Academic Handbook
Grades 11 & 12
2023-2024

Table of Contents
1. Guiding Statements

4

2. Leadership at UWC ISAK Japan5

Who is a transformational Leader?
Key Components of Leadership programme for IBDP Students (G11-12)
How Do We Gauge our Success?
Leadership Portfolio & Leadership Diploma

5
5
6
6

3. Academic Honesty

6

4. Award of Diploma

7

UWC ISAK Japan High School Diploma
IB Course Certificate
IB Diploma Certificate
Bilingual Diploma
Leadership Diploma

7
7
7
8
8

5. Academic program (Grades 11-12)

8

Course Selection
University Prerequisites Chart
IBDP Required Subjects
Courses offered at UWC ISAK Japan: 2018-2019*
Request for subject and level changes
IB Diploma programme Assessment
UWC ISAK Japan Attainment Indicators
What other skills and qualities do we look to assess?
The Diploma Points Matrix

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9
10
10
11
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12
13
13

6. UWC ISAK Japan Course Selections for 2020-2021

14Group 1: Studies in language and literature (Language A)

14

Chinese A: Literature
Course Description
Course Outline
Assessments
Skills Developed
Language A: English
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessments
Language A: Japanese Language and Literature: Japanese (言語A : 日本語 言語と文学)
Course Description (科目概要)
Course outline
Assessment
Spanish A Language and Literature
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
School Supported Self Taught Language A Literature
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment

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14
14
15
16
17
17
17
18
18
20
20
21
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23
24
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27

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 1

Group 2: Language acquisition (Language B and ab initio)
English B
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Japanese B
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Japanese Ab Initio
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Mandarin B
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Mandarin Ab initio
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Spanish B
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Spanish Ab Initio
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Group 3: Individuals and societies
Economics
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Global Politics: People, Power & Politics
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
History - Culture and Identity in the Modern World
Course Description
Course Content
Skills Developed
Assessment
Group 4: Sciences
Biology

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29
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31
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31
32
32
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36
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46
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48
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50
51
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52
53
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54
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 2

Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Computer Science
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills developed
Assessment
Chemistry
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Environmental Systems & Societies (SL only)
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Physics
Course Description
Course​​Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Group 5: Mathematics
Mathematics: Analysis and approaches
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations (SL only)
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Group 6: The Arts
Film

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58
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59
60
60
60
61
61
63
63
63
63
64
64
64
65
66
66
67
67
67
67
68
68
69
69
70
70
70
71

Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Theater
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Visual Arts
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment

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80
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82
82

Core Elements (Academic)

78

Theory of Knowledge (TOK)78
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 3

Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Extended Essay (EE)
Description

78
78
78
79
79
79

Assessment

79

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 4

1. Guiding Statements
A Shared Mission
UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future
Our Distinct Identity
To empower our students to become transformational leaders who explore new frontiers for the greater
good of Asia and beyond
Our Motto
One Life. Realize your Potential. Be a catalyst for positive change.

2. Leadership at UWC ISAK Japan
A unique and core component of UWC ISAK Japan is our focus on leadership. Our leadership programme
is integrated into all aspects of living and learning on campus.

Who is a transformational Leader?
A transformational leader is someone who consistently identifies what is most important
and what is needed, takes purposeful action in the face of discomfort, uses diversity as
a strength, and supports others in this practice. With continuous practice, atransformational leader creates positive change within self and the community at large.

Leadership is a Practice
Leadership is not a position or status that a selective group of people earn, whether by the virtue of theireconomic or social position in society or their innate demeanor or personality. No matter what our
background or personality, we can all engage in practices that support our growth in leadership skills andmindsets to become positive change makers. While developing these core skills and mindsets, UWC ISAK
Japan offers a human-centered environment where each of us can find our own strengths, and ourauthentic ways to creating positive change.

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 5

Key Components of Leadership programme for IBDP Students (G11-12)
Leadership Projects
Across G11 and G12, all students engage in Leadership Projects, in which students in teams create anddevelop a project to bring about positive change to an issue of global significance. These projects are
student-led, with support from external professionals and faculty members as needed. Through thedevelopment of these projects, students practice the leadership skills and mindsets learned in Grade 10,
and further develop important hard skills, such as action planning and project management to bring theirprojects to life. In the past, students have developed a variety of projects from supporting the revitalisationof earthquake affected areas in Nepal to working with local businesses to improve tourism in Karuizawa.
Students can also join projects led by faculty members, in which they can explore leadership roles without
being required to initiate a project.
Across all years at UWC ISAK Japan, further practice opportunities are provided in academic courses,
outdoor education, residential life, advisory, service and volunteering opportunities and activities to nurture
the core leadership skills and mindsets. These include acting as residential assistants, student
ambassadors, leading and navigating outdoor education trips, and creating and leading student-led
activities.

How Do We Gauge Our Success?
At UWC ISAK Japan, we believe that ultimate success is achieved when the entire UWC ISAK Japan
community is committed to the practice of transformational leadership; engaged in getting better at
Awareness, Connecting, Action-Taking, Self-Discipline, and Creativity; and making visible positive impact
for the greater good of Asia and beyond.

Leadership Portfolio & Leadership Diploma
In order for students to track their engagement in the leadership practice and growth in their leadershipskills and mindsets, each student designs and creates their own web-based leadership portfolio across all
years at UWC ISAK Japan. They use this space to showcase major artifacts of their leadership practices,and reflect on their growth as leaders.

3. Academic Honesty
Definition: The School defines malpractice as behavior that results in, or may result in, the student or any
other students gaining an unfair advantage in assessment components. Malpractice includes the following:

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 6

(a) Plagiarism: This is defined as the act of presenting someone else's ideas, work, or content, including
those generated by artificial intelligence, as one's own without proper attribution(b) Collusion: This is defined as supporting malpractice by another student, as in allowing one's work to becopied or submitted for assessment by another.
(c) Duplication of work: This is defined as the presentation of the same work for different assessment
components and/or diploma requirements.
(d) Any other behavior that gains an unfair advantage for a student or affects the results of anotherstudent. For example, taking unauthorised material or devices into an examination room, misconduct
during an examination, falsifying a CAS record, disclosure of information to and receipt of information fromstudents about the content of an examination paper within 24 hours after a written examination.
If malpractice is proven, no grade will be given in that subject and the diploma will not be awarded, instead
certificates in other subjects may be issued. The student will be barred from retaking examinations for atleast one year.

4. Award of Diploma
UWC ISAK Japan High School Diploma
UWC ISAK Japan students are eligible to receive a diploma from the Japanese Ministry of Education(MEXT). Sufficient class attendance and successful academic attainment in Grades 10-12 will enable
students to receive an ISAK High School Diploma, which may also have equivalency in other countries.

IB Course Certificate
This category applies to students registering for any combination of individual subjects and/or coreelements who are not entering for the full diploma. The participation and attendance for CAS and TOK isrequired for school mission and MEXT purposes.

IB Diploma Certificate
The diploma is awarded to students who gain at least 24 points (each IB course is graded on the IB 1-7
point scale), subject to certain minimum levels of performance across the whole diploma and to satisfactory
participation in Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS).
TOK and the EE are graded A–E, with A being the highest grade. These two grades are then combined in
the diploma points matrix to contribute between 0 and 3 points to the total. Please see in the Diploma
Points Matrix how EE and TOK are awarded these points.

Core requirements:

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 7

●

●
●
●
●

Students must study six subjects, plus the three core subjects—EE, TOK and CAS. They must
accumulate no fewer than 24 points from assessment in these subjects, in addition to grade
stipulations.
They must meet all of the additional requirements - see the detailed requirements below.
They must meet all of the requirements within a maximum of three examination sessions.
Candidates who successfully meet these conditions will be awarded the diploma.
Candidates who take the diploma in multiple languages may be eligible for a bilingual diploma.

Additional requirements:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

CAS requirements have been met.
There is no “N” awarded for TOK, the EE or for a contributing subject.
There is no grade E awarded for TOK and/or the EE.
There is no grade 1 awarded in a subject/level.
There are no more than two grade 2s awarded (HL or SL).
There are no more than three grade 3s or below awarded (HL or SL).
The candidate has gained 12 points or more on HL subjects. (For candidates who register for four
HL subjects, the three highest grades count.)
The candidate has gained 9 points or more on SL subjects. (Candidates who register for two SL
subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL.)The candidate has not received a penalty for academic misconduct from the final award committee.

Bilingual Diploma
A bilingual diploma will be awarded to a successful candidate who fulfills one or more of the following
criteria:●●●

Completion of two languages selected from the studies in language and literature subject group withthe award of a grade 3 or higher in both languages.
Completion of one of the subjects from the individuals and societies, or sciences subject groups in alanguage that is not the same as the candidate's nominated studies in language and literature
language.
Attainment of a grade 3 or higher in both the studies in language and literature language and thesubject from individuals and societies, or sciences subject groups.

5.) Academic program (Grades 11-12)
Course Selection
All Grade 11 and 12 courses at UWC ISAK Japan are IB courses, except for Physical Education, which is a
MEXT required course. Students should start the process of choosing IB Diploma programme (IBDP)
courses by consulting the list of subjects offered at the school.
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 8

As well as considering personal strengths in individual subjects, when making course selections students
should also take into account their future education and career plans, if they exist. Students should become
familiar with the specific requirements of the universities in the countries to which they intend to apply, as
different universities in different countries have different entrance requirements. It is important that students
are aware that specific subjects or combinations of subjects could be required (or excluded) by the country
or university of choice. The following chart lists some of the prerequisites required for certain university
degrees in the UK, Canada, US, Australia, and Japan. More detailed information about universities aroundthe world is available from the school’s university advisors.
We strongly recommended that students spend as much time as possible discussing your options with as
many people as possible, including parents and teachers. Decisions made at this stage in a student’s
education may have real consequences, so it is vital that choices are made only after full research andconsultation.
The chart below lists some of the IBDP courses that may be required for various programs at universities in
the UK, Canada, USA, Australia, and Japan.

University Prerequisites Chart
UK

CanadaUS

Australia

Japan

Architecture

may require HL
Mathematics; HL
Physics; Art or
DesignTechnology;
portfolio

may require HL or SL
Mathematics; may
require two Sciences(GCSE may satisfy
one)recommend HLMathematics and HL
Science for B.ARCH.

may require HL
Mathematics and/or
Physics; may encourage
portfolio

General admissions
requirements
No English Courses-Japanese language
ability required
JLPT1 highly
recommended
日本留学試験 -Examination for Japanese
University Admission forInternational Students(EJU)

Art & Design

portfolio/audition
usually required;relevant IBDP
subject usuallyrequired

portfolio/audition
usually required;relevant IBDP subject
usually required

portfolio/audition
usually required;relevant IBDP subject
usually required

portfolio/audition usuallyrequired; relevant IBDP
subject usually required

General admissions
requirements
No English Courses-Japanese language
ability required
JLPT1 highly
recommended
日本留学試験 -Examination for Japanese
University Admission forInternational Students(EJU)

Businessmay require SL
Mathematics

may require HL or SL
Mathematics

no specificprerequisites; IB
Business usually not
required

may require HL or SL
Mathematics

General admissions
requirements
May require Japanese
language ability

Economics

often require HL
Mathematics; may
require SL
Mathematics

may require at least
SL Mathematics

no specificprerequisites; IB
Economics usually not
required

may require atleast SL Mathematics

General admissions
requirements

Engineering

usually require HL
Mathematics and
HL Physics

may require HL or SL
Mathematics; usuallyrequires two Sciences

recommend SL or HL
Mathematics and one
or more HL Sciences

may require HL or SL
Mathematics; andChemistry or Physics

General admissions
requirements
Require (or highly

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 9(Chemistry often
required)recommends) HL
Mathematics and one HL
Science (Chemistry,
Physics)

Sciencemay require SL or
HL Mathematics
and one or more
HL Sciences

May require HL or SL
Mathematics; usuallyrequires two Sciences

recommend HLMathematics and one
or more HL Science

may require SL
Mathematics and one HL
Science

General admissions
requirements
May require two HL
Sciences (Chemistry,
Physics)

Law

may require
English A;
essay-based
subjects
recommended(e.g., History)

Not available as anundergraduate option

Not available asundergraduate option

may require English A

General admissions
requirements
No English Courses-Japanese language
ability required
JLPT1 highly
recommended
日本留学試験 -Examination for Japanese
University Admission forInternational Students(EJU)

English/Literature

recommend IBDP
English A:
Literature

Recommend IBDP
English A: Literature

Recommend IBDP
English A: Literature

recommend IBDP English
A: Literature

General admissions
requirements

Medicine

requires two HL
Sciences; HL
Chemistry andusually HL Biology

Not available asundergraduate option

Not available asundergraduate option

usually require Chemistry
and may require Physics
or Mathematics (HL or
SL)General admissions
requirements
Recommends JLPT1 or 2
日本留学試験 -Examination for Japanese
University Admission forInternational Students(EJU)

Psychology

may require atleast SLMathematics; may
require one HLfrom Biology,
Chemistry,
Mathematics or
Physics

may require at least
SL Mathematics

no specificprerequisites; IBDP
Psychology usually not
required

may require at least SL
Mathematics

General admissions
requirements
No English Courses-Japanese language
ability required

IBDP Required Subjects
The IBDP is an internationally respected two year pre-university program. It is academically rigorous,
promotes diversity and tolerance, and allows students to set personal challenges. Its standards andassessments are high quality. To be eligible for the IB Diploma, each student is required to follow six IB
subjects, with one subject taken from each group in the curriculum model:
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Group 1: Studies in language and literature (Language A)
Group 2: Language acquisition (Language B and Ab Initio)
Group 3: Individuals and societies
Group 4: Sciences
Group 5: Mathematics
Group 6: The Arts (OR, an additional subject from Groups 1- 4)

Furthermore, all IB Diploma students must choose:UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 10●●Three courses at Higher Level (HL)
Three courses at Standard Level (SL)

Courses offered at UWC ISAK Japan*
Group

Subjects

Group 1

●
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Chinese A Literature (HL & SL)
English A Language and Literature (HL & SL)
English A Literature (HL & SL)
Japanese A Language and Literature (HL & SL)
Spanish A Language and Literature (HL & SL)
School Supported Self-taught Language A Literature (SL only)Group 2●●English B (HL & SL)
Chinese, Japanese and Spanish are offered at ab initio (SL)and/or B (SL & HL) levels.

Group 3●●●●

Economics (HL & SL)
Global Politics (HL & SL)
History (HL & SL)
Environmental systems and societies (SL only)Group 4●●●●●

Biology (HL & SL)
Physics (HL & SL)
Chemistry (HL & SL)
Computer Science (HL & SL)
Environmental systems and societies (SL only)Group 5●●Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations (SL)Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (SL & HL)

Group 6●●●

Film (HL & SL)
Theater (HL & SL)
Visual Arts (HL & SL)Core
Elements●●●

Extended Essay
Theory of Knowledge
Creativity, Activity, Service*Course availability is also subject to the number of students signed-up
In addition, all IB Diploma students must complete:●●●

A course in the Theory of Knowledge (TOK)A 4000-word Extended Essay in a subject of their choice
A Creativity, Activity, & Service (CAS) programme

Request for subject and level changes
Students are authorized to make modifications to their IB subjects/levels in accordance with the establishedprocedure. Changes to subjects are permissible until the end of September 2023, while adjustments to

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 11

levels can be made until the end of November 2023. It is strongly advised that students finalize their subject
and level selections promptly and no later than the release of the first quarter report.
Students who are considering a subject/level change should first consult with their advisor, current andreceiving teachers, university advisors and parents before meeting with the Diploma (DP) Coordinator.
Changes in either subject or level can only be made after a Request Form has been completed and signedby the DP coordinator and approved by the Deputy Head of Academics. Upon completion of the form, thestudent will be informed of whether the requested change is possible, and in the case that the subject/levelchange is not possible, explaining the reasons.

IB Diploma Programme Assessment
External Assessment:
Examinations form the basis of the assessment for most courses because of their high levels of objectivity
and reliability. They include: essays, structured problems, short-response questions, data-response
questions, text-response questions, case-study questions, multiple-choice questions (limited use of these).
There are additional externally assessed assignments as well, such as the Theory of Knowledge essay andthe Extended Essay. These are completed by students over an extended period under teacher supervision
instead of examination conditions, and are then marked by external examiners.
Internal Assessment:
Teacher assessment is also used for most courses. This includes: oral work in languages, fieldwork,
laboratory work in the sciences, investigations in mathematics, artistic performances. Assessments aremoderated by the IB external examiners and normally contribute between 20% and 30% of the total mark.
Some of the arts courses, for example Theater or Visual Arts, have assessment of major practicalcomponents, which can account for as much as 40% of the total mark.
The Diploma Points Matrix
The IB Matrix is used to determine the number of points earned from TOK and the EE. Incomplete CAS
programmes or inadequate work on the EE or TOK will result in the failure of the IB Diploma.

