemented by a variety of co-curriculur activities including choir, jazz and rock ensembles, theatrical productions and art clubs, such as, making art from discarded materials in Recycling Club to learning how to present your art and design work in the Portfolio Club. 

ISH IBDP Arts

The ISH Diploma Program for the Arts offers a university-preparatory level course in one of our three subject areas: Drama, Music and Visual Arts. In the two-year course students learn to use their critical and creative thinking to become better practitioners in their chosen subject. Our coursework combines theory and skills with personal expression to prepare students for further education in, or appreciation of, the Arts as an integral part of our lives and culture.

Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) is a Core component of the IB Diploma Programme (DP) and aims to develop the whole person by complementing the academic side of the DP by encouraging students to take part in arts and creative activities, participating in sport and physical activity and contributing to the community through service learning. Reflective practice is a key aspect of CAS and helps students to build on their prior knowledge and background, enabling them to make links between their academic disciplines and their CAS experiences. 

The key purpose of CAS is for students to be involved in activities that will make a significant difference to their lives and also to the lives of others, as well as challenge themselves to extend existing skills or learn new ones. CAS should be both challenging and enjoyable and is a personal journey of self-discovery that will be different for each student. Examples of activities completed by ISH students include performing in the musicals, competing in ISST tournaments and volunteering at soup kitchens and shelters for the homeless. 

Students need to participate in  a variety of CAS experiences as well as complete a CAS Project during the two years of the DP. They work towards 7 CAS Learning Outcomes for which they record evidence before, during and after their activities. This involves written reflection, but may also include documents, links, photographs and other media, and is recorded on Managebac.  

Mentors play a significant role as CAS advisors by working with their mentees in order to ensure that they develop meaningful experiences which will have a positive impact on them and their communities, write authentic reflections and carry out three CAS interviews with students over the two-year programme. 

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is an important and integral part of the IBDP curriculum, and one of the three components of the IBDP Core. Students cannot be awarded the IB diploma if they have not completed the TOK course, even if they have completed all other subject requirements.

The course examines how we know what we claim to know. It is a critical thinking course which encourages students to think about the nature of knowledge, to reflect on the process of acquiring knowledge in various areas, on the process of learning in all the subjects they study as part of the DP, and to make connections across them.

The Extended Essay (EE) is a 4,000-word research essay which provides each student with the opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest. The extended essay acquaints IBDP students with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected by universities. The IB recommends that a student should devote a total of about 40 hours of private study and writing time to the essay. The EE may be written in one of the IBDP subjects, including many languages; it is advisable for students to choose a topic from a subject they are enrolled in, preferably at HL. Each student is assigned a supervisor for support.

At ISH we recognise that all students require different levels and kinds of support to ensure their wellbeing. First and foremost all staff at ISH are responsible for and committed to, providing a safe and secure environment for our students. And secondly, we have a specialized department dedicated to student's wellbeing: the Student Wellbeing Department (SWD). This department offers a variety of mental health support to students, both addressing the wider students’ needs and individual student needs.

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Support for English Language Learners in EAL

Different levels and types of additional English language support are available at ISH. The main aim of these classes is to help students develop language skills needed for their other subjects. Students are also encouraged to focus on grammar and vocabulary development as well as structural aspects of writing and speaking. There are two main programmes provided by EAL (English as an Additional Language) teachers within the EAL department.

The Individual Learning Programme (ILP):

Additional (academic) language support is also provided for students in Years 10 – 13, where ALP is not offered, and is open to students across the English Language & Literature – English Language Acquisition divide. Year 10 & 11 students in phases 2-3 of the English Language Acquisition course have to take at least one EAL period a week; other students needing additional language support (e.g. English Language & Literature students, students transitioning from the Language Acquisition course to the Language & Literature course, English B DP students) may be recommended by subject teachers or mentors.

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We employ a student-centric Learning Support policy at The International School of The Hague. This means that the student's needs are at the forefront of any support given, and any learning plans made. We have a dedicated Learning Support Team made up of highly qualified Learning Support Specialists.

If your child is under their care they will continually review the support they need, to make sure the your children are as supported as they can be within the context of our school. 

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