“IB Dutch: what is it?” parents at Dutch for Children regularly ask me.

Ib nl, or international baccalaureate Dutch, is an international education program focused on the Dutch language and literature.

Students can follow this at several (international) schools under the guidance of an IB teacher, or if there is no teacher, go through the program with a remote teacher.

In this blog, I explain more about the meaning and content of an IB program and the level and significance of the diploma in the Netherlands.

International baccalaureate: the meaning

The International Baccalaureate (IB) stands for an international education program that prepares you for university. The IB diploma is recognized as equivalent to preparatory scientific education by Dutch bodies, including universities.

It is an international school system established in 1968 that, upon completion, gives access to university study.

Some background on the IB

Students (who are in grades 11-12 in an international school system) who follow the IB program take exams in six subjects. Among these are Studies in Language and Literature (Language A) and Language Acquisition (Language B). English is usually one of the two languages. In addition, another language must then be taken, such as Language A or Language B.

You can also take IB exams in just one subject, such as Language A or B Dutch. In this blog, we will talk about one of these two options.

Explanation of language programs A and B

Language B is about language acquisition, while Language A is for students who have mastered the language at a native level.

The IB program is designed for students in international schools, so in general, no matter how far behind your child is with Dutch (compared to their peers in the Netherlands), in this context, this does not have to be a reason to choose Dutch B. Your child can handle Dutch A faster than you might think.

Of course, it is best to discuss this with his teacher and/or any remote Dutch teacher (if he takes Dutch (extra) lessons).

Choice of language A

If the student chooses Dutch A, English can be chosen as English B or second language A.

If there is no IB Dutch teacher at school, your child can take the Language A: Literature program at Standard Level (SL) with a distance teacher.

Your child’s school remains responsible for all procedures. They are also required to monitor progress. The school and the remote teacher will keep in close contact if all goes well. The remote teacher compiles the book list with the student and guides the student through the program.

What is the international baccalaureate (ib nl)? Content

The content of the language A literature (SL) Dutch program is explained here. What is the content of the program?

In the program ‘Language A: Language and Literature, ‘ students discover how language works and why it is so important. They learn that language is not only for talking but also for sharing experiences and understanding the world around us.

Students learn how to use language themselves and improve their writing and speaking skills. During the course, they look at how different words, text types, and literary forms (such as poems or stories) can change the meaning of a text. They also learn how their own ideas about a text can differ from those of others and how culture can influence these opinions.

In addition, students engage in activities that help them understand how text, images, or sounds work together to convey a message.

The Language A: Language and Literature course is available at two levels: standard level and higher level.

In the tables below, you can see the components and testing of this program.

Components Language A: Language and Literature

Please see our Dutch blog for the components table.

Assessment Language A: language and literature

Please see our Dutch blog for the assessment table.

The international baccalaureate level

The Netherlands equates the level of an IB exam with the two levels. In practice, we hear from many students and parents that this is sometimes true but that the level is higher in some subjects.

Students who choose to take the IB Dutch exam work through a curriculum that places a lot of emphasis on writing. This is beneficial and can be fine because IB classes are often small. And if the program is “self-taught” with an outside teacher, there is simply one-on-one tutoring. As a result, the student is offered customized instruction, and where there are any knowledge gaps, they are closed.

The positive thing about this program over other language programs is that the student is encouraged to connect language with critical thinking. As a result, it is broader than just language. There is more room for creative and productive things like speaking, discourse, and writing.

This will greatly benefit the learner as he enters higher education or college. The program offers more depth and better preparation for university and/or science education.

Baccalaureate diploma

The IB exam ‘Language A: language and Literature’ gives access to Dutch and foreign universities and is comparable to a Dutch VWO diploma for the subject Dutch. The exam is also recognized worldwide.

Exam ib nl: the preparations

In the course of the IB program, students practice several papers. In the mock and real exams, students must write by hand. So we always tip: Practice this occasionally when you are just typing.

Other tips are:

• Review my own work back and especially what the feedback was from the teacher.
• Make sure you have a good checklist.
• Go over the theory again.
• Discuss the grading criteria with the teacher, and look at the papers you have made.

The oral was also practiced with the teacher. In this oral, the student is tasked with connecting texts to a world problem. Regardless of the topic, the student is assessed on text comprehension and analytical skills. We recommend practicing several times and of course taking your teacher’s feedback into account.

Other tips are:

• Make speaking cards.
• Please make a video of it and watch it back with the assessment criteria in your hand.
• If possible, watch other practice mouthpieces.

Ib nl and Dutch for Children

What can we at Dutch for Children do for your child if he wants to do ib nl?

Explanation ib

First, we can familiarize you with the program, the components, and an estimate of whether your child can and wants to do the level. This is obviously easier if we are already teaching your child. For this reason, we often give new students 2 – 4 lessons to get a good estimate of their level, potential, and motivation.

Advice

We also weigh with you and your child the pros and cons of this choice compared to other Dutch exams such as Staatsexamen, language tests, etc. Not everyone is aware of the different possibilities. Because of our profession, we are well up to date. Furthermore, we easily find our way into the language requirements of the various courses in the Netherlands.

Guidance of students

At Dutch for Children, we can guide students during the pre-IB period to prepare them for the actual IB program in grades 11 and 12. After that, we can also, in cooperation with your child’s school, guide them to pass the IB exam successfully. Your child will then follow the Standard Level (SL) program.

My child wants to do a Dutch exam. I would like to know more

How nice and exciting that your child wants to take a Dutch exam. Will it be an IB diploma, a Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal, or maybe a Staatsexamen Nt2? We can help you further with explanations, advice, and guidance.

Would you like to know more or make an appointment, please send us an e-mail or fill out the form and we will respond quickly.