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 12

Guidelines in case of missing major assessment deadlines:
In situations where students have not met deadlines or have not taken the G12 mock exams or G11 End ofYear exams, UWC ISAK Japan will apply the Assessment Policy for the 2023-24 academic year, which
outlines the procedure to be followed in such instances.

UWC ISAK Japan Attainment Indicators
UWC ISAK Japan uses its own set of internal attainment indicators, which allow us to focus on student
learning and provide for cohesion across grade levels. In addition, they allow us to harmonise both the IB
and Japanese Ministry of Education grading requirements.
UWC ISAK
Level

7

6

5

Attainment Grade

Descriptors

Excellent

Skills Development​- Consistent and thorough evidence of the ability toapply skills both widely and flawlessly.
Content Acquisition​- Consistent and thorough evidence of near-mastery oftargeted subject knowledge.
Conceptual Understanding​- Consistent and thorough evidence of highquality analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
Consistent and thorough evidence of originality and insight.

Very Good

Skills Development ​- Consistent and thorough evidence of the ability toapply skills widely.
Content Acquisition​- Frequent evidence of near-mastery of targeted
subject knowledge.
Conceptual Understanding ​- Frequent evidence of high quality analysis,
synthesis and evaluation. Frequent evidence of originality and insight.

Good

Skills Development ​- Frequent evidence of the ability to apply skills tomost situations.
Content Acquisition ​- Frequent evidence of good targeted subject
knowledge.
Conceptual Understanding ​- Frequent evidence of good analysis,
synthesis and evaluation. Occasional evidence of originality and insight.

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 13

Satisfactory

4

Skills Development ​- Evidence of the ability to apply skills effectively insome situations. Content Acquisition ​- Occasional evidence of targeted
subject knowledge.
Conceptual Understanding ​- Occasional evidence of analysis, synthesis
and evaluation.

Underdeveloped
Attainment

Skills Development ​- Limited evidence of the application of appropriate
skills. Content Acquisition ​- Limited evidence of targeted subject
knowledge. Conceptual Understanding ​- Limited evidence of analysis,
synthesis and evaluation.

2

Low Measurable
Attainment

Skills Development ​- Very limited evidence of the application of
appropriate skills. Content Acquisition ​- Very limited evidence of targeted
subject knowledge. Conceptual Understanding ​- Very limited evidence ofanalysis, synthesis and evaluation.

1

No Measurable
Attainment

3

Minimal evidence demonstrated of required expectations

What other skills and qualities do we look to assess?
When the school sends home report cards, students, and their families, receive their attainment level per
subject and also narrative comments where teachers and advisors discuss the students’ growth andprovide feedback on their approaches to learning. Among these skills and qualities, teachers and advisors
may discuss “awareness”, or the students’ capacity to observe oneself and the environment and tounderstand what is important for the greater good. Teachers and advisors may also discuss “connecting”, or
how the student empathizes with members of the community, understands diverse potentials and supports
others towards a common goal. Teachers and advisors may also discuss “action taking”, or how the student
steps out of their comfort zone and acts with courage. Teachers and advisors may also discuss“Self-Discipline”, or how the student responds to challenges with measured reflection, resilience andoptimism. Teachers and advisors may also discuss “Creativity”, or how students’ generate ideas and build
upon the ideas of others.

6.) UWC ISAK Japan Course Selection
Group 1: Studies in language and literature (Language A)
Chinese A: Literature
Course Description
The IBDP Chinese A Literature course at UWC ISAK Japan offers students a comprehensive exploration ofChinese literature, language, and culture. Designed for students passionate about the Chinese language
and eager to delve into its rich literary heritage, this course fosters critical thinking, analytical skills, andUWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 14

cultural awareness. Students will develop a deep understanding of the complexities and nuances of theChinese language and its representation in literature through studying various literary texts and genres.
Course Objectives:
1. Literary Analysis: Students will develop the ability to critically analyze and interpret a diverse range ofChinese literary works, including classical and contemporary texts. They will explore themes, motifs,
narrative techniques, and cultural contexts, enhancing their literary appreciation and analysis skills.
2. Language Proficiency: Through the study of literature, students will enhance their Chinese language
proficiency, both in terms of vocabulary and complex sentence structures. They will also improve theirwritten and oral communication skills through discussions, essays, and presentations.
3. Cultural Insight: The course aims to deepen students' understanding of Chinese culture, history, andsociety by examining how literature reflects and shapes cultural identities, values, and social dynamics.
4. Cross-Cultural Connections: By comparing Chinese literature to works from other cultures, students willdevelop a broader perspective on universal themes and global literary trends, fostering interculturalcompetence.
5. Independent Inquiry: Throughout the course, students will engage in independent research projects,
allowing them to explore areas of personal interest within the realm of Chinese literature. This will promote
self-directed learning and intellectual curiosity.

Course Outline
Unit 1: Introduction to Chinese Literature● Introduction to the course and its objectives● Overview of Chinese literary history and major periods● Analysis of classical and modern Chinese texts● Discussion of literary elements and techniques
Unit 2: Cultural Context and Literary Analysis● Exploration of cultural, historical, and societal influences on literature● In-depth analysis of selected texts from different periods● Study of narrative techniques, symbolism, and literary devices● Guided class discussions on themes and interpretations
Unit 3: Genre Studies: Poetry and Prose● Examination of classical and modern Chinese poetry● Analysis of poetic forms, structures, and themes● Study of classical Chinese prose and essays● Comparisons of different literary genres and their significance
Unit 4: Comparative Literature● Comparative study of Chinese literature with works from other cultures● Identification of cross-cultural influences and themes● Analysis of translation challenges and its impact on meaning● Assessment of cultural sensitivity in interpreting texts
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 15

Unit 5: Individual Oral Presentations● Selection of a literary work for individual analysis● Preparation and delivery of an oral presentation● In-depth exploration of themes, literary devices, and cultural contexts● Evaluation of communication skills and critical thinking
Unit 6: Works in Translation● Analysis of works by Chinese authors translated into other languages● Discussion of the role of translation in conveying cultural nuances● Examination of the challenges and opportunities in translation● Comparison of original texts and their translated versions
Book List
Part 1: Works in translation● Doll’s House《玩偶之家》/《玩偶之家》(Henrik Ibsen)● Rashomon《罗生门》/《羅生門》(Akutagawa Ryunosuke)● The Metamorphosis 《变形记》/《變形記》(Franz Kafka)
Part 2: Detailed study● 李白《李太白集》● 柳宗元《柳宗元散文选》/《柳宗元散文選》● 苏轼《苏轼词选》/ 蘇軾《蘇軾詞選》
Part 3: Literary genres● 张爱玲《红玫瑰与白玫瑰》/ 張愛玲《紅玫瑰與白玫瑰》● 沈从文《边城》/ 沈從文《邊城》● 白先勇《永远的尹雪艳》/ 白先勇《永遠的尹雪豔》
Part 4: Options (in which works are freely chosen by the teacher)● 曹禺《雷雨》● 钱钟书《围城》/ 錢鍾書《圍城》● 曹雪芹《红楼梦》第15-25回 /曹雪芹《紅樓夢》第15-25回

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 16

Assessments

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 17

Skills Developed
●

●
●
●
●
●

Develop in students the ability to engage in close, detailed analysis of individual texts and makerelevant connections develop the students’ powers of expression, both in oral and written
communication
Encourage students to recognise the importance of the contexts in which texts are written andreceived
Encourage, through the study of texts, an appreciation of the different perspectives of people fromother cultures, and how these perspectives construct meaning
Encourage students to appreciate the formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities of texts promote instudents an enjoyment of, and lifelong interest in literature
Develop in students an understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism
Develop the students’ ability to form independent literary judgments and to support those ideas

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 18

Language A: English Language and Literature
Course Description
Language and literature comprises three units or areas of exploration- Readers, Writers and Texts, Timeand Space and Intertextuality.
The study of the texts produced in a language is central to an active engagement with language and culture
and, by extension, to how we see and understand the world in which we live. A key aim of the language A:
language and literature course is to encourage students to question the meaning generated by language
and texts. Helping students to focus closely on the language of the texts they study and to become awareof the role of each text’s wider context in shaping its meaning is central to the course.
The language A: language and literature course aims to develop in students skills of textual analysis andthe understanding that texts, both literary and non-literary, can be seen as autonomous yet simultaneously
related to culturally determined reading practices. The course is designed to be flexible—teachers have theopportunity to construct it in a way that reflects the interests and concerns that are relevant to their students
while developing in students a range of transferable skills. An understanding of the ways in which formal
elements are used to create meaning in a text is combined with an exploration of how that meaning isaffected by reading practices that are culturally defined and by the circumstances of production andreception.
In view of the international nature of both the UWC movement and the IB, and both’s commitment tointercultural understanding, the language A: language and literature course does not limit the study of texts
to the products of one culture or of the cultures covered by any one language. The study of literature intranslation from other cultures is especially important to our academic learning programme because it
contributes to developing a global perspective, thereby promoting an insight into, and understanding of, thedifferent ways in which cultures influence and shape the experiences of life common to all humanity.

Course Outline
DP1 Semester 1: Readers, Writers and Texts
Key concepts: Identity, Culture, Representation, Perspective
Inquiry questions: How are problems with one’s identity represented in texts? How do interpretations ofmotives differ according to the contexts of reception?
Formative Assessment: Paper 1 and 2 (practice)

DP1 Semester 2: Time and space

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 19

Key concepts: Perspective, Communication, Creativity
Inquiry questions: How do perspectives on issues vary according to one’s gender or position? How arethese perspectives communicated through language such as through word play?

Formative Assessment: Individual orals (practice)

DP2 Semester 1: Intertextuality: connecting texts
Key concepts: Creativity, Transformation, Representation, Culture
Inquiry questions: How are ideas of power, strength and justice explored in the texts? How do thetreatments of some of these ideas transform culture and societies? Should literary texts be more creative or
realistic to have transformational purposes?
Summative Assessment: Actual HL essay and Individual Orals

DP2 Semester 2
Revision, mock exams and final exam preparation.
Summative Assessment: Paper 1 and 2

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Analyse literature contextually
Analyse literary elements
Compose literary analytical essay
Analyse the power of language
Analyse the power of media
Presentation skills
Collaborative skills
Time management

Assessments
Assessments SL
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 20

External Assessment

70%

Paper 1: Textual analysis (1 hour 15 minutes)
The paper consists of two unseen language texts.
Students write an analysis of one of these texts.

35%

Paper 2: Comparative essay (1 hour 45 minutes)
In response to one of four questions, students write an essay based on two of
the literary texts studied.

35%

Internal Assessment

30%

Individual oral
Students comment on a chosen global issue using a language text and literarywork studied in the course. (10 minutes of commentary followed by 5 minutesof interaction with the teacher)

30%

Assessments HLExternal Assessment

80%

Paper 1: Textual analysis (2 hours 15 minutes)
The paper consists of two unseen language texts.
Students write an analysis of both of these texts separately.

35%

Paper 2: Comparative essay (1 hour 45 minutes)
In response to one of four questions, students write an essay based on two of
the literary texts studied.

25%

HL essayStudents submit an essay based on either a body of language texts or aliterary work studied with their own enquiry question. (1200-1500 words)

20%

Internal Assessment

20%

Individual oral
Students comment on a chosen global issue using a language text and literarywork studied in the course. (10 minutes of commentary followed by 5 minutesof interaction with the teacher)

20%

Language A Japanese : Language and Literature (言語A 日本語：言語と文学)

Course Description (コース概要)
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 21

対象：該当言語が母語レベルの生徒「言語A 言語と文学」では、母語を尊重しつつ、言語を通じて国際性と多様な文化の理解への取り組みを行う·

様々な形式の文学作品やテクストタイプ (広告、ブログ、演説、インタビュー、漫画等)で表現されたものを通して、言語がどのような役割を担っているかの理解を深め、言語そのものの特性を学び、言語がアイデンティ
ティーや文化、価値観にどのように影響されるかを学ぶ。またテクストの分析や解釈の方法を学ぶ·

言語が意味によって構築されていること、創られた文と解釈に変化が起こっている可能性があると認識することによって文脈の機能を理解する。また、文学的表現技法について理解を深め、文学作品を独自に批評する
力をつける

·

コミュニケーションを通じて言語運用能力を高め、口述、記述のスキルを洗練させる

Course Outline
授業時間：HL 240時間以上 SL150時間以上· 文学：HL 6冊以上、SL 4冊以上
選書はIBOが選出したPrescribed reading list (指定作品リスト)と、その他の作品の中から、ジャンル、時代や地域などの指定に基づく。
Grade11「Go」金城一紀「名人伝・山月記」中島敦
谷川俊太郎 詩集
「ペスト」カミュ

Grade12「父と暮らせば」井上ひさし「セールスマンの死」アーサーミラー
鷲田 清一 随筆・評論

Part 1：翻訳文学 / Part 2：精読 / Part 3：ジャンル別作品（Paper 2 比較論評の筆記）/ Part 4：自由選択

言語：文学作品の他、広告文、新聞記事や政治演説、インタビュー、名言、ニュースなど 非文学テクストを 定められた Areas of Exploration の分析軸を基に各テキストを分析

体系のもの【作品を分析する軸、関連させる視点】
３つの探究領域：読者、作者、テクスト / 時間と空間 / テクスト間相互関連性
７つの概念：アイデンティティ/ 文化 / 創造性 / コミュニケーション / 観点 / 変換 / 表現
グローバル問題

Assessments
External
Assessment
HL 80%
SL 70%

Paper 1
設問付テクスト分析

HL 35% 2時間15分 SL 35% 1時間15分
初見の非文学テクストを分析して設問に答える

Paper 2
比較小論文

HL 25% 1時間45分 SL 35% 1時間45分
設問から1つ選び、それに対して既習の文学作品を2つを比較しながら論ずる

HL小論文

HL 20% SL なし
既習の作品について、テーマを設定し、小論文を作成する
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 22

2400〜3000字Internal
Assessment
HL 20%SL 30%

個人口述及び質疑応答HL 20% 15分 SL 30% 15分
既習の文学作品から１つ、非文学作品体系から１つ、抜粋を利用して口頭発表、質疑応答する。グローバルな問題が作品、作品体系の内容と形式を通じてどのように表現されているか分析する

Criteria A：知識、理解 解釈 / B：分析と評価 / C：焦点と構成 /D：言語

Spanish A Language and Literature
Course Description
In the language A: language and literature course students will learn about the complex and dynamic
nature of language and explore both its practical and aesthetic dimensions. They will explore the crucialrole language plays in communication, reflecting experience and shaping the world. Students will also learn
about their own roles as producers of language and develop their productive skills. Throughout the course,
students will explore the various ways in which language choices, text types, literary forms and contextual
elements all affect meaning. Through close analysis of various text types and literary forms, students willconsider their own interpretations, as well as the critical perspectives of others, to explore how such
positions are shaped by cultural belief systems and to negotiate meanings for texts. Students will engage inactivities that involve them in the process of production and help shape their critical awareness of how texts
and visual and audio elements work independently or together to influence the audience/reader and how
audiences/readers open up the possibilities of texts. With its focus on a wide variety of communicative acts,
the course is meant to develop sensitivity to the foundational nature, and pervasive influence, of languagein the world at large.

UWC ISAK Japan's mission and vision puts a strong emphasis on encouraging students to developintercultural understanding, open-mindedness, and the attitudes necessary for them to respect different
points of view and therefore be able to become leaders of the future. The study of literature in translationfrom other cultures is especially important to our students because it prepares them to better understandand accept other cultures, gives them a global perspective and helps them become real citizens of theworld.

