German, French, and Spanish education starts in Grade 4 at Terakki Primary School. The objective of German, French, and Spanish classes is to raise individuals who are passionate about foreign languages and who have the self-confidence to communicate their acquired language skills with others as well as to stimulate their natural curiosity to read books, watch films and listen to music in their target language. Through the study of each language offered, our students are able to compare aspects of other cultures with their own and develop an appreciation of cultural diversity.
The World Languages education offered at Terakki Foundation Schools is based on the Common European Framework for Language Learning (CEFR) and meets the high standards necessary for Eaquals (Evaluation and Accreditation of Quality Language Services) accreditation as well as for PYP accreditation. We follow the Communicative Approach, a highly effective method for language acquisition.
The curriculum is prepared by taking into consideration the individual differences and learning styles of our students. A wide variety of engaging materials and activities support the development of reading and listening comprehension, verbal and written expression, as well as social skills and collaboration skills. The topics and published materials are chosen after careful consideration of students’ needs and interests, with a focus on learning about culture as a key part of learning a language. Units of learning are aligned with PYP themes. Technology plays an important role in the classroom facilitating learning, assessment and collaboration.
By the end of Grade 4, students meet the requirements of CEFR A1 and are able to hold conversations about daily topics, ask and answer questions about themselves, families, hobbies, identify time, numbers, and simple instructions to do basic shopping, write cards for the New Year as well as fill in a form with their personal information.
Students who continue their chosen language learning journey throughout their time at Terakki Foundation Schools, reach a CEFR level of A2 by the end of 8th Grade and B1 by the end of High School.
Choosing a World Language
Towards the end of 3rd Grade, following a series of activities where they are introduced to each of the languages, students choose German, French or Spanish as their World Language.
German is spoken in many European countries (Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Russia, and Belgium), amounting to approximately 120 million people with German language aptitude. It is one of the official languages of the European Union, and is especially important in the fields of science, textiles, medicine, and engineering. Germany plays a significant role in the import and export businesses in Turkey. Many German companies operate in Istanbul and in neighboring cities.
French is spoken by more than 200 million people on 5 continents, and around 128 million people speak French as their mother tongue or as a second language. French is an official language of many global organizations such as the United Nations, NATO, the International Olympic Committee and the Red Cross. It is also the language of culture, opening your door to the culinary world, fashion, architecture, arts, theatre, and dance.
Spanish is spoken as an official language in more than 21 countries all over the world and has over 500 million native speakers. Learning Spanish is not just about learning a language; it is about meeting and exploring different cultures in Spain and Latin America. From art to sports, textiles to the pharmaceutical industry, Spanish is the 3rd most widely used language in the world.