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Plan Language Across Learning

Plan background knowledge, temporary support, richer language and learner participation around a real task.

Begin with the subject thinking learners need to do. Then identify the language they will need to understand and communicate it. Use evidence across speaking/listening, viewing/presenting, reading and writing; a learner may show different strengths in each.

Four ways to gather language evidence

Listening and speaking

Can the learner follow and explain the idea? Sample a discussion or a short explanation. Distinguish supported rehearsal from an independent response.

Viewing and presenting

Can the learner interpret and communicate through a diagram, image or presentation? Ask them to explain one visual choice or relationship.

Reading

Can the learner find the main idea, select relevant evidence and infer meaning? Ask for a supported explanation of one reading choice.

Writing

Can the learner organise and develop a message for a reader? Compare a framed response with a later independent sample.

Task and subject thinking

What will learners explain, judge, compare or create? What would a successful response show?

Activate and build background knowledge

What do learners already understand? What needs to be introduced? Use familiar languages, images and examples where helpful.

Provide and fade scaffolds

Choose a model, diagram, organiser, rehearsal or frame. State how learners will work with less support.

Extend language

Name the useful vocabulary, grammatical relationships and text features; plan repeated meaningful use.

Affirm identity and participation

How will students’ experiences and languages contribute? Who needs another route to participate?

Plan language use deliberately

Are familiar languages useful for input, discussion, research, planning or output? Explain the intended final language and any bridge needed.

Observe strengths and next steps

Record evidence separately for oral language, visual communication, reading and writing. Choose an appropriate next task and a review date.

The 2009 scope and sequence is a PYP developmental resource. Its phases are not ages, fixed learner labels or CEFR equivalents. These prompts adapt its planning principles to a range of classrooms.

Source context

IB, Language and learning in IB programmes (2011, updated 2014); PYP Language scope and sequence (2009); IB language tenets (2024); PYP Translanguaging (2018).

These tools are original simplified planning prompts based on the supplied editions. They do not reproduce the source checklists or substitute for the complete documents.