Course Outline
The model for language A: language and literature is the same at SL and HL but there are significant
quantitative and qualitative differences between the levels.
SL students are required to study four literary works and a number of non-literary texts that is equivalent inteaching and learning time, whereas HL students are required to study six literary works and a number of
non-literary texts that is equivalent in teaching and learning time.
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 23

In paper 1, both SL and HL students are presented with two previously unseen non-literary extracts or texts
from different text types, each accompanied by a guiding question. SL students are required to write aguided analysis of one of these, while HL students must write guided analyses of both non-literary extracts
or texts.
In addition, HL students will have a fourth assessment component, the higher level (HL) essay, a writtencoursework task that requires students to explore a line of inquiry in relation to a studied non-literary bodyof work, or a literary work. The outcome of this exploration is a 1200-1500 word essay in which HL students
are expected to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the nature of linguistic or literary study.
The course outline is built on the notion of conceptual learning in which students engage with central
concepts of the discipline in order to become flexible, critical readers of all types of texts.
The study of Language and Literature and the development of the relevant skills, is divided into three areasof exploration—the exploration of the nature of the interactions between readers, writers and texts; theexploration of how texts interact with time and space and the exploration of intertextuality and how texts
connect with each other.
Area of exploration—readers, writers and texts
This area introduces students to the nature of language and literature and its study. The investigation
undertaken involves close attention to the details of texts in a variety of types and literary forms so thatstudents learn about the choices made by creators and the ways in which meaning is communicatedthrough words, image, and sound. At the same time, study will focus on the role receivers play ingenerating meaning as students move from personal response to understanding and interpretationinfluenced by the classroom community. Students will learn to understand the creativity of language, therelationship between language and thought and the aesthetic nature of literature. Students will see thattexts are powerful means to express individual thoughts and feelings, and that their own perspectives as
experienced users of language are integral to the effect and success of a communicative act.
Area of exploration—time and space
This area of exploration focuses on the idea that language is a social capacity and as such is intertwinedwith community, culture and history. It explores the variety of cultural contexts in which texts are produced
and read across time and space as well as the ways texts themselves reflect or refract the world at large.
Students will examine how cultural conditions can affect language and how these conditions are a productof language. Students will also consider the ways culture and identity influence reception.
Students will investigate ways in which texts may represent, and be understood from, a variety of culturaland historical perspectives. Through this exploration students will recognize the role of relationships among
text, self and other, and the ways in which the local and the global connect.
Area of exploration—intertextuality: connecting texts
This area of exploration focuses on the concerns of intertextuality, or the connections between and among
media, text and audience involving diverse traditions and ideas. It focuses on the comparative study of texts
so that students may gain deeper appreciation of both unique characteristics of individual texts andcomplex systems of connection. Throughout the course, students will be able to see similarities anddifferences among diverse texts. This area allows for a further exploration of literary and linguistic concerns,
examples, interpretations and readings by studying a grouping of texts set by the teacher or set in close
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 24

conversation with a class or groups of students. Students will gain an awareness of how texts can provide
critical lenses to reading other texts and of how they can support a text's interpretation by expanding on itor question it by providing a different point of view.
Text Types
In this course, students study a wide range of literary and non-literary texts in a variety of media. By
examining communicative acts across literary form and textual type alongside appropriate secondary
readings, students will investigate the nature of language itself and the ways in which it shapes and is
influenced by identity and culture.
In the Language and Literature course we include oral, written and visual materials present in society. For
instance, images with or without text, literary and non-literary written texts and extracts, films, radio andtelevision programmes and their scripts, video-sharing websites, web pages, SMS messages, blogs, wikis,
etc. Oral texts will include readings, speeches, broadcasts and transcriptions of recorded conversation.
Book LIst
Across the three areas of exploration at least four literary works must be studied in the SL course and at
least six literary works must be studied in the HL course.
These are the works of literature that students will read throughout the two years course.
●
●
●
●
●
●

PLA: La casa de Bernarda Alba, Federico García Lorca, drama, mid 20th century, Spain
PLT: Casa de muñecas, Henrik Ibsen, drama, 19th century, Norway
PLT: Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë, novel, 19th century, England
PLA: Todos los fuegos. El fuego,Julio Cortázar, short stories, 20th century, Argentina
PLA: La Celestina, Fernando de Rojas, novel, 15th century, Spain
PLA: Canciones, Joaquín Sabina, lyric, 21st century, Spain

Skills Developed
The aims of language A: language and literature higher level courses are to:
1. Introduce students to a range of texts from different periods, styles and genres
2. Develop in students the ability to engage in close, detailed analysis of individual texts and makerelevant connections
3. Develop the students’ powers of expression, both in oral and written communication
4. Encourage students to recognise the importance of the contexts in which texts are written andreceived
5. Encourage, through the study of texts, an appreciation of the different perspectives of people fromother cultures, and how these perspectives construct meaning
6. Encourage students to appreciate the formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities of texts
7. Promote in students an enjoyment of, and lifelong interest in, language and literature.
8. Develop in students an understanding of how language, culture and context determine the ways inwhich meaning is constructed in texts
9. Encourage students to think critically about the different interactions between text, audience andpurpose.
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 25

Assessment
Assessment SL
External Assessment

70%

Paper 1 (1 hour 15 minutes): Guided textual analysis. The paper consists of
two non-literary passages, from two different text types, each accompanied bya question. Students choose one passage and write an analysis of it

35%

Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes): Comparative essay: The paper consists of four
general questions. In response to one question students write a comparative
essay based on two literary works studied in the course.

35%

Internal Assessment

30%

Individual oral commentary (15 minutes). This component consists of anindividual oral which is internally assessed by the teacher and externallymoderated by the IB at the end of the course.
Supported by an extract from one non-literary body of work and one from aliterary work, students will offer a prepared response of 10 minutes, followedby 5 minutes of questions by the teacher, to the following prompt: Examine theways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content
and form of one of the works and one of the bodies of work that you havestudied.
Assessment HLExternal Assessment

80%

Paper 1 (2 hours 15 minutes): Guided textual analysis
The paper consists of two non-literary passages, from two different text types,
each accompanied by a question. Students write an analysis of each of thepassages.

35%

Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes): Comparative essay. The paper consists of four
general questions. In response to one question students write a comparative
essay based on two literary works studied in the course.

25%

HL essay: Students submit an essay on one non-literary body of work, or aliterary work studied during the course. The essay must be 1,200-1,500 words
in length.

20%Internal Assessment

20%

Individual oral commentary (15 minutes). This component consists of anindividual oral which is internally assessed by the teacher and externallymoderated by the IB at the end of the course.
Supported by an extract from one non-literary body of work and one from aliterary work, students will offer a prepared response of 10 minutes, followed
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 26

by 5 minutes of questions by the teacher, to the following prompt: Examine theways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content
and form of one of the works and one of the bodies of work that you havestudied.

School Supported Self Taught (SSST) Language A Literature
Course Description
The self-taught course name is a bit of a misnomer. The course is supported by a member of faculty as wellas private tutors arranged through the school. UWC ISAK Japan believes in the importance of mothertongue language ability in assisting in further language acquisition, and more importantly in helping a
student retain their cultural identity while in a foreign boarding situation. The content of the course is
selected by the students with assistance from the UWC ISAK Japan teacher and the arranged tutor. Texts
are chosen from a proscribed list of authors (PLA) from the IBO, and in a non-supported language, the text
list generated by the student is sent to the IBO for approval. Taking this course as a Higher Level course
is not an option.
The SSST tuition fee is not included in the school fees and needs to be covered by the students who
decide to take the course. For students who receive financial aids from the school, they may have their
SSST tuition fee partially covered. The details are to be discussed between each SSST student and the
SSST programme coordinator.

Course Outline
Year 1: Introduction to Literary Analysis and Textual Exploration
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Introduction to the course and its expectations.
Selection of a personalized reading list in consultation with the teacher.
Literary analysis techniques and strategies.
Exploring themes, characters, and narrative techniques.
Guided reading and annotation of selected texts.
Introduction to literary theories and critical lenses.

Year 2: In-depth Analysis and Examination Preparation
1. Continued guided reading and analysis of selected texts.
2. Independent reading and reflective journaling.
3. In-depth exploration of cultural and contextual elements.
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 27

4.
5.
6.
7.

Practice in crafting literary commentaries and essays.
Preparation for the individual oral presentation and literary essay.
Examining connections between literature, culture, and society.
Revision and examination strategies

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Understand the content of the work and the qualities of the work as literature
Respond independently to the work by connecting the individual and cultural experience of thereader with the text
Recognise the role played by cultural and contextual elements in literary works
Acquire detailed knowledge and understanding of the works studied
Demonstrate appropriate analytical responses to specific genres
Show how particular effects are achieved through language use, and analyse elements such as
character, theme and setting
Engage with the details of works in order to develop a considered and informed response
Acquire a clear sense of the literary conventions of the selected genre
Understand the ways in which content is delivered through the literary conventions of the selected
genre
Compare the similarities and differences between the chosen works

Assessment

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 28

Group 2: Language acquisition (Language B and ab initio)
English B
Course Description
Language B is a language acquisition course designed for students with some previous experience of thetarget language. In the language B course, students further develop their ability to communicate in thetarget language through the study of language, themes and texts. In doing so, they also develop conceptual
understandings of how language works, as appropriate to the level of the course.
At both levels of language B (SL and HL), students learn to communicate in the target language in familiar
and unfamiliar contexts. They describe situations, narrate events, make comparisons, explain problems,and state and support their personal opinions on a variety of topics relating to course content. The study of
two literary works originally written in the target language is required only at language B HL. The distinction
between language B SL and HL can also be seen in the level of competency the student is expected todevelop in the receptive, productive and interactive skills.
We use textbooks and literary texts (e.g. novels, short stories, poems), but we also work with a wide rangeof authentic materials (e.g. podcasts, TED talks, video-clips, movies). We also encourage learning throughsocial interaction. By doing so, we promote an atmosphere of understanding and respect, we expose
cultural stereotypes, challenge and reduce second-hand ideas and prejudices, and increase ideas andbeliefs that are thought through and argued in depth.
We aim to provide students with a basis for their further studies and future careers, while offering them
opportunities for enjoyment, creativity and intellectual stimulation. Finally, in line with our school’s and the
UWC mission, our English B students are challenged to become ‘catalysts for positive change’ byrecognising and using the power of language to promote peace and a sustainable future in their everyday
life.

Course Outline
Five prescribed themes are common to the syllabuses of language B and language ab initio; the themes
provide relevant contexts for study at all levels of language acquisition in the DP, and opportunities forstudents to communicate about matters of personal, local or national, and global interest.
The five prescribed themes are:● identities● experiences● human ingenuity● social organization● sharing the planet.
The themes allow students to compare the target language and culture(s) to other languages and cultureswith which they are familiar. The themes also provide opportunities for students to make connections toother disciplinary areas in the DP. Students and teachers of language B with experience of the PrimaryYears Programme (PYP) or the MYP will recognize that the themes are inspired by the transdisciplinary
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 29

themes of the PYP and the global contexts of the MYP. In this way, the DP language B course can enhance
the continuity of the educational experience of long-standing IB students, while also being suitable forstudents who are new to the IB.
Text Types
In the course of the two years, all students become familiar with the following text types: article, column,
blog, brochure, leaflet, flyer, pamphlet, advertisement, essay, interview, news report, report, review, set of
instructions, guidelines, written correspondence (letter, email, …), short story, novel, poem.
Works of Literature
Both SL and HL students read two works of literature in the course of the two years. The study of literatureis required for HL students only.
●●

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Purple Hibiscus. North Carolina: Algonquin books, 2012.
Sachar Louis. Holes. New York: Random House, 1998.

Skills Developed● Communicate clearly and effectively in a range of contexts for a variety of purposes● Develop international-mindedness through the study of languages, cultures, and ideas and issues ofglobal significance.
● Enable students to communicate in the language they have studied in a range of contexts and for avariety of purposes.
● Encourage, through the study of texts and through social interaction, an awareness andappreciationof a variety of perspectives of people from diverse cultures.
● Develop students’ understanding of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which
they are familiar.
● Develop students’ awareness of the importance of language in relation to other areas of knowledge.
● Provide students, through language learning and the process of inquiry, with opportunities forintellectual engagement and the development of critical- and creative-thinking skills.
● Provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional
language.
● Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of language learning.

Assessment
HL Paper 1 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Productive skills—writing (30 marks)
One writing task of 450–600 words from a choice of three, each from a different theme, choosing atext type from among those listed in the examination instructions.

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 30

Paper 2 (2 hours)
Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading (65 marks)
Listening comprehension (1 hour) (25 marks)
Reading comprehension (1 hour) (40 marks)
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts, drawn from all fivethemes.
Individual oral assessment HLInteractive skills
Duration: 12–15 minutes (plus 20 minutes for preparation) Weighting: 25%
The individual oral assessment is based on an extract of up to approximately 300 words takenfrom one of the literary works studied in class as part of the language B HL course.

SL Paper 1 (1 hour 15 minutes) Productive skills—writing (30 marks)
One writing task of 250–400 words from a choice of three, each from a different theme, choosing atext type from among those listed in the examination instructions.
Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes)
Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading (65 marks)
Listening comprehension (45 minutes) (25 marks)
Reading comprehension (1 hour) (40 marks)
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts, drawn from all fivethemes.
Individual Oral assessment SLInteractive skills:
Individual oral assessment Duration: 12–15 minutes (plus 15 minutes for preparation) Weighting:
25% The individual oral assessment is based on the course themes: identities, experiences,human ingenuity, social organization, sharing the planet.

Japanese B
Course Description

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 31

Japanese B is an additional language-learning course designed for students with some previous learning ofthat language. It may be studied at either SL or HL. The main focus of the course is on language acquisitionand development of language skills. The course is designed to provide students with the necessary skills
and intercultural understanding to enable them to communicate successfully in an environment where
Japanese is spoken.
This course develops students’ linguistic abilities through the development of receptive, productive andinteractive skills. During the two-year course, exposure to a wide variety of audio and written material
provides students with the opportunity to exercise and develop the four skills mentioned above, and to learn
to use the language confidently and competently in various contexts. Students will also acquire a goodunderstanding of the cultural background of the Japanese language, as well as the way in which it affects
their use of it.
Diversity and intercultural understanding are two of the main principles that inspire UWC ISAK Japan's
mission and vision. Hence through the learning of the target language, students become aware of thesimilarities and differences between his or her own culture(s) and those of the target culture(s). At UWCISAK Japan we strongly encourage our students to seek opportunities to use and be exposed to the target
language in situations away from the classroom, expanding their awareness of the world and fosteringrespect for cultural diversity.

Course Outline
The Japanese B course can be studied at two levels, standard level (SL) or higher level (HL).
Through the study of the five prescribed themes at SL and HL, plus two literary works at HL, students reachthe objectives of the Japanese B course through the expansion of their receptive, productive and interactive
skills.
The five prescribed themes are:●Identities: focus on exploring the nature of the self and what it is to be human. Some subtopics that
could be covered under this theme include: lifestyles, health and well- being, beliefs and values,
subcultures and language and identity, among others●

Experiences: focus on exploring and telling the stories of the events, experiences and journeys thatshape our lives. Some subtopics that could be covered under this theme include: leisure activities,
holidays and travel, life stories, rites of passage, customs and traditions, migration, among others●

Human ingenuity: focus on exploring the ways in which human creativity and innovation affect our world.
Some subtopics that could be covered under this theme include: entertainment, artistic expressions,communication and media, technology, scientific innovation, among others●

Social organization: focus on exploring the ways in which groups of people organize themselves, or
are organized, through common systems or interests. Some subtopics that could be covered under
this theme include: social relationships, community, social engagement, education, the working
world, law and order, among others and●Sharing the planet: focus on exploring the challenges and opportunities faced by individuals andcommunities in the modern world. Some subtopics that could be covered under this theme include:

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 32

the environment, human rights, peace and conflict, equality, globalization, ethics, urban and rural

environment, among others.
The themes allow students to compare the target language and culture(s) to other languages and cultureswith which they are familiar. The themes also provide opportunities for students to make connections toother disciplinary areas in the DP.
HL students read two works of literature in the course of the two years. The study of literature is part of theassessment of HL students only. It is highly recommended that students in SL also read works of literature
to improve their level of acquisition but it is not mandatory for them. The following works of literature are
required study for HL students:●●『オツベルと象』宮沢賢治『走れメロス』太宰治

Text Types
In the course of the two years, all students will become familiar with written, visual, audio and audio-visualtexts into three broad categories: personal, professional and mass media texts that includes: articles,
columns, blogs, brochures, leaflets, flyers, pamphlets, advertisements, essays, interviews, news reports,
reviews, sets of instructions, guidelines, written correspondence (letters, emails, etc), short stories, novels,
poems, among others.

