14 Abril 2010
Posted in
Cambridge IGCSE -
IGCSE English as a Second Language
Acro
ss Europe, in countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Sweden, a growing number of schools are using Cambridge qualifications to educate children bilingually.
Mayco School in the Canary Islands is an example of such a school. They follow the curriculum guidelines set by the Ministry of Education in Spain, however they also offer Cambridge IGCSE alongside the national curriculum. This enables the school to increase the number of hours that students can learn subjects in a second language (English), and also means they can broaden their curriculum by offering an alternative approach to typical school subjects.
At Mayco School, children begin learning in an English language environment from a young age (pictured). At primary level, subjects such as science are taught in both English and Spanish. As the children develop confidence, more dual language teaching is introduced, so that they are able to reason, write and speak bilingually. At secondary level, students sit Spanish exams alongside Cambridge IGCSEs in some subjects. The school offers six Cambridge IGCSE subjects, and is soon to introduce a seventh.
A spokesperson from Mayco School said: 'This open philosophy to language teaching and learning is highly valued by Spanish parents who, though unable to speak English themselves, recognise and value the advantages being gained by their children.'
What is remarkable is the success that Mayco School has achieved by using and integrating Canarian native teachers, teaching subjects with a near native English approach. The school’s Cambridge IGCSE results have been impressive, and show how effectively Cambridge IGCSE can be introduced to the curriculum in a bilingual context. Mayco School leads the way within the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands by linking the educational development of their students to the international standards offered by Cambridge programmes to schools worldwide.
