Mother Tongue
About
Vientiane International School supports the development and maintenance of mother tongue for all learners through:
- promotion of mother tongue instruction within the VIS community
- recognition of the importance of Lao language and culture in our community
- active support of mother tongue instruction through the provision of classroom space and language materials, and the provision of support and professional development to mother tongue teachers
- encouragement of parents to have their children involved with mother tongue instruction
- establishment and expansion of a foreign language/mother tongue section in the school Library Media Centre
- School-supported Self-taught Language A courses in the 11th and 12th grades in the student's mother tongue.
Our Programs
The Language A and Mother Tongue program at school is an integral part of the VIS curriculum. The classes align to the VIS mission and are designed to meet all VIS standards. The philosophy of the language program is deeply informed by the VIS commitment to the International Baccalaureate continuum.
Our Programs
Though the Mother Tongue curriculum is informed by best practices from national, state and local curricula, the official curriculum follows VIS philosophy, standards and practices within the IB continuum.
The main goal of the program is to offer an opportunity for students to maintain their mother tongue that is also growing and being supported in the home.
Every student enters the Mother Tongue program with a unique language profile. Lessons are differentiated for individual learners.
The program is designed to move into the school supported self-taught or taught language A program in the IB diploma. Whether or not this course is appropriate for an individual student can be determined in consultation with teachers, a counsellor and the DP learning coordinator.
Payment
The fee for Language A/Mother Tongue is based on a charge per course including a preparation period for the teacher. The fee is on a sliding scale based on number of students in the individual class.
Fees will be calculated by the languages office and invoiced to parents.
It is the responsibility of the parents to pay the mother tongue teachers and tutors directly, with the exception of the following:-
- German Mother Tongue - an invoice is issued by the finance office, payable annually of by semester.
- Lao Mother Tongue - is included in the main tuition fee.
Parents
Parents' Corner
Why are the language abilities so diverse in a classroom?
In any classroom, and in particular in any language classroom in an international school, there are students with complex language profiles. The job of the teacher and the school is to support each learner to grow and to meet appropriate grade level standards.
Will my child be at the same level as children of the same age in my home country?
This usually depends on the language level at which the student enters the program and the amount of support the student is receiving at home. It is important for mother tongue learners to read and speak in their mother tongue outside of school. Also, academic proficiency in a language can be difficult to maintain when learning other subjects in an "other" language.
What about university?
This partly depends on the age and language level of your children. The IB Diploma program lends itself well to joining universities in a very wide range of countries. Our counsellors can help with planning.