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Develop students’ intercultural understanding
Enable students to understand and use the language they have studied in a range of contexts andfor a variety of purposes
Encourage, through the study of texts and through social interaction, an awareness andappreciation of the different perspectives of people from other cultures
Develop students’ awareness of the role of language in relation to other areas of knowledge
Develop students’ awareness of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which
they are familiar
Provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional
language
Provide the opportunity for enjoyment, creativity and intellectual stimulation through knowledge ofan additional language.

Assessment
Assessment SL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

75%

Paper 1 (1 hour 15 minutes) Productive skills—writing25%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 33One writing task of 250–400 words from a choice of three, each from adifferent theme, choosing a text type from among those listed in theexamination instructions.
Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes)
Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading (65 marks)
Listening comprehension (45 minutes)
Reading comprehension (1 hour)
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts,
drawn from all five themes.

50%Internal assessment

25%

Individual oral assessment
A conversation with the teacher, based on a visual stimulus, followed by discussion
based on an additional theme.

Assessment HL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

75%

Paper 1 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Productive skills—writing
One writing task of 450–600 words from a choice of three, each from adifferent theme, choosing a text type from among those listed in theexamination instructions.

25%

Paper 2 (2 hours)
Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading (65 marks)
Listening comprehension (1 hour)
Reading comprehension (1 hour)
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts,
drawn from all five themes.

50％Internal assessment

25%

Individual oral assessment
A conversation with the teacher, based on an extract from one of the literaryworks studied in class, followed by discussion based on one or more of thethemes from the syllabus.

Japanese ab Initio

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 34

Course Description
Language plays a central role in understanding diverse cultures, in obtaining international perspectives, andin cultivating critical thinking, which is essential for awareness as a member of a global society. Language
acquisition is a process involving appreciation and understanding other cultures: not only learning linguistic
elements, but also developing the skills to communicate with people of other cultures is essential tounderstand them deeper.
Japanese ab initio is a two-year course which is targeted mainly at students who have no/little knowledge
about Japanese language. Throughout the course, students will acquire the ability to comprehend written
and spoken language, the ability to write and speak Japanese correctly and effectively, and the ability tounderstand and respond effectively to written and spoken language. Language acquisition should becoordinated through receptive, productive, interactive skills and abilities.

Course Outline
Learning includes basic grammar, vocabularies, pronunciation, and intonation necessary to develop basic
communication skills in Japanese in a variety of everyday situations. Students develop these skills througha range of individual and group tasks using different types of texts in the language. Japanese culture andevents will be incorporated into lessons and units where appropriate. Ultimately students will gain more
confidence and knowledge to apply the language in and out of class.
This course fulfills the basic requirements of the IB curriculum. Communication skills are reinforced withusing audio-visual materials and with preparing presentations based on the IB topics. Three topics(individuals and society, leisure and work, urban and rural environments) will be covered. By working onthese topics with a variety of materials, students will acquire skills necessary for the assessment oflanguage ab initio.

Skills Developed
Students will be able to:● Understand and use accurately the basic structures of the language.
● Understand and use an appropriate range of vocabulary.
● Present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of
topics.
● Engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, exchange
opinions, give decisions, commands and suggestions.
● Understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
● Communicate with native-speaking Japanese clearly and effectively in a range of situations.
● Use a register and a format that are appropriate to the situation.
● Read and write Hiragana, Katakana and basic Kanji (200 characters).
● Write an essay or diaries on a topic given with 400 syllable letters.
● Understand and use formal and informal style speech patterns effectively.
● Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the intercultural elements related to the given
topics.
● Participate in projects and activities based on research and class learning.

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 35

●●Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of theculture studied, and the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and theirown.
To use the language both within and beyond the school setting.

Syllabus
Lessons will be taught based on Genki I or みんなの日本語 I

Assessment

75%

External assessment (2 hours 45 minutes)
Paper 1 (1 hour)
Productive skills—writing (30 marks)
Two written tasks of 70–150 words (150-300 ji) each from a choice of threetasks, choosing a text type for each task from among those listed in theexamination instructions.

25%

Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes)

50%

Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading (65 marks)
Listening comprehension (45 minutes) (25 marks)
Reading comprehension (1 hour) (40 marks)
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts,
drawn from all five themes.

25%Internal assessment
This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externallymoderated by
the IB at the end of the course.

Individual oral assessment
A conversation with the teacher, based on a visual stimulus and at least one
additional course theme. (30 marks)

Mandarin B
Course Description
Our Mandarin B programme takes student on a journey across the process of learning Mandarin throughvaried texts, multimedia and activities. Students are group into Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL)
according to their prior experience and proficiency with Mandarin. The course aims to nurture the learner togo beyond the course materials and to learn about the world through a second language.
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 36

We begin by understanding each learner’s prior knowledge and experience with the language and culture,reviewing language acquisition skills and concepts, and move into intermediate level materials to hone inon learners’ linguistic skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. The course focuses on application of
acquired knowledge and skills and the assessments aim to evaluating a learner’s readiness in using
Mandarin in a real-life situation.
The course contents include three themes: Communication, Social Relationships, and Global Issues.
Students will develop their receptive (reading and listening), productive (writing and speaking) andinteractive skills (transfer of learning and cultural understanding) through exploring the course materials andparticipating in the class activities. Students are encouraged to choose and explore different learning,
research and memorisation strategies as they progress.
In addition to the three core themes, as a class, the students could choose two non-core themes from thefollowing five topics: Cultural Diversity, Customs and Traditions, Health, Leisure and Science andTechnology. Teaching and learning materials are collected from news websites, blogs, educational videos,interactive online forums, and magazines. HL students will also read two works of literature. A list of thecurrent reading is available upon request.
The programme purports to develop self-initiating and inquisitive learners. As the delivery of vocabulary,idioms, grammars, formal and informal languages becomes more complex, students will learn new words
and use their prior knowledge and creativity to produce new sentences and expressions. Taking risks, using
linguistic and cultural concepts, analysing complex structures and meanings, integrating their own
knowledge about different languages, and experimenting with new way of constructing sentences, forming
meaning and composing paragraphs--in other words, the fluid ways of thinking--define student success.
These elements are the integral part of assessment and learning outcome.

Course Outline
Grade 11● Overarching language acquisition● Basic concept in Mandarin language and culture● Aspects of reading, writing, listening and speaking● Tense in Mandarin language● Concepts of language acquisition through comparison and contrast● Research, reference tools and dictionaries
Language content● Text types in Mandarin (what they are and how to compose a specific text)● Extensive self-introduction with formal language and etiquette● Social interaction through making conversation, collaborative tasks and teamwork● Mandarin grammar and word order● Using cohesive devices to form complex sentences● Vocabulary, expressions, idioms and four-character phrases● Fluency in speech both in sentence construction and thoughts● Strategies to read large volume and texts quickly● Critical analysis of Chinese texts● Introduction of texts and multimedia contents covering both core and non-core subjects
Grade 12UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 37

●
●
●
●

Overarching language acquisition
Forming quality and cohesive sentences to fully express one’s meaning
Expanding learner’s cultural and linguistic understanding through prior knowledge
Self-directed inquiry and learning strategies

Language content● Expanding and deepening the use of the language● Complex and formal text and multimedia pieces covering both core and non-core subjects● Fluency and dexterity in using vocabulary, expressions, idioms and four-character phrases● Understanding the importance of word choice to fully expression one’s own meaning

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Ability to create complex sentences and expressions
Familiarity with word order and cohesive devices
Fluency in making impromptu conversations and speeches
Development of language learning strategies
Collaboration, interaction and communication skills
Comprehension of linguistic and cultural concepts
Capacity to use comparison and contrast between languages and cultures to progress
Critical thinking and analysis: using prior knowledge to form new knowledge
Confidence in acquiring more new materials independently
Self-reflective and resourceful for discovering new tools and strategies

Assessment

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 38

Mandarin Ab Initio
Course Description
Our Mandarin Ab Initio programme takes students on a journey across the process of acquiring a new
language. We begin by introducing the basic concepts about language acquisition and move into basic
components of the Mandarin language in reading, writing, listening and speaking. The course focuses onapplication of acquired knowledge and skills and the assessments aim to evaluate a learner’s readiness inusing Mandarin in a real-life situation.
The course contents include three core themes: Individual and Society, Leisure and Work, Global Issues.
Students will develop their receptive (reading and listening), productive (writing and speaking) andinteractive skills (transfer of learning and cultural understanding) through exploring the course materials andparticipating in the class activities. Teaching and learning materials are collected from resource books,
blogs, educational videos, interactive online forums, and magazines. Students are encouraged to choose
and explore different learning, research and memorisation strategies as they progress.
The programme purports to develop self-initiating and inquisitive learners. As the delivery of vocabulary,idioms, grammars, formal and informal languages becomes more complex, students will learn new words
and use their prior knowledge and creativity to produce new sentences and expressions. Taking risks, using
linguistic and cultural concepts, analysing complex structures and meanings, integrating their own
knowledge about different languages, and experimenting with new way of constructing sentences, forming
meaning and composing paragraphs--in other words, the fluid ways of thinking--define student success.
These elements are the integral part of assessment and learning outcome.

Course Outline
Grade 11● Overarching language acquisition● Basic concept in Mandarin language and culture● Aspects of reading, writing, listening and speaking● Tense in Mandarin language● Concepts of language acquisition through comparison and contrast● Research, reference tools and dictionaries● Language content● Self-introduction● Basic greeting● Social interaction● Personal preferences (animals, colours, hobbies, family)● Leisure and work
● Mandarin grammar and word order● Creating simple sentences● Using cohesive devices to form complex sentences
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 39

Grade 12● Overarching language acquisition● Forming quality and cohesive sentences to fully express one’s meaning● Expanding learner’s cultural and linguistic understanding through prior knowledge● Self-directed inquiry and learning strategies
Language content● Expanding on the unit of Individual and Society with more details and complex sentences● Expanding on the unit of Leisure and Work● New unit on Urban and Rural Environment

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Ability to create new simple sentences
Familiarity with word order and cohesive devices
Fluency in making impromptu conversations and speeches
Development of language learning strategies
Collaboration, interaction and communication skills
Comprehension of linguistic and cultural concepts
Capacity to use comparison and contrast between languages and cultures to progress
Critical thinking and analysis: using prior knowledge to form new knowledge
Confidence in acquiring more new materials independently
Self-reflective and resourceful for discovering new tools and strategies

Assessment
Assessment component

WeightingExternal Assessment

75%

Paper 1 (1 hour)
Productive skills—writing
Two written tasks of 70–150 words each from a choice of three tasks,
choosing a text type for each task from among those listed in theexamination instructions.

25%

Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes)
Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading
Listening comprehension (45 minutes) 25%
Reading comprehension (1 hour) 25%
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts,
drawn from all five themes.

50%Internal Assessment

25%

Individual oral assessment
A conversation with the teacher, based on a visual stimulus and at least
one additional course theme.
Three-part oral internally assessed by the teacher and externallymoderated by the IB towards the end of the course.
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 40

Part 1: Presentation of a visual stimulus (from a choice of two) by thestudent.
Part 2: Follow-up questions on the visual stimulus.
Part 3: General conversation including at least two questions on the written
assignment.

Spanish B
Course Description
Spanish B is an additional language-learning course designed for students with some previous learning ofthat language. It may be studied at either SL or HL. The main focus of the course is on language acquisitionand development of language skills. The course is designed to provide students with the necessary skills
and intercultural understanding to enable them to communicate successfully in an environment where
Spanish is spoken.
This course develops students’ linguistic abilities through the development of receptive, productive andinteractive skills. During the two-year course, exposure to a wide variety of audio and written material
provides students with the opportunity to exercise and develop the four skills mentioned above, and to learn
to use the language confidently and competently in various contexts. Students will also acquire a goodunderstanding of the cultural background of the Spanish language, as well as the way in which it affects
their use of it.
Diversity and intercultural understanding are two of the main principles that inspire UWC ISAK Japan's
mission and vision. Hence through the learning of the target language, students become aware of thesimilarities and differences between his or her own culture(s) and those of the target culture(s). At UWCISAK Japan we strongly encourage our students to seek opportunities to use and be exposed to the target
language in situations away from the classroom, expanding their awareness of the world and fosteringrespect for cultural diversity.

Course Outline
The Spanish B course can be studied at two levels, standard level (SL) or higher level (HL).
Through the study of the five prescribed themes at SL and HL, plus two literary works at HL, students reachthe objectives of the Spanish B course through the expansion of their receptive, productive and interactive
skills.
The five prescribed themes are:●Identities: focus on exploring the nature of the self and what it is to be human. Some subtopics that
could be covered under this theme include: lifestyles, health and well- being, beliefs and values,
subcultures and language and identity, among others
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 41

●Experiences: focus on exploring and telling the stories of the events, experiences and journeys thatshape our lives. Some subtopics that could be covered under this theme include: leisure activities,
holidays and travel, life stories, rites of passage, customs and traditions, migration, among others●

Human ingenuity: focus on exploring the ways in which human creativity and innovation affect our world.
Some subtopics that could be covered under this theme include: entertainment, artistic expressions,communication and media, technology, scientific innovation, among others●

Social organization: focus on exploring the ways in which groups of people organize themselves, or
are organized, through common systems or interests. Some subtopics that could be covered under
this theme include: social relationships, community, social engagement, education, the working
world, law and order, among others and●Sharing the planet: focus on exploring the challenges and opportunities faced by individuals andcommunities in the modern world. Some subtopics that could be covered under this theme include:
the environment, human rights, peace and conflict, equality, globalization, ethics, urban and rural
environment, among others.

The themes allow students to compare the target language and culture(s) to other languages and cultureswith which they are familiar. The themes also provide opportunities for students to make connections toother disciplinary areas in the DP.
HL students read two works of literature in the course of the two years. The study of literature is part of theassessment of HL students only. It is highly recommended that students in SL also read works of literature
to improve their level of acquisition but it is not mandatory for them. The following works of literature are
required study for HL students:●●

Los renglones torcidos de Dios,Torcuato Luca de Tena, 1979
Arrugas, Paco Roca, 2007

Text Types
In the course of the two years, all students will become familiar with written, visual, audio and audio-visualtexts into three broad categories: personal, professional and mass media texts that includes: articles,
columns, blogs, brochures, leaflets, flyers, pamphlets, advertisements, essays, interviews, news reports,
reviews, sets of instructions, guidelines, written correspondence (letters, emails, etc), short stories, novels,
poems, among others.

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●

Develop students’ intercultural understanding
Enable students to understand and use the language they have studied in a range of contexts andfor a variety of purposes
Encourage, through the study of texts and through social interaction, an awareness andappreciation of the different perspectives of people from other cultures
Develop students’ awareness of the role of language in relation to other areas of knowledge
Develop students’ awareness of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which
they are familiar

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 42

●●Provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional
language
Provide the opportunity for enjoyment, creativity and intellectual stimulation through knowledge ofan additional language.

Assessment
Assessment SL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

75%

Paper 1 (1 hour 15 minutes) Productive skills—writing
One writing task of 250–400 words from a choice of three, each from adifferent theme, choosing a text type from among those listed in theexamination instructions.

25%

Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes)
Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading (65 marks)
Listening comprehension (45 minutes)
Reading comprehension (1 hour)
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts,
drawn from all five themes.

50%Internal assessment

25%

Individual oral assessment
A conversation with the teacher, based on a visual stimulus, followed by discussion
based on an additional theme.

Assessment HL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

75%

Paper 1 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Productive skills—writing
One writing task of 450–600 words from a choice of three, each from adifferent theme, choosing a text type from among those listed in theexamination instructions.

25%

Paper 2 (2 hours)
Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading (65 marks)
Listening comprehension (1 hour)
Reading comprehension (1 hour)
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts,
drawn from all five themes.

50%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 43

Internal assessment

25%

Individual oral assessment
A conversation with the teacher, based on an extract from one of the literaryworks studied in class, followed by discussion based on one or more of thethemes from the syllabus.

Spanish Ab Initio
Course Description
Language ab initio is a language acquisition course designed for students with no prior experience of thetarget language, or for those students with very limited previous exposure. It should be noted that language
ab initio is offered at SL only.
In the language ab initio course, students develop the ability to communicate in the target language throughthe study of language, themes and texts. In doing so, they also develop conceptual understandings of
how language works. Communication is evidenced through receptive, productive and interactive skills
across a range of contexts and purposes that are appropriate to the level of the course.

