Danish at AIS
Danish language is an important part of the curriculum at AIS. In both PYP and MYP, there are three different levels students can study Danish:
- Danish A
- Danish B
- Danish C
Danish A is a Language and Literature study, aimed at students who have mother tongue level in Danish.
Danish B and C are Language Acquisition studies, aimed at students who are learning Danish as a second language.
These three strands are in place to support language development and allow students to grow within and across the levels.
Danish in the PYP
At AIS, we believe that part of being in Denmark for either short or long term stays, it is important that students also learn the language and the culture. It is a unique opportunity to understand and to engage in the local community.
Integrating Danish into the AIS curriculum
Students begin studying Danish as they enter school in PYP4, and they have 4 or 5 Danish lessons per week, depending upon level. The Danish language programme at AIS strives to raise each student’s appreciation of and performance in all areas of the Danish language. To be able to achieve this, we offer Danish at three different levels in our Primary Programme to support learners who are just beginning their Danish language journey, whilst also fostering the learning of native or near-native speakers. Danish A follows the Danish curriculum (Dansk Fælles Mål) and the Danish B/C groups follow a locally developed curriculum for language acquisition.
Furthermore, through careful assessments throughour the year, our Danish teachers are able to ensure that each student is placed in the most appropriate language level and pace, according to their experience of Danish language.
We encourage students to take an active part in their local community and to join Danish clubs or sports, both for the social connections and local friendships, and also to support ongoing language development. We also encourage families to use Danish at home, when possible, to encourage student language acquisition further.
A Future in Danish
Many PYP families wonder about the Danish levels at AIS and what this means for future opportunities if they are to stay in Denmark long-term. Students who are in Danish A are eligible to take the 9th Grade Danish Language Exam at the end of MYP5 and are also therefore eligible to apply for an upper-secondary education in the Danishpublic/private high school system. Students with a good mastery ofDanishB also have the opportunity to continue on following MYP5 into aDanish speaking programme at a public/private high school here in Denmark. Sometimes students are asked to sit a test in the admissions process or to take part in an interview with the receiving school, in order to have their language skills evaluated. We are proud of the track record of our students who have graduated from MYP5, and we have experienced that AIS students are able to access a wide variety of upper secondary education programmes here in Denmark, and abroad.
Danish in MYP
Danish A
Danish A is for those who are mother tongue proficient.
The Danish A lessons are targeted towards preparing the students to sit for the Danish national exam at the end of MYP 5. They will become prepared through a wide study of different genres, literary eras, new and old forms of communication. The students will encounter everything from folk tales, poetry from 19th century, advertisements from yesterday and short stories written during second world war. The purpose of the subject is to better understand the world around them and become aware citizens who critically will make their mark on the future.
The Danish curriculum focuses on the students experience of Danish, in literature as well as in other forms of expressions. Danish A serves to promote the students own personal growth through a study in historical, aesthetical and current use of the Danish language.
The students will sit for the National Danish Exam at the end of MYP 5 (afgangsprøve).
As the students prepare for the Danish national exam; grammatical conventions, reading strategies and various writing competencies is part of the curriculum as well.
Danish A follows the requirements prescribed by the IB for the subject ‘Language and Literature’. The students will delve into the different concepts through literature and other types of expression. In Danish A the grading follows the standards of the MYP, but as the IB don’t offer Danish as an exam option, they exam at the end of MYP 5 will follow the Danish national standards.
Questions related to Danish A can be directed to Mr. Tobias at tj@ais-aarhus.dk
Danish B & C
Danish B is for those who have Danish as a second language. The major focus for Danish B is working with communication skills and learning about Danish culture and history.
Danish C is for those who are new to acquiring Danish, and where it will be considered a foreign language.
In MYP the students have 4 lessons a week, which follow the IB Language B programme.
The students are organized into phases according to their language ability and experience from Phase 1 to Phase 6 (with Phase 1 being beginner level and Phase 6 being native speaker level) and should expect to move through the phases at a rate of one phase a year. So a student who joins the school in Phase 1 Danish in MYP1 and stayed at the school for all five years of the MYP would expect to finish MYP5 as Level 5 or 6 Danish.
We recognize that students coming to AIS have very different previous experience in speaking, reading and writing the Danish language and assess all incoming students carefully in order to place them correctly in phases.
Both B and C follows the structure and requirements on the MYP subject ‘Language Acquisition’,
B is phase 3 & 4 and C is phase 1 & 2.
In both groups, communication competence is key, and the curricula are tailored towards preparing the students to be able to interact in the world that is surrounding them here in Denmark. Gradually the students will build up their vocabulary, knowledge of the Danish language to be able to communicate. Parts of Danish culture, heritage and traditions are also important and will integrated into the units that are studied in Danish lessons. The units consists of a broad range of topics from; Danish music, who we are, homes around the world, celebrations and sport and spare time, in a mix of incorporating the students’ own interests and introducing them Denmark, and especially the different sites of Aarhus that we are situated in the heart of.
Questions related to Danish B can be directed to Mrs. Ditte Bredtoft Winther at: db@ais-aarhus.dk
Questions related to Danish C can be directed to Mrs. Britt Nissen at: bn@ais-aarhus.dk
Danish Language Proficency Exam
AIS is a “prøvefri” (exam free) school. Danish A students in MYP5 will enter for the Danish Folkeskolens Afgangsprøve (FSA) for Danish A only. Students will not be undertaking the full Folkeskolens Afgangsprøve at AIS.
The students graduating in June 2017 were the first group to undertake the Danish A exam. Since 2017 AIS has offered all Danish A graduating students the opportunity to take the Danish A exam.
You can visit their website for further information: https://www.uvm.dk/folkeskolen/folkeskolens-proever