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Summer courses to prepare myself to IB ?


Floflow

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Hi everyone ! :)

Next year I'll begin my first IB year !

The problem is that I've never had school in English, and I don't think I have a sufficient level in English to follow, especially: Biology, Maths and Chemistry courses in English ...

My school told me to have pre-IB courses in the summer, but I don't find anything on the net !

Does somebody know where I can have this kind of courses in France ? (Paris or Nice)

Thanks :)

...Or maybe on the internet ? ^^

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Guest Soiboist

The terms for the subjects are easy to learn once you have started IB, and I suppose they will be rather similar to your current French ones, considering how alike the two languages are. I think you'll be fine, and I'd advise you to make best use of your summer holidays, to relax that is, because you might not be able to completely do so in the holidays between IB1 and IB2. If you feel that you're not fully comfortable with the English language, I would perhaps suggest reading a few books to get deeper into the language. But other than that you shouldn't do anything. To have gone to an English school before the IB years is certainly not a requirement, and the English skills will developed throughout your two years.

Enjoy! For a while.

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If I were to give you a suggestion...don't take any IB summer courses. Summer courses will have different notation and you can't negate the positive effects of R&R. The IB program is difficult, prepare yourself mentally in the summer by having fun. Just my 2 cents, not necessarily the right thing to do, but they both have beneficial effects.

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Haha, it feels like I've been having almost the opposite of your situation. I live in Canada and my first language is English, but up until now (currently gr. 10, starting IB next year), I've been taking science, history, etc. classes in French :P I'm somewhat afraid that I might have trouble with some terms and stuff starting out next year of taking science classes in English, but there's nothing a quick search on Wikipedia can't fix :D

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That's really weird that you live and France and you are taking the IB in english... that's just my point of view, though. I'm taking the programme in french (french HL A1), and I don't mind it :) I mean, english IS, in fact, my first language, but french is also really good.

Now, concerning your question, I do know of pre-IB courses, but none online, or during the summer that I know of (unless your school is offering some orientation classes in summer?) I suggest you ask your IB coordinator at school, and your counsellor. They are GREAT ressources for these type of questions :)

If you want to be ahead of the game, put some time aside to read through the syllabus of each course that you are taking in IB. Just browse so that you have a good idea of what you will be learning. Also, IB is somewhat like a... team thing :) You need to work as a team, everyone in your IB class, that is. Help each other out, and work together, not against each other; that's the key to success. Work on your homework at a steady pace. Once you get a new homwork, look over it right away :) You will find that there are some weeks where the homework never seems to be getting lighter, only heavier... or everything will be due within the same week... or day even, if you get that lucky :P So just be prepared for that. But if you have a great staff group at your school, then your teachers will try their best work together, too, and spread the work load everywhere :)

Also, make sure that if you are doing the diploma, you do CAS regularly. Have short term activities, as well as long term ones, which ensures that you are always working on CAS, continuously... something new that the IB implemented :)

I hope this helps :)

Edited by egr12resa
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Thank you for your advices, for sure this helps ! :)

I realize that I have nothing to worry about, because the school will lend me some books for this summer, and, also, I already did the french equivalent of the 11th grade (yes I know, it is really strange lol) so It will helps.

I'll ask them for pre-IB courses anyway...

Thanks again :)

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