The study of language requires careful attention to forms, structures, functions and conceptual
understandings of language. Knowledge of vocabulary and grammar—the what of language—is reinforced
and extended by understanding the why and how of language: audience, context, purpose, meaning.

Students expand the range of their communication skills by understanding and producing a wide variety oforal and written texts for audiences, contexts and purposes associated with academic and personal
interests. For the development of receptive skills, language ab initio students must study authentic texts
that explore the culture(s) of the target language.
Diversity and intercultural understanding are two of the main principles that inspire UWC ISAK Japan's
mission and vision. Hence through the learning of the target language, students become aware of thesimilarities and differences between his or her own culture(s) and those of the target culture(s). At UWCISAK Japan we strongly encourage our students to seek opportunities to use and be exposed to the target
language in situations away from the classroom, expanding their awareness of the world and fosteringrespect for cultural diversity.

Course Outline
The Spanish ab initio course is divided into five prescribed themes, all of which are well suited to fostering
an international perspective.
The five prescribed themes are:UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 44

●Identities: focus on exploring the nature of the self and how we express who we are. Some
subtopics that could be covered under this theme include: personal attributes, personal
relationships, eating and drinking, physical well- being, among others●

Experiences: focus on exploring and telling the stories of the events, experiences and journeys thatshape our lives. Some subtopics that could be covered under this theme include: daily routine,
leisure, holidays, festivals and celebrations, among others●

Human ingenuity: focus on exploring the ways in which human creativity and innovation affect our world.
Some subtopics that could be covered under this theme include: transport, entertainment, media,
technology, among others●

Social organization: focus on exploring the ways in which groups of people organize themselves, or
are organized, through common systems or interests. Some subtopics that could be covered under
this theme include: neighborhood, education, the workplace, social issues, among others and●Sharing the planet: focus on exploring the challenges and opportunities faced by individuals andcommunities in the modern world. Some subtopics that could be covered under this theme include:
climate, physical geography, the environment, global issues, among others.

The themes allow students to compare the target language and culture(s) to other languages and cultureswith which they are familiar. The themes also provide opportunities for students to make connections toother disciplinary areas in the DP.
Each theme has a list of topics that provide the students with opportunities to practise and explore thelanguage as well as to develop intercultural understanding. Through the development of receptive,
productive and interactive skills, students should be able to respond and interact appropriately in a defined
range of everyday situations.
Language acquisition will be achieved through the development of receptive, productive and interactive
skills and competencies. Elements of language include vocabulary, grammatical structures, register,pronunciation and intonation.
Receptive skills: the ability to comprehend straightforward written and spoken language. Receptive skills
entail not only understanding the message but also its cultural and contextual connotations.
Productive skills: the ability to write and speak the target language effectively. Productive skills entail
producing and delivering a message or text that is not only coherent but also appropriate to context andpurpose.
Interactive skills: the ability to understand and respond effectively to written and spoken language.
Interactive skills entail not only conveying messages and responding to written and spoken language but
also demonstrating an awareness of social context.
Text Types
Authentic texts are considered to be those that were originally produced for users of the target language,
although for the purposes of a language ab initio course they may have been edited or simplified.
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 45

Whenever possible the use of textbooks should be supplemented by a variety of materials (for example,
authentic texts, songs, pictures, films, poems).
During the course, students are taught to understand and produce a variety of texts. In the context of thelanguage ab initio course, a text can be spoken, written or visual organized into three broad categories:
personal, professional and mass media texts.
The guiding principle for using texts in this course is to develop students’ receptive, productive andinteractive skills in the target language by focusing their attention on the ways in which goodcommunicators consider the audience, context and purpose of what they want to say or write in the processof choosing and developing an appropriate text type to convey a message.
In the course of the two years, all students will become familiar with the following text types: articles,
columns, blogs, brochures, leaflets, flyers, postcards, invitations, messages, pamphlets, advertisements,
essays, interviews, news reports, reviews, sets of instructions, guidelines, and written correspondence(letters, emails, etc).

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Develop students’ intercultural understanding
enable students to understand and communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations andfor a variety of purposes
Encourage, through the study of texts and through social interaction, an awareness andappreciation of the different perspectives of people from other cultures
Develop students’ awareness of the role of language in relation to other areas of knowledge
Develop students’ awareness of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which
they are familiar
Provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional
language
Provide the opportunity for enjoyment, creativity and intellectual stimulation through knowledge ofan additional language.

Assessment
Assessment component

WeightingExternal Assessment

75%
25%

Paper 1 (1 hour)
Productive skills—writing
Two written tasks of 70–150 words each from a choice of three tasks,
choosing a text type for each task from among those listed in theexamination instructions.
Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes)
Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading
Listening comprehension (45 minutes) 25%50%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 46

Reading comprehension (1 hour) 25%
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts,
drawn from all five themes.
Internal Assessment

25%

Individual oral assessment
A conversation with the teacher, based on a visual stimulus and at least
one additional course theme.
Three-part oral internally assessed by the teacher and externallymoderated by the IB towards the end of the course.
Part 1: Presentation of a visual stimulus (from a choice of two) by thestudent.
Part 2: Follow-up questions on the visual stimulus.
Part 3: General conversation including at least two questions on the written
assignment.

Group 3: Individuals and societies
Economics
Course description
This course looks specifically at the way markets operate (microeconomics), then more broadly at how
countries operate (macroeconomics) and finally to the global perspective - the degree to which countries
are connected, such as via trade (the global economy). The course also considers the disparity between
rich and poor countries in terms of causes, effects and possible solutions (the global economy).
As students begin to master the above Economic thinking, the information is then applied to real world
situations. This may be to explain what has happened in the past, what we believe is happening right now
and less successfully, what we predict for the future. Economists use a combination of theory, recent
historical examples and data as the basis for their analysis. IB students are also expected to effectively use
Economic diagrams as part of their explanations.
Key course skills include the following: The writing of extended answers (essays) to explain an economic
idea, situation or appropriate solutions. There is a focus on both explanation and critical evaluation.
Students must also relate their discussion to a detailed real world example. This is Paper 1 in the final
exam. Secondly, students spend time analysing media articles and associated statistics and other data.
Questions are then asked that combine article information and Economic theory. This is Paper 2 in theexam. High level (HL) students will also work on mathematical and diagram analysis and application. This
is where numbers are applied to the theory! This is Paper 3 (HL only) in the exam. For internal assessment(IA), student’s write commentaries that critically discuss 3 media (newspaper) articles.
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 47

All areas of the course, however, require applied knowledge. That is, can you use the content and skills you
have learned and effectively apply them to a real world or theoretical situation? Economics is not a subject
that you can simply memorise, as you must apply what you have learned - in a way that suits a particularsituation.

Course Outline
1. Introduction to Economics
2. Microeconomics
Includes areas such as- Supply and demand- Elasticity (how price sensitive are we?)- Government intervention (such as providing affordable housing)- Market failure (such as where private transactions cause wider problems like CO2 emissions)
3. Macroeconomics
Includes areas such as- Economic growth (the country produces more goods and services than previously)- Unemployment (job losses)- Inflation (price rises)- Management of the economy by the government (fiscal policy) and the central bank (monetary
policy)4. The Global Economy
Includes areas such as- Benefits of trade- Trade protection (such as tariffs & subsidies)- Exchange rates (such as why is the ¥ so low and the effects of this)- Barriers to economic development & strategies for overcoming those

Skills developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Application of Economic theory
Problem solving: Cost-benefit decisions, scenario planning, and policy analysis based on evidence.
Critical and analytical approach: think clearly and in a structured way about complex issues.
Data and quantitative skills including use of formulas and interpretation of data
Application of Economic diagrams to various scenarios
Communication: Organising and presenting ideas
Collaboration - working effectively as part of a small group

Assessment
Assessment SL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

70%

Paper 1 (1hr 15mins) Extended response essay (1) on microeconomics ormacroeconomics or the global economy

30%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 48

Paper 2 (1hr 45 mins) Data response paper covering all topics

40%

Internal assessment

30%

Three commentaries based on different sections of the syllabus and on
published extracts from the news media.

30%

Assessment HL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1 (1hr 15mins) Extended response essay (1) on microeconomics ormacroeconomics or the global economy

20%

Paper 2 (1hr 45 mins) Data response paper covering all topics

30%

Paper 3 HL extension paper on all syllabus content (mathematics including
application to diagrams; qualitative responses based on data)

30%

Internal assessment

20%

Three commentaries based on different sections of the syllabus and on
published extracts from the news media.

20%

Global Politics: People, Power & Politics
Course Description
The 21st century is characterised by rapid change and increasing interconnectedness, impacting
individuals and societies in unprecedented ways and creating complex global political challenges. Global
politics is an exciting, dynamic subject that draws on a variety of disciplines in the social sciences andhumanities, reflecting the complex nature of many contemporary political issues. The study of global politics
enables students to critically engage with different and new perspectives and approaches to politics in order
to comprehend the challenges of the changing world and become aware of their role in it as active global
citizens.
Our global politics course explores fundamental political concepts such as power, equality, sustainability
and peace in a range of contexts. It allows students to develop an understanding of the local, national,
international and global dimensions of political activity and processes, as well as to explore political issues
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 49

affecting their own lives. The course helps students to understand abstract political concepts by grounding
them in real-world examples and case studies. It also invites comparison between such examples and casestudies to ensure a wider and transnational perspective.
The core units of the course together make up a central unifying theme of “people, power and politics”. The
emphasis on “people” reflects the fact that the course explores politics not only at a state level but also
explores the function and impact of non-state actors, communities, groups and individuals. The concept of“power” is also emphasised as being particularly crucial to understanding the dynamics, tensions andoutcomes of global politics. Throughout the course, issues such as conflict, migration or climate change are
explored through an explicitly political lens: “politics” provide a uniquely rich context in which to explore therelationship between people and power.

Course Outline
SL and HL courses share the same core syllabus.
Core: People, power and politics.
Unit 1: Power, Sovereignty, and International Relations
Unit 2: Human Rights
Unit 3: Development
Unit 4: Peace and Conflict
Engagement Activity: The engagement activity provides students an opportunity to explore the central
unifying theme of the course—people, power and politics—in practice and outside of the classroom. In thecourse of their engagement activity, students may, for example, learn about the local manifestations of a
global issue, engage with primary sources and experience the dynamics and consequences ofdecision-making on individuals and communities. Although the emphasis of the task is on active
engagement rather than primarily on research, it is expected that students make use of the key concepts,
theories and ideas they are learning in the classroom and undertake further reading to inform their planningand actions, and their discussion of the political issue raised in their activities. In brief, the task aims at
active and reflective engagement. The engagement activity work culminates in a 2,000-word written report.
More information on the assessment of the written report is given in the “Internal assessment” section ofthis guide.
There are three parts to the engagement activity work:● undertaking an engagement● doing complementary research● writing a report
Although the written report is the assessed component of the engagement activity, students’ planning,actions, further reading and discussion are interconnected; all are required for a good end result. Moreover,students can expect to go back and forth between the different elements of the work: for example, theyshould do some preliminary research on the context of their activities before they engage, and while writing
their report, they may discover areas for which additional research is needed to balance the perspectives
acquired through the engagement.
HL Extension: global political challenges – The HL extension gives students the opportunity to explore
important global political challenges through a case studies approach. HL students must study two of the
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 50

following six topics.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Environment
Poverty
HealthIdentity
Borders
Security

There is no additional prescribed content for the HL extension. For each of the two topics chosen students
must undertake a detailed case study, culminating in two 10-minute video recorded oral presentations.
These case studies provide an opportunity for students to conduct an in-depth analysis of complex politicalissues in real-life situations. The approach also familiarises students with the case study as an important
method of gaining knowledge in the social sciences and allows them to practice skills considered importantfor students of the politics subject area, such as research and presentation skills.

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

capacity to develop rigorous and cogent arguments
ability to make reasoned judgments
understanding the purposes, values and limitations of a range of sources of information
critical thinking
emotional intelligence
analysis, synthesis and interpretation of information
construction of substantiated analyses about the past
research and selection of materials
communication and writingorganisation and self-management
storytelling
Collaboration

Assessment
Assessment SL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

75%

Paper one (1 h 15 min) Stimulus-based paper on a topic from one of thefour core units.

30%

Paper two (1 h 45 min) Extended response paper based on the four coreunits. Students must write two essays from a choice of eight, each selectedfrom a different core unit (75 marks)

45%

Internal assessment

25%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 51

Engagement activity (20 hours) A written report (2,000-word maximum) on
a political issue explored through engagement and research

25%

Assessment HL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

60%

Paper one (1 h 15 min) Stimulus-based paper on a topic from one of thefour core units. Four compulsory short-answer/structured questions(25 marks)

20%

Paper two (2 h 45 min) Extended response paper based on the four coreunits. Students must write three essays from a choice of eight, eachselected from a different core unit (75 marks)

40%

Internal assessment

40%

Engagement activity (20 hours) A written report (2,000-word maximum) on
a political issue explored through engagement and research20%

Two video recorded oral presentations (10-minute maximum each) of twocase studies chosen from two different HL extension topics (20 marks)
Political issues in two of the following six global political challenges
researched and presented through a case-study approach: Environment,poverty, health, identity, borders, security.

20%

History - Culture and Identity in the Modern World
Course Description
History is not about the memorisation of dates and names. History is in fact the story of trends, movements
and ideas. Here at UWC ISAK Japan our IB History programme explores time and place but also culture
and identity: it is an exciting and dynamic course crammed full with human endeavor and economic
tragedy; scientific achievement and social polarization; revolution and terror; truth and reconciliation. Our
History programme strives to meet the UWC mission by asking our students to speak for those without avoice and hold those in power to account.
Our History programme takes students on a journey across the world of the 19th and 20th centuries. We
begin in the Americas by exploring the Cuban independence and revolutionary movements before crossing
the Atlantic to examine the extremes of Weimar and Nazi Germany, the brutality of the war in Kosovo anduniqueness of the Russian Revolution and Stalinism. Having made our way from the Americas acrossEurope we emerge in East Asia where we shall study Japan’s Meiji Restoration and the collapse of the
Qing dynasty and the Chinese revolution. Having visited the two cultural superpowers of the region we
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 52

journey to South East Asia to learn about the Vietnamese independence movement inclusive of the wars
with France and the US. Finally, our journey loops back around the globe settling in Africa, where we’ll
explore the horrors of the Rwandan genocide.
In addition to the major themes and ideas of the History we shall study (and how they interact), theprogramme places a great emphasis on document analysis skills, short and extended essay writing,independent research, collaborative projects, debate and discussion, critical thought, balanced judgements,
empathy and compassion, and the power of persuasion. It has a subject matter that involves issues ofcredibility, plausibility and probability; and a method of disciplined study that deals in arguments andinterpretations, not in certainties.
History helps us to understand the beliefs of other civilisations. It fosters respect and curiosity for cultures
both similar and distinct from our own. As a result, the study of history encourages informed, passionate
and respectful participation in contemporary societies.

Course Content
SL and HL courses share the same core syllabus.
Part 1: Conflict and Intervention—prescribed subjects; HL and SL students study the following two casestudies: the Kosovo war and the Rwandan genocide.
Part 2: World History—topics; HL and SL students study the two topics listed below:
Authoritarian States (20th Century) and Evolution and Development of Democratic States (1848–2000).
Student will also explore aspects of Independence Movements (1800-2000) and Causes and Effects of
20th Century Wars.
HL options – HL students are required to undertake an in-depth study of a period of history. UWC ISAK
Japan follows the aspects of the history of Asia and Oceania with a particular emphasis on Challenges to
Traditional East Asian Societies (1700-1868), Early Modernisation and Imperial Decline in East Asia (1860– 1921), China and Korea (1910-1950) and The People’s Republic of China (1949-2005).

