| Academic Language / IB DP Language A | Courses in literature / language and literature involving the critical study and interpretation of written and spoken texts. In the IB MYP and IB DP, Language A courses are intended for students who are academically fluent in reading, writing, speaking and listening in a particular language. Students who pursue two Language A courses have the opportunity to obtain a bilingual IB Diploma. |
| Academic Language / Self-Taught Literature | An IB DP Literature based language A course in a student’s ‘home’ or ‘background’ language, offering the opportunity to obtain a bilingual IB Diploma.
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| Acquisition Language / IB DP Language B | Language acquisition learners are students who are developing or securing their communication skills and level of understanding in a language. In the IB MYP, Language B courses are intended for students who are beginning and/or acquiring the language. In the IB DP, Language B refers to the course taken by students with previous experience learning the language. Skill areas include reading, writing, speaking and listening. |
| Acquisition Language / IB DP ab initio | A language acquisition course in the IB DP for students with no prior experience learning the target language, or for those students with limited previous exposure to the language. |
| Background Language | The ‘home’ language of students. Students who are background language learners have strong communication skills and a proficient level of understanding in the language. This is often referred to as a ‘mother tongue’ or ‘native’ language. |
| Bilingualism | Proficiency in two languages. |
| English as an Additional Language (EAL) | A set of instructional services that aim to support an emergent multilingual student in developing English as a new language. Support structures have the dual purpose of giving students access to the curriculum and simultaneously developing their language proficiency in a sociocultural environment. |
| Intercultural communication | The communication between people from two or more different cultures to create shared meanings. |
| Language of Inclusion | The language in which the school delivers its programmes and courses to its student population. At HKA, the language of inclusion is English. |
| Multilingualism | Proficiency in more than two languages. |
| Multiliteracies | Using a range of modes of communication, for example visual, audio, gestural. |
| Phase | A proficiency based organizational structure within the IB MYP that supports students as emergent, capable and proficient language learners. |
| Translanguaging | Practices that allow and encourage multilingual learners to use their full linguistic repertoire in order to empower them, support them in accessing learning, and deepen their own understanding and the understanding of their peers. |
| World Language | A language that is geographically widespread and makes it possible for members of different language communities to communicate. |