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Capacity to develop rigorous and cogent arguments
Ability to make reasoned judgments
Understanding the purposes, values and limitations of a range of sources of information
critical thinking
Emotional intelligence
Analysis, synthesis and interpretation of information
Construction of substantiated analyses about the past
Research and selection of materials
Communication and writing
Organisation and self-management
Storytelling
CollaborationUWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 53

Assessment
Assessment SL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

75%

Paper 1 (1hour) Source-based paper based on the prescribed subject:
Conflicts and Intervention. Answer four structured questions. (24 marks)

30%

Paper 2 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Extended-response paper based on the 12 world history topics. Answer two
extended-response questions on two different topics. (30 marks)

45%

Internal assessment

25%

Students are required to complete a historical investigation into a topic of
their choice. (25 marks)

25%

Assessment HL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1 (1hour) Source-based paper based on the five prescribed subject:
Conflicts and Intervention. Answer four structured questions. (24 marks)

20%

Paper 2 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Extended-response paper based on the 12 world history topics. Answer two
extended-response questions on two different topics. (30 marks)

25%

Paper 3 (2 hours 30 minutes) Answer three extended-response questions
from the selected region: Aspects of Asia and Oceania. (45 marks)

35%

Internal assessment

20%

Students are required to complete a historical investigation into a topic of
their choice. (25 marks)

20%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 54

Group 4: Sciences
Biology
Course Description
Biology is the study of life.
The first organisms appeared on the planet over 3 billion years ago and through natural selection, havegiven rise to the 8 million or so different species alive today. Estimates vary, but over the course of evolution
4 billion species could have been produced. Even with at least five periods when very large numbers ofspecies became extinct, there are more species alive on Earth today than ever before. This diversity makes
biology both an endless source of fascination and a considerable challenge. An interest in life is natural forhumans; not only are we living organisms ourselves, but we depend on many species for our survival, arethreatened by some and co-exist with many more.
Biologists attempt to understand the living world at all levels using many different approaches andtechniques. At one end of the scale is the cell, its molecular construction and complex metabolic reactions.
At the other end is the scale biologists investigate the interactions that make whole ecosystems function. In
this course, we will explore together the current understanding of Biology from the cellular to the ecosystemlevel.
Biology is still a young science and great progress is expected in the 21st century through experimentations
and advancement of technology. We will conduct many laboratory work to build scientific skills so that wecan participate in breaking new ground in the field of Biology.

Course Outline(Class of 2024, Grade 12)
Core:
●
●
●
●
●
●

Cell Biology
Molecular Biology
Genetics
Ecology
Evolution & biodiversity
Human physiology

Additional higher Level (AHL):
●
●
●
●
●

Nucleic acids
Metabolism, cell respiration and photosynthesis
Plant biology
Genetics and Evolution
Animal physiology

Options:
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 55

●
●
●
●

Neurobiology & Behavior
Biotechnology and bioinformatics
Ecology and conservation
Human Physiology(Class of 2025, Grade 11)Core:● Cells● Molecules● Metabolism● Genetics● Equilibrium● Body Systems● Plant systems● Biodiversity● Nutrition● Ecosystems● Human Impacts
Additional higher Level (AHL):
AHL students will study the same core topic areas but in each and every topic they will study in greater
depth and with a greater breadth of examples.

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Enable students to apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques thatcharacterise science and technology
Develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise scientific information
Engender an awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration andcommunication during scientific activities
Develop experimental and investigative scientific skills
Develop and apply the students’ information and communication technology skills in the
study of science
Raise awareness of the moral, ethical, social, economic and environmental implications ofusing science and technology
Develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations associated with science andscientists
Encourage an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and theoverarching nature of the scientific method.

Assessment
Tests & Quizzes
IB Biology requires students to develop in-depth understanding of broad topics, and an ability to interpretand analyse data. Hence students will receive periodic tests and quizzes to both build skills in data analysis
and check for their understanding in all topics.
Practical WorkUWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 56

IB Biology requires students to engage in a variety of practical work in both collaborative and independent
format.
Assessment SL (For the class of 2024, Grade 12)
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: Multiple choice questions which test knowledge of the course
content. The questions are designed to be short, one- or two- stage
problems.

20%

Paper 2: Data-based question which will require students to analyse a given
set of data, short answer questions, and extended response questions,which may involve writing a number of paragraphs, solving a substantial
problem, or carrying out a substantial piece of analysis or evaluation.

40%

Paper 3: Data based questions which require students to explain lab skills
or techniques or analyse previously unseen data and short and extended
response questions from one of the options.

20%

Internal assessment

20%

Internal Assessment: Scientific investigation of your choice, which canrange from a hands-on laboratory investigation to analysis of secondary
data; assessed on five criteria - personal engagement, exploration,
analysis, evaluation and communication.

20%

Assessment HL (For the class of 2024, Grade 12)
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: Multiple choice questions which test knowledge of the course
content. The questions are designed to be short, one- or two- stage
problems.

20%

Paper 2: Data-based question which will require students to analyse a given
set of data, short answer questions, and extended response questions,which may involve writing a number of paragraphs, solving a substantial
problem, or carrying out a substantial piece of analysis or evaluation.

36%

Paper 3: Data based questions which require students to explain lab skills
or techniques or analyse previously unseen data and short and extended
response questions from one of the options.

24%

Internal assessment

20%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 57

Internal Assessment: Scientific investigation of your choice, which canrange from a hands-on laboratory investigation to analysis of secondary
data; assessed on five criteria - personal engagement, exploration,
analysis, evaluation and communication. (6-12 pages)

20%

Assessment SL (For the class of 2025, Grade 11)
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1A + 1B: 30 Multiple choice questions and 4 data-based questions
on SL material

36%

Paper 2 (sections A + B): Data-based, short answer and extended response 44%questions on SL materialInternal assessment

20%

Internal Assessment: Scientific investigation of your choice, which canrange from a hands-on laboratory investigation to analysis of secondary
data; assessed on four criteria - research design, data analysis, conclusionand evaluation. (Maximum: 3000 words).

20%

Assessment HL (For the class of 2025, Grade 11)
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1A + 1B: 40 Multiple choice questions and 4 data-based questions
on SL and AHL material

36%

Paper 2 (sections A + B): Data-based, short answer and extended response 44%questions on SL and AHL materialInternal assessment

20%

Internal Assessment: Scientific investigation of your choice, which canrange from a hands-on laboratory investigation to analysis of secondary
data; assessed on four criteria - research design, data analysis, conclusionand evaluation. (Maximum: 3000 words).

20%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 58

Computer Science
Course Description
Computer Science is an enthralling and ever-evolving field that plays a vital role in shaping the modern
world. From its historical roots with pioneers like A.M. Turing breaking war codes using analog computers to
its present-day impact on virtual/augmented reality, cryptocurrencies, machine learning, and artificial
intelligence, Computer Science has revolutionized various aspects of our lives (Hidden Creative 2010,
VICE 2019, Science Time 2020, WSJ 2019, DW 2020). This dynamic discipline continually inspires andchallenges young minds, offering a wealth of possibilities and innovations for the future.
At UWC ISAK Japan, Computer Science education goes beyond theory. Students enthusiastically engage
in exciting projects that bridge the gap between Computer Science and other fields like Art, Neuroscience,
Meteorology, Economics, Data Science, and Biology. These hands-on projects provide an authentic
learning experience, allowing students to master the syllabus and cultivate essential Computational
Thinking Skills. Furthermore, they gain invaluable insights into the far-reaching consequences of modern
technologies on society, making their education both relevant and impactful for the world. By studying
Computer Science, students embark on a journey of exploration, empowerment, and discovery, becoming
equipped to comprehend, contribute, and shape the technological advancements that lie ahead, thus
becoming a better leader for the interconnected world.
"Computational thinking represents a universally applicable attitude and skill set everyone, not justcomputer scientists, would be eager to learn and use." (Wing, Jeanette M. 2006)
The Computer Science program offers a carefully designed two-year structure. In the first year, students
engage in project-based learning, which proves to be the most captivating aspect of their journey. Thisapproach allows them to develop computational thinking skills and intuition for crafting software solutions
using the design cycle. They relish the real-life context of these projects and discover the direct link
between their natural talents and the fascinating world of Computer Science. The syllabus is presented in anonlinear manner, fostering authentic disciplinary work and giving students the freedom to explore topics attheir own pace. This flexible framework adequately supports them in tackling the creation of their projects
for internal assessment.
Moving into the second year, the focus shifts to a more traditional lecture-centered approach, dedicated toreviewing topics and honing essential skills for the external examination. Students pursuing the Higher
Level (HL) track have the exciting opportunity to explore advanced topics in Computer Science, delving
deeper into complex concepts. Additionally, the yearly case study offers a chance to apply their analyticaland problem-solving abilities to real-world scenarios. The combination of project-based learning andtraditional lectures ensures that students not only gain practical experience but also solid theoreticalknowledge, preparing them to excel beyond both internal assessments and external examinations. This
comprehensive and dynamic two-year structure equips students at UWC ISAK Japan with the skills andexpertise to become leaders for positive change.
.

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 59

Course Outline
SL and HL courses share the same core syllabus:
Topic 1: System fundamentals (20 hours)
Topic 2: Computer organization (6 hours)
Topic 3: Networks (9 hours)
Topic 4: Computational thinking, problem-solving and programming (45 hours)
HL extension
Topic 5: Abstract data structures (23 hours)
Topic 6: Resource management (8 hours)
Topic 7: Control (14 hours)
Case Study
The Case Study is issued annually by the IB. The purpose of the case study is to expand the students’knowledge of a new subject-related topic through investigative study. This will allow students to investigate
in greater depth current issues in computer science that are not included in the syllabus.
OptionFour course options are available; databases, modeling and simulation, web science, object oriented
programming (OOP).
Internal Assessment-Solution
Practical application of skills through the development of a product and associated documentation.
Internal Assessment (IA) in Computer Science provides a great opportunity for the students to apply their
computational thinking and programming skills to develop a software product for a client that they choose.

Programming Languages Explored
The programming languages explored in this course include: Python, C, Javascript, HTML+CSS, SQL

Skills developed●●●

Computational Thinking skills (Abstraction, Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Algorithmic
thinking)
Dominion of modern programming languages.
Science Communication skills.

Assessment
Assessment SL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

70%

Paper 1: (1 hour 30 minutes) Maximum mark: 70

45%
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 60

Paper 2: (1 hour) Maximum mark: 45

25%

Internal Assessment: Solution, Duration: 30 hours

30%

Assessment HL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: (2 hours 10 minutes) Maximum mark: 100

40%

Paper 2: (1 hour 20 minutes) Maximum mark: 65

20%

Paper 3: (1 hour) Maximum mark: 30

20%

Internal assessment

20%

Chemistry
Course Description
Chemistry has come a long way from the days of Lavoisier and the Annales de Chimie and even further
from the days of alchemy, where practitioners spent most of their time trying to convert base metals into
gold! However, some of the key principles of Chemistry have remained the same, such as the systematic
study of matter and the materials that surround us and the utilization of that understanding to create newmaterials and substances with properties that we desire.
With advances in the understanding of the quantum world made at the turn of the 20th century, chemists
now have to be able to think about matter in a dizzying variety of magnitudes, varying from the quantum tothe macroscopic. It is a subject that, in its purest form, is impossible to visualize and fascinating because
this fact hasn’t stopped chemists from trying to visualize it and create pictures over the past 100 years.
Over the two year IB Chemistry course, students learn some of the key vocabulary and concepts that are
regularly used in Chemistry and also about their drawbacks and weaknesses. Practicals are completed andalthough they mostly illustrate topics covered in theory classes and focus on the development of manual
skills, students are also required to design their own investigation to answer a question of their creation,
which can be explored within the constraints of the science.
Chemistry, as with the other sciences, is an immersive study in using frequently flawed data, not to seek
answers but to ask better quality questions.

Course Outline
Core● Stoichiometric relationships● Atomic structure
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 61

●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Periodicity
Chemical bonding and structure
Energetics / Thermochemistry
Chemical kinetics
Equilibria
Acids and BasesRedox processes
Organic chemistry
Measurement and data processing

Additional higher Level (AHL)
AHL students will study the same topic areas but in each and every topic they will study in greater depth
and with a greater breadth of examples.
Options (Class of 2024, Grade 12)● Materials● Biochemistry● Energy from the sun● Medicinal chemistry

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Enable students to apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques thatcharacterize science and technology
Develop an ability to analyze, evaluate and synthesize scientific information
Encourage an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and theoverarching nature of the scientific method.
Engender an awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration andcommunication during scientific activities
Develop experimental and investigative scientific skills
Develop and apply the students’ information and communication technology skills in the
study of science
Raise awareness of the moral, ethical, social, economic and environmental implications ofusing science and technology
Develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations associated with science andscientists
Understand the need for modeling and assumptions in complex systems

Assessment
Tests & Quizzes
IB Chemistry requires students to develop in-depth understanding of broad topics on a number of levels
and the ability to communicate about these topics using accurate terminology. Students should be able tointerpret experimental data from their own practical work and the practical work and models of otherscientists. Students will receive periodic formative and summative assessments to build communication
skills and check for their understanding. Summative assessments will include tests, short quizzes,
assignments and lab investigations to verify student growth for internal grades and reporting.
Final IB grades are determined by three externally marked exam papers in the fourth semester and aninternally marked individual investigation, which is submitted as a lab report at the end of the third

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 62

semester. Predicted grades of students are calculated using the results from their summative assessments
at the end of Grade 11.
Practical WorkIB Chemistry requires students to engage in a variety of practical work in both collaborative andindependent format, both to develop manual skills and to reinforce topics covered in theory lessons.
Assessment SL (Class of 2024)
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: Multiple choice questions which test knowledge of the course
content. The questions are designed to be short, one- or two- stage
problems.

20%

Paper 2: Data-based question which will require students to analyze a given
set of data, short answer questions, and extended response questions,which may involve writing a number of paragraphs, solving a substantial
problem, or carrying out a substantial piece of analysis or evaluation.

40%

Paper 3: Data based questions which require students to explain lab skills
or techniques or analyze previously unseen data and short and extended
response questions from one of the options.

20%

Internal assessment

20%

Internal Assessment: Scientific investigation of your choice, which canrange from a hands-on laboratory investigation to analysis of secondary
data; assessed on five criteria - personal engagement, exploration,
analysis, evaluation and communication.

20%

Assessment HL (Class of 2024)
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: Multiple choice questions which test knowledge of the course
content. The questions are designed to be short, one- or two- stage
problems.

20%

Paper 2: Data-based question which will require students to analyze a given
set of data, short answer questions, and extended response questions,which may involve writing a number of paragraphs, solving a substantial
problem, or carrying out a substantial piece of analysis or evaluation.

36%

Paper 3: Data based questions which require students to explain lab skills
or techniques or analyze previously unseen data and short and extended
response questions from one of the options.

24%

Internal assessment

20%
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 63

Internal Assessment: Scientific investigation of your choice, which canrange from a hands-on laboratory investigation to analysis of secondary
data; assessed on five criteria - personal engagement, exploration,
analysis, evaluation and communication. (6-12 pages)

20%

Assessment SL (Class of 2025)
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: Multiple choice questions which test knowledge of the course
content and Data-based question which will require students to analyze agiven set of data. The questions are designed to be short, one- or twostage problems.

36%

Paper 2: Short answer questions, and extended response questions, which
may involve writing a number of paragraphs, solving a substantial problem,or carrying out a substantial piece of analysis or evaluation.

44%

Internal assessment

20%

Internal Assessment: Scientific investigation of your choice, which canrange from a hands-on laboratory investigation to analysis of secondary
data; assessed on five criteria - personal engagement, exploration,
analysis, evaluation and communication.
Assessment HL (Class of 2025)
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: Multiple choice questions which test knowledge of the course
content and Data-based question which will require students to analyze agiven set of data. The questions are designed to be short, one- or twostage problems.

36%

Paper 2: Short answer questions, and extended response questions, which
may involve writing a number of paragraphs, solving a substantial problem,or carrying out a substantial piece of analysis or evaluation.

44%

Internal assessment

20%

Internal Assessment: Scientific investigation of your choice, which canrange from a hands-on laboratory investigation to analysis of secondary
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 64

data; assessed on five criteria - personal engagement, exploration,
analysis, evaluation and communication.

Environmental Systems & Societies (SL Only)
Course Description
Eight billion people share the Earth. We farm intensively and use fossil fuel in manufacturing. There is acost to the environment.
ESS is where science, economics and politics meet.
The course contains many real-life case studies. We examine rice terraces in Thailand, marine protection in
the Philippines and conservation in Hokkaido, Japan. Government policies in China and Russia deter or
encourage couples to have children. Supermarket suppliers in the Netherlands throw out edible foodbecause it looks ugly. We look at the merits and drawbacks of using fertiliser on fields in Canada and the
problems of water abstraction in Israel. The Fukushima disaster forced Japanese politicians to swerveaway from nuclear power. But if we are to limit global warming, Japan may need to steer back.
Some problems have a clear solution. Many do not. During the ESS course students will consider the
ecological footprint and of the society they want to live in. They gain the knowledge needed to turn goodintentions into action at home and abroad.

Course Outline
Grade 11
Systems thinking – energy and matter in social and natural systems
Biodiversity – its origins, measurement and conservation
Soil – the science of farming on land
Aquatic food production – aquaculture and the catching of wild fish
Grade 12
Pollution – eutrophication and biomagnification, and the management of these
Atmosphere – how the gases we release affect plants, animals and ecosystems
Climate change – what we can and cannot do to prepare for thisEnvironmental change – population dynamics, resource use and waste.

Skills Developed●●●●

Acquire the knowledge and understandings of environmental systems at a variety of scales
Apply the knowledge, methodologies and skills to analyse environmental systems and issues at avariety of scales
Appreciate the dynamic interconnectedness between environmental systems and societies
Value the combination of personal, local and global perspectives in making informed decisions andtaking responsible actions on environmental issues
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 65

●
●
●
●
●

Be critically aware that resources are finite, and that these could be inequitably distributed andexploited, and that management of these inequities is the key to sustainability
Develop awareness of the diversity of environmental value systems
Develop critical awareness that environmental problems are caused and solved by decisions madeby individuals and societies that are based on different areas of knowledge
Engage with the controversies that surround a variety of environmental issues
Create innovative solutions to environmental issues by engaging actively in local and global
contexts

Assessment
IB ESS requires students to understand broad topics. They must also interpret data. They are often asked
to justify responses to complex problems.
Students receive formative assessments to build writing skills and check for their understanding in all
topics. Summative assessments will include tests, assignments and investigations to verify student growthfor internal grades and reporting.
Final IB grades are determined by three assessments: a personal research project to be completed before
the end of Semester 3 (fall of Year 2), and two exam papers written at the end of Semester 4 (spring ofYear 2).
Assessment
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

75%

Paper 1: Case Study (40 marks)

25%

Paper 2: Section A: short response (25 marks - 19%))
Section B: essay response (40 marks - 31%)50%

Internal assessment

25%

Individual Investigation (30 marks)

25%

Physics
Course Description
Physics is the most fundamental of the experimental sciences, as it seeks to explain the universe
itself, from the very smallest particles to the vast distances between galaxies. Despite the exciting andextraordinary development of ideas throughout the history of physics, observations remain essential toUWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 66

the very core of the subject. Models are developed to try to understand observations, and thesethemselves can become theories that attempt to explain the observations.
Besides helping us better understand the natural world, physics gives us the ability to alter ourenvironments. This raises the issue of the impact of physics on society, the moral and ethicaldilemmas, and the social, economic and environmental implications of the work of physicists.
By studying physics students should become aware of how scientists work and communicate witheach other. While the scienti c method may take on a wide variety of forms, it is the emphasis on apractical approach through experimental work that characterises the subject. Teachers provide
students with opportunities to develop manipulative skills, design investigations, collect data, analyse
results and evaluate and communicate their findings.
Through the overarching theme of the nature of science, the aims of the DP physics course are toenable students to:● Appreciate scientific study and creativity within a global context through stimulating and● challenging opportunities● Acquire a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterise science and● Technology● Apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterise science and● technology● Develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise scientific information● Develop a critical awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration and● communication during scienti c activities● Develop experimental and investigative scientific skills including the use of current● technologies● Develop and apply 21st century communication skills in the study of science● Become critically aware, as global citizens, of the ethical implications of using science and● technology● Develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science and technology● Develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence● on other areas of knowledge

Course​​Outline
Core:● Measurements and uncertainties● Mechanics● Thermal physics● Waves● Electricity and magnetism● Circular motion and gravitation● Atomic, nuclear and particle physics● Energy Production
Additional HL:● Wave phenomena● Fields● Electromagnetic induction
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 67

●Quantum and nuclear physics

Option: (choose one)
● Relativity● Engineering physics● Imaging● Astrophysics
Practical Scheme of work:● Prescribed and other practical activities● Individual investigation● Group 4 project

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Appreciate scientific study and creativity within a global context through stimulating and challenging
opportunities
Acquire a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterise science and technology
Apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterise science andtechnology
Develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise scientific information
Develop a critical awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration andcommunication during scientific activities
Develop experimental and investigative scientific skills including the use of current technologies
Develop and apply 21st century communication skills in the study of science
Become critically aware, as global citizens, of the ethical implications of using science andtechnology
Develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science and technology
Develop an understanding relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on otherareas of knowledge.

Assessment
IB Physics requires students to develop in-depth understanding of broad topics, and an
ability to interpret and analyse data as well as solve problems. Hence students will receive
periodic formative assessments to build skills in problem solving and check for theirunderstanding in all topics. Summative assessments will include tests, assignments andinvestigations to verify student growth.
Assessment HL & SL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: Multiple choice questions

20%

Paper 2: Short answer and extended response questions36%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 68

Paper 3: Data and practical based questions plus short answer andextended response questions on the option

24%

Internal assessment

20%

IB Physics requires students to engage in a variety of practical work in bothcollaborative and independent format. The final submission will be anindividual investigation of 6-12 pages.

20%Group 5: Mathematics
Individual students have different needs, aspirations, interests and abilities. For this reason there are twodifferent subjects in mathematics. These courses are designed for different types of students: those whowish to study mathematics as a subject in its own right or to pursue their interests in areas related tomathematics, and those who wish to gain understanding and competence in how mathematics relates tothe world and to other subjects. Each course is designed to meet the needs of a particular group of
students. Mathematics: analysis and approaches (HL and SL) and Mathematics: applications andinterpretation (SL).
Both Mathematics courses share a common core but with very different approaches. In both courses,
students in these subjects are expected to have a sound mathematical background. Students aiming for theHigher Level, need to be particularly adept and knowledgeable with functions and the manipulation ofmathematical expressions.

Mathematics: analysis and approaches (HL & SL)
Course Description
Mathematics: analysis and approaches is for students who enjoy developing their mathematics to become
fluent in the construction of mathematical arguments and develop strong skills in mathematical thinking.
They will also be fascinated by exploring real and abstract applications of these ideas, with and without
technology. Students who take Mathematics: analysis and approaches will be those who enjoy the thrill ofmathematical problem solving and generalization.
This course recognizes the need for analytical expertise in a world where innovation is increasingly
dependent on a deep understanding of mathematics. This course includes topics that are both traditionallypart of a pre-university mathematics course (for example, functions, trigonometry, calculus) as well as
topics that are amenable to investigation, conjecture and proof, for instance the study of sequences andseries at both SL and HL, and proof by induction at HL.
The course allows the use of technology, as fluency in relevant mathematical software and hand-held
technology is important regardless of choice of course. However, Mathematics: analysis and approaches
has a strong emphasis on the ability to construct, communicate and justify correct mathematical arguments.
Mathematics: analysis and approaches: Distinction between SL and HLUWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 69

Students who choose Mathematics: analysis and approaches at SL or HL should be comfortable in the
manipulation of algebraic expressions and enjoy the recognition of patterns and understand themathematical generalization of these patterns. Students who wish to take Mathematics: analysis andapproaches at a higher level will have strong algebraic skills and the ability to understand proof. They will
be students who enjoy spending time with problems and get pleasure and satisfaction from solving
challenging problems.

Course Outline
Mathematics SL and HL courses share the same core syllabus.
Course Outline SL
Grade 11: Topic 1, topic 2, topic 4
Grade 12: Topic 3, Topic 5
Course Outline HL
Grade 11: Topic 1, topic 2, topic 3, topic 6
Grade 12: Topic 4, Topic 5
TOPICS:
Topic 1: Number and algebra - Number and algebra allow us to represent patterns, show equivalencies
and make generalizations which enable us to model real-world situations. Algebra is an abstraction ofnumerical concepts and employs variables which allow us to solve mathematical problems.
Topic 2: Functions - Models are depictions of real-life events using expressions, equations or graphs whilea function is defined as a relation or expression involving one or more variables. Creating different
representations of functions to model the relationships between variables, visually and symbolically asgraphs, equations and tables represents different ways to communicate mathematical ideas.
Topic 3: Geometry and trigonometry - Geometry and trigonometry allows us to quantify the physicalworld, enhancing our spatial awareness in two and three dimensions. This topic provides us with the tools
for analysis, measurement and transformation of quantities, movements and relationships.

Topic 4: Statistics and Probability - This unit consists of two sections. The first one focuses on basic
probability and statistics, through the concepts of data collection, manipulation and analysis, and is linked
to modelling through linear regressions. The second part focuses on the study of probabilistic events
described by probability distributions, such as the normal distribution.
Topic 5: Calculus - Calculus describes rates of change between two variables and the accumulation oflimiting areas. Understanding these rates of change and accumulations allow us to model, interpret andanalyze real- world problems and situations. Calculus helps us to understand the behaviour of functions
and allows us to interpret the features of their graphs.

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 70

Aims
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

develop a curiosity and enjoyment of mathematics, and appreciate its elegance and power
develop an understanding of the concepts, principles and nature of mathematics
communicate mathematics clearly, concisely and confidently in a variety of contexts
develop logical and creative thinking, and patience and persistence in problem solving to instil
confidence in using mathematics
employ and refine their powers of abstraction and generalization
take action to apply and transfer skills to alternative situations, to other areas of knowledge and to
future developments in their local and global communities
appreciate how developments in technology and mathematics influence each otherappreciate the moral, social and ethical questions arising from the work of mathematicians and theapplications of mathematics
appreciate the universality of mathematics and its multicultural, international and historicalperspectives
appreciate the contribution of mathematics to other disciplines, and as a particular “area ofknowledge” in the TOK course
develop the ability to reflect critically upon their own work and the work of others
independently and collaboratively extend their understanding of mathematics.

Assessment
Assessment SL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: (90 minutes) – No technology allowed. (80 marks)
Section A
Compulsory short-response questions based on the syllabus.
Section B
Compulsory extended-response questions based on the syllabus.

40%

Paper 2: (90 minutes) – Technology required. (80 marks)
Section A
Compulsory short-response questions based on the syllabus.
Section B
Compulsory extended-response questions based on the syllabus

40%

Internal assessment

20%

This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externallymoderated by the IB at the end of the course.
Mathematical exploration (20 marks)
Internal assessment in mathematics is an individual exploration. This is apiece of written work that involves investigating an area of mathematics.

20%

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 71

Assessment HL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: (120 minutes) – No technology allowed. (110 marks)
Section A
Compulsory short-response questions based on the syllabus. Section B
Compulsory extended-response questions based on the syllabus.

30%

Paper 2: (120 minutes) – Technology required. (110 marks)
Section A
Compulsory short-response questions based on the syllabus.
Section B
Compulsory extended-response questions based on the syllabus.

30%

Paper 3: (60 minutes) – Technology required. (55 marks)
Two compulsory extended response problem-solving questions.

20%

Internal assessment

20%

This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externallymoderated by the IB at the end of the course.
Mathematical exploration (20 marks)
Internal assessment in mathematics is an individual exploration. This is apiece of written work that involves investigating an area of mathematics.

20%

Mathematics: applications and interpretation (SL only)
Course Description
This course recognizes the increasing role that mathematics and technology play in a diverse range offields in a data-rich world. As such, it emphasizes the meaning of mathematics in context by focusing on
topics that are often used as applications or in mathematical modelling. To give this understanding a firmbase, this course also includes topics that are traditionally part of a pre-university mathematics course suchas calculus and statistics.
The course makes extensive use of technology to allow students to explore and construct mathematicalmodels. Mathematics: applications and interpretation will develop mathematical thinking, often in thecontext of a practical problem and using technology to justify conjectures.

Course Outline
Grade 11: Topic 1, topic 2, topic 3, topic 4, topic 5
Grade 12: Topic 6, topic 7

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 72

Topic 1 Number and algebra: Number and algebra allow us to represent patterns, show equivalencies
and make generalizations which enable us to model real-world situations. Algebra is an abstraction ofnumerical concepts and employs variables to solve mathematical problems.
Topic 2 Functions: Models are depictions of real-life events using expressions, equations or graphs whilea function is defined as a relation or expression involving one or more variables. Creating different
representations of functions to model the relationships between variables, visually and symbolically asgraphs, equations and/or tables represents different ways to communicate mathematical ideas.
Topic 3 Geometry and trigonometry: Geometry and trigonometry allow us to quantify the physical world,
enhancing our spatial awareness in two and three dimensions. This branch provides us with the tools foranalysis, measurement and transformation of quantities, movements and relationships.
Topic 4 Statistics and probability: Statistics is concerned with the collection, analysis and interpretationof quantitative data and uses the theory of probability to estimate parameters, discover empirical laws, test
hypotheses and predict the occurrence of events. Statistical representations and measures allow us torepresent data in many different forms to aid interpretation.
Probability enables us to quantify the likelihood of events occurring and so evaluate risk. Both statistics andprobability provide important representations which enable us to make predictions, valid comparisons andinformed decisions. These fields have power and limitations and should be applied with care and criticallyquestioned, in detail, to differentiate between the theoretical and the empirical/observed. Probability theory
allows us to make informed choices, to evaluate risk and to make predictions about seemingly random
events.
Topic 5 Calculus: Calculus describes rates of change between two variables and the accumulation oflimiting areas. Understanding these rates of change allows us to model, interpret and analyze real-world
problems and situations. Calculus helps us understand the behaviour of functions and allows us to interpretthe features of their graphs.

Aims
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

develop a curiosity and enjoyment of mathematics, and appreciate its elegance and power
develop an understanding of the concepts, principles and nature of mathematics
communicate mathematics clearly, concisely and confidently in a variety of contexts
develop logical and creative thinking, and patience and persistence in problem solving to instill
confidence in using mathematics
employ and refine their powers of abstraction and generalization
take action to apply and transfer skills to alternative situations, to other areas of knowledge and to
future developments in their local and global communities
appreciate how developments in technology and mathematics influence each otherappreciate the moral, social and ethical questions arising from the work of mathematicians and theapplications of mathematics
appreciate the universality of mathematics and its multicultural, international and historicalperspectives
appreciate the contribution of mathematics to other disciplines, and as a particular “area ofknowledge” in the TOK course
develop the ability to reflect critically upon their own work and the work of others
independently and collaboratively extend their understanding of mathematics.
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 73

Assessment
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

80%

Paper 1: (90 minutes) - Technology required. (80 marks)
Compulsory short-response questions based on the syllabus.

40%

Paper 2: (90 minutes) - Technology required. (80 marks)
Compulsory extended-response questions based on the syllabus.

40%

Internal assessment

20%

This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externallymoderated by the IB at the end of the course.
Mathematical exploration
Internal assessment in mathematics is an individual exploration. This is apiece of written work that involves investigating an area of mathematics. (20marks)

20%

Group 6: The Arts
Film
Course Description
Film is a powerful and stimulating art form and practice.
The DP film course aims to develop students as proficient interpreters and makers of film texts. Throughthe study and analysis of film texts, and through practical exercises in film production, the film course
develops students’ critical abilities and their appreciation of artistic, cultural, historical and global
perspectives in film. Students examine film concepts, theories, practices and ideas from multiple
perspectives, challenging their own viewpoints and biases in order to understand and value those of others.
DP film students experiment with film and multimedia technology, acquiring the skills and creativecompetencies required to successfully communicate through the language of the medium. They develop an
artistic voice and learn how to express personal perspectives through film. The film course emphasizes theimportance of working collaboratively. It focuses on the international and intercultural dynamic that triggers
and sustains contemporary film, while fostering in students an appreciation of the development of film
across time, space and culture. DP film students are challenged to understand alternative views, to respect
and appreciate the diverse cultures that exist within film, and to have open and critical minds.

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 74

Course Outline
Grade 11
There are six (6) UNITS that you will be completing this year: :● Unit 0 Intro to Film
● Unit 1 Signs and Symbols● Unit 2 Story● Unit 3 Intertextuality● Unit 4 Ideology● Unit 5 Frames & Images
Grade 12In grade 12 we start focusing on the IBDP Tasks (read exam pieces).
● Task 1 - Textual Analysis (TA)● Task 2 - Comparative Study (CS)● Task 3 - Film Portfolio (FP)● Task 4 - Collaborative Film Project (CFP) HL Only#

Unit Name

Description

0

Intro to Film

Exploring the beginnings offilm and introducing
foundational aspects offilmmaking, viewing andinterpreting.

1

Signs and Symbols

Exploring the semiotics of film,
how an idea is communicatedon screen and what thoseelements can look like.

2

Story

Understanding how anarrative is constructed in film,
story arc.

3

Intertextuality

Exploring how film relies on
the ability to reference the realworld in order to understandthe filmic world.

4

Ideology

Understanding how a film
embeds a clear ideology into
the audience.

5

Frames and Images

Learning how to break down afilm into all of its parts in order
to be able to analyse it using
clear film language.

SkillsInquiry, Action and Reflection
is at the core of DP Film. The
students will be exploring,experiencing and considering
how film is constructed andwhat it means through thestated focus of the unit by:● Reading Film
● Contextualising Film
● Exploring Film
Production Roles● Collaboratively Making
Film

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 75

IBDP
Exam
Work

Task 1 - Textual Analysis (TA)A written textual analysis on aprescribed title●●

Reading Film
Contextualising Film

Task 2 - Comparative Study(CS)

A recorded multimedia
comparative study●●

Reading Film
Contextualising Film

Task 3 - Film Portfolio (FP)Film reel with accompanying
portfolio pages●●

Contextualising Film
Exploring Film
Production Roles
Collaboratively Making
Film●

Task 4 - Collaborative Film
Project (CFP) HL Only

A completed film with a project
report●●●Contextualising Film
Exploring Film
Production Roles
Collaboratively Making
Film

Skills Developed
Inquiry, Action and Reflection is at the core of DP Film. The students will be exploring, experiencing andconsidering how film is constructed and what it means through the stated focus of the unit by:● Reading Film
● Contextualising Film
● Exploring Film Production Roles● Collaboratively Making Film

Assessment

Assessment Type

Weighting of final
grade (%)

Assessment Format

External Assessments
Textual Analysis

Students at both SL and HL demonstrate their knowledge
and understanding of how meaning is constructed in film.
They do this through a written analysis of a prescribed film
text, based on a chosen extract (lasting no more than fiveminutes) from that film. Students consider the culturalcontext of the film and a variety of film elements in theiranalysis, which is written using appropriate
subject-specific terminology.
Each student submits the following for assessment.

SL

HL

60

75

30

20

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 76

1. A written textual analysis (1,750 words maximum)
and a list of all sources used.
Comparative Study

Students at SL and HL carry out research into a chosenarea of film focus, identifying and comparing two films
from within that area and presenting their discoveries as arecorded multimedia comparative study.
Each student submits the following for assessment.
1. A recorded multimedia comparative study (10minutes maximum).
2. A list of all sources used.

30

20

Collaborative Film
Project (HL Only)

Making clear links to films and filmmakers they haveencountered, concepts and contexts explored, and skills
and techniques acquired, students at HL work
collaboratively to plan and create an original completed
film. Students work in core production teams of two to four
students for this project, with each individual writing a
project report that supports and evidences their chosen
film production role taken during the production phases.
The focus of this task is on the nature of collaboration
throughout the creative process and on the individual
student’s ability to effectively contribute to the successful
realization of the group’s agreed intentions.
Each student submits the following.
1. A project report (2,000 words maximum) and a listof all sources used.
2. A completed film (7 minutes maximum).

n/a

35

40

25

40

25

Internal Assessment
Film Portfolio

Students at SL and HL undertake a variety of filmmaking
exercises in a range of film production roles in order tofulfill defined filmmaker intentions. They acquire anddevelop practical skills and techniques throughparticipation in film exercises, experiments and thecreation of at least one completed film. Students reflect on
how learning has further contributed to their understandingof film production roles and the extent to which theirfilmmaker intentions were fulfilled.
Each student submits a film portfolio for assessment,
containing the following.
1. Portfolio pages (9 pages maximum: 3 pages
maximum per film production role) and a list of all
sources used.
2. A film reel (9 minutes maximum: 3 minutes
maximum per film production role, including one
completed film).

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 77

3.
TOTAL

100

100

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 78

Theatre
Course Description
Theatre is a practical subject that encourages discovery through experimentation, risk-taking and thepresentation of ideas. The IB DP theatre course is multifaceted and gives students the opportunity toactively engage in theatre as creators, designers, directors and performers. It emphasizes working bothindividually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble. The teacher’s role is to create opportunities thatallow students to explore, learn, discover and collaborate to become autonomous, informed and skilled
theatre-makers.
Students learn to apply research and theory to inform and to contextualize their work. Through researching,creating, preparing, presenting and critically reflecting on theatre, they gain a richer understanding ofthemselves, their community and the world. Students experience the course from contrasting artistic andcultural perspectives. They learn about theatre from around the world, the importance of making theatrewith integrity, and the impact that theatre can have on the world. It enables them to discover and engage
with different forms of theatre across time, place and culture, promoting international-mindedness and an
appreciation of the diversity of theatre.

Course Outline
Grade 11
There are six (6) major units that you will be completing this year:● Introduction to Theatre● Being a Theatre-Maker● Staging Play Texts● Exploring World Theatre Traditions● Collaboratively Creating Theatre● PerformingTheatre Theory
Note: Within each unit, students will be exposed to theatre traditions, theatre texts, theorists of theatre, andthe devising processes of collaborative theatre groups.
Grade 12Each Unit for this year is focused on the completion of remaining IBDP Tasks (read exam pieces).
#

Unit Name

Description

1

Intro to DP Theatre(Year 1, Semester 1)

Understanding the coreelements of DP Theatre, theimportance of research andreflection in the creative
process, and the key
relationships between
performers and audiences

Skills●●Inquiring
Exploration of self
through movement,
performance andreflection

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 79

2

Becoming a Theatre-Maker(Year 1, Semester 1)

Understanding thetheatre-making process,examining four perspectives oftheatre-making, looking atstaging (performance spaces
and elements and production
elements), discovering
theatre-maker intentions, andexploring moments of Tension,
Emotion, Atmosphere, and/or
Meaning (T.E.A.M.)●●●

Inquiring
Developing
Voice and body intheatre-making

3

Staging Play Texts(Year 1, Semester 1)

Reading, examining, andinterpreting play texts with aneye toward turning text into
action.

●●●●Inquiring
Developing
Theatre processes
Presenting

4

Exploring World Theatre (Year1, Semester 1)

Researching significant world
theatre traditions, examining
the performance conventionsof them, and developing apersonal practice to better
understand the performance
convention.

●
●
●
●

Inquiring
Developing
Presenting
Evaluating

5

Collaboratively Creating
Theatre (Year 1, Semester 2)

Working collaboratively andexploring the devising
practices of theatres to create
original theatre.

●
●
●
●

Inquiring
Developing
Presenting
Evaluating

6

Performing Theatre Theory(Year 1, Semester 2)

Researching and applying thetheories of theatre
practitioners to create original,
solo performances while
influencing other aspects ofinterpretation andperformance.

●
●
●
●

Inquiring
Developing
Presenting
Evaluating

Research Presentation(Year 1, Semester 1)

Preparing and delivering a
15-minute presentation on aworld theatre tradition as well
as a demonstration of aconvention of that tradition
through a moment of theatre

●
●
●
●
●

Inquiring
Developing

Developing, documenting, andreflecting on ideas regarding
how a play text could bestaged for audiences●●●

Inquiring
Developing
Roles: Director &Designer

IBDP
Exam
Work
Units

Production Proposal(Year 2, Semester 1)

Presenting
Role: Performer

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 80

Collaborative Project(Year 2, Semester 1-2)

Collaborating, creating,performing, and reflecting onan original piece of theatre toa specified target audience
using the devising methods ofa chosen theatre company

●
●
●
●
●

Inquiring
Developing
Presenting
Evaluating
Roles: Creator,
Director, Designer,
Performer

Solo Theatre Piece (HL Only)(Year 2, Semester 1-2)

Creating and presenting asolo theatre piece based on
aspects of a chosen theatre
theory●●●●Inquiring
Developing
Presenting
EvaluatingRoles:
Creator, Director,
Designer, Performer

Skills Developed
The four core elements of the IB theatre-making process are:
● Inquiring● Developing● Presenting● Evaluating
In addition, the aims of the theatre course are to enable students to:
1. explore theatre in a variety of contexts and understand how these contexts inform practice(inquiring)
2. understand and engage in the processes of transforming ideas into action (developing)
3. apply theatre production, presentation and performance skills, working both independently andcollaboratively, reflect on processes (presenting and evaluating)
4. understand and appreciate the relationship between theory and practice (presenting andevaluating).

Assessment
Assessment Type

Weighting of final
grade (%)

Assessment Format

External Assessments

SL

HL

70

80

Solo Theatre Piece

Research a theatre theorist you have not previously
studied, identify an aspect of theory and create andpresent a solo theatre piece that demonstrates thepractical application of this theory to a theatre piece foran audience.

n/a

35

Collaborative Project

Collaboratively create and perform an original piece oftheatre created from a starting point of your choice.

40

25

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 81

Research Presentation

Deliver and video record an individual researchpresentation in which you provide evidence of youracademic and practical exploration and learning of aworld theatre tradition you have not previously studied.
Internal Assessments

Production Proposal

TOTAL

Formulate a vision for the design and theoretical stagingof an entire play text for an audience.

30

20

30

20

30

20

100

100

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 82

Visual Arts
Course Description
The IB Visual Arts course at UWC ISAK Japan is a course that cherishes creativity and growth, with studioexperience and making at its core. It encourages students to challenge and expand their own creative andcultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analyticalskills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence
as independent and authentic art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different
perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and criticallyreflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students whowant to go on to study visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong
enrichment through visual arts.

Course Outline
SL and HL courses share the same core syllabus.
Throughout the course students are expected to experience working with a variety of different art-making
and conceptual forms. SL students should, as a minimum, experience working with at least two art-making
forms, HL students should, as a minimum, experience working with at least three art-making forms.
G11 Semester 1
Investigating Art-Making Processes:
Students are introduced to different approaches to art-making and the use of the Art Journal to develop
ideas and critical self-evaluation. Skills are developed in different media: drawing, printing, screen-based
work.
●
●
G11 Semester 2
Students further explore approaches to art-making and the use of the Art Journal to develop a more
personal direction and artistic identity. Skills are developed in different media: 3D, photography, generativeAI.

Comparison● How can artworks be analysed through different critical perspectives?
● Analysis of formal qualities, evaluation of cultural context and significance, understanding of function
and purpose.
● A set of 15 screens analysing three artworks from contrasting cultures and times●
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 83

●Comparison
Grade 12G12 Semester 1
Exhibition● What are the elements that bring coherence to the artworks created?
● What elements can be developed further?
● How can critical investigation into art and artists be used to develop artistic practice?
● How can one articulate the connections between artworks and the development of artistic practice?
● 8 resolved artworks; Exhibition texts; 16 Process Portfolio screens
G12 Semester 2
Comparative Study● Final editing of the Comparative Study (+ linking of studio practice for HL students)● 15 complete screens, fully cited and plagiarism checked, creatively presented + 5 screens for HL
connecting to artistic practice + bibliography. Presented as a single PDF + biography
Process Portfolio● Selection and editing of existing screens. Creation of new screens to fill gaps identified by analysing
the existing screens against the assessment criteria
Exhibition● Selection of works for Exhibition● Exploring coherence – skills/techniques/media/imagery/conceptual + resolution● SL – 4 to 7 works; HL – 8 to 11 works
Exhibition
Creation of Curatorial Rationale● SL - 400 words, fully cited, plagiarism checked; HL - 700 words, fully cited, plagiarism checked● Exhibition● Creation of Exhibition texts● 500 characters per artwork●●

Creation of Exhibition
Selection of space and arrangement in line with the curatorial rationale

Skills Developed
The aims of the arts subjects are to enable students to:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Enjoy lifelong engagement with the arts
Become informed, reflective and critical practitioners in the arts
Understand the dynamic and changing nature of the arts
Explore and value the diversity of the arts across time, place and cultures
Express ideas with confidence and competence
Develop perceptual and analytical skills
Make artwork that is influenced by personal and cultural contexts
Become informed and critical observers and makers of visual culture and media
Develop skills, techniques and processes in order to communicate concepts and ideas
UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 84

Assessment
Assessment SL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

60%

Comparative study: 10–15 screens which examine and compare at least 3
artworks, at least 2 of which need to be by different artists; A list of sources
used

20%

Process Portfolio: 9-18 screens which evidence sustained experimentation,
exploration, manipulation and refinement of a variety of art-making activities

40%

Internal assessment

40%

Exhibition: 4-7 works that form a coherent exhibition; a curatorial rationalethat explains the structure and content of the exhibition (700 words);
exhibition texts (stating the title, medium, size and intention) for each
artwork

40%

Assessment HL
Assessment Component

WeightingExternal assessment

60%

Comparative study: 10–15 screens which examine and compare at least 3
artworks, at least 2 of which need to be by different artists; 3–5 screens
which analyse the extent to which the student’s work and practices havebeen influenced by the art and artists examined; A list of sources used

20%

Process Portfolio: 13–25 screens which evidence sustained
experimentation, exploration, manipulation and refinement of a variety ofart-making activities

40%

Internal assessment

40%

Exhibition: 8-11 works that form a coherent exhibition; a curatorial rationalethat explains the structure and content of the exhibition (700 words);
exhibition texts (stating the title, medium, size and intention) for each
artwork40%

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Core Elements (Academic)
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
Course Description
The aim of Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is to help students to think critically about the world around themand the other IB subjects they are taking. It looks at the questions: What do we know? How do we know it?
In answering the question of ‘how do we know’, students explore their own world through the Core
Theme–Knowledge and the Knower–and various optional themes like Knowledge and Language,
Knowledge and Technology, etc. The Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) encompass all of the subjects and fields
in which knowledge has been constructed and continue to grow and expand. There are five AOKs–The
Arts, History, the Natural Sciences, the Human Sciences and Mathematics. Students understand how andwhy knowledge is constructed in these AOKs, digging deeply into the nature of knowledge.
Grounding these explorations are knowledge questions which are general, debatable, and aboutknowledge. The purpose of knowledge questions is to frame research into a question that can be exploredin multiple ways. Real-life situations usually provide support for the exploration of knowledge questions in
the real world.
Theory of Knowledge is a core of the IB Diploma programme and is important for future success beyond
UWC ISAK Japan as students are required to think critically, ask searching questions, and understand whothey are and how their own values, beliefs and opinions shape how they grow and learn.

Course Outline
Grade 11
The Core Theme: Knowledge and the Knower
Optional Themes (students have to study any two of these): Knowledge and Technology, Knowledge andLanguage, Knowledge and Politics, Knowledge and Religion, Knowledge and Indigenous Societies
Assessment: The TOK Exhibition (internal assessment)
Grade 12The Areas of Knowledge (students have to study all): History, Arts, Human Sciences, Natural Sciences,
Mathematics
Assessment: The TOK Essay (external assessment)

Skills Developed
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Capacity to develop rigorous and cogent arguments
Ability to make reasoned judgments
Understanding the purposes, values and limitations of a range of sources of information
Critical thinking
Analysis, synthesis and interpretation of information
Research and selection of materials
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Communication and writing
Organisation and self-management
Storytelling
Collaboration

Assessment
Assessment 1: The TOK Exhibition (internal assessment) - a 950-word commentary on three objects
chosen by the student, grounded in any one of 35 IA prompts. Max marks: 10; Weighting: 33 per cent
Assessment 2: The TOK Essay (external assessment) - a 1600-word essay on one of 6 essay titles
published each year by the IB. Max marks: 10; Weighting: 67 per cent

Extended Essay (EE)
Description
The Extended Essay (EE) is an exciting opportunity for students to undertake independent research, withina particular subject area of your choice. The extended essay helps prepare students for success atuniversity by promoting academic research and writing skills, providing students with an opportunity toengage in personal research that leads to a major piece of formally presented, structured writing.
The World Studies Extended Essay (WSEE) gives students an opportunity to undertake an in-depth andindependent investigation into a topic of their choice that considers the relationship between subjects andallows for meaningful connections to be made in relation to their chosen area of research. The WSEE isrequired to be transdisciplinary which means that it should be clearly connected with two IB subjects.

Assessment
All extended essays are externally assessed by examiners appointed by the IB. They are marked
on a scale from 0 to 34.
The EE is graded out of 34 points; broken into five mains sections.
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A: Focus and method [6 points]
B: Knowledge and understanding [6 points]
C: Critical thinking [12 points]
D: Presentation [4 points]
E: Engagement [6 points]

UWC ISAK Japan G11-12 Academic Handbook 87