Explaining my problems, need help.

[Carl Hallin]

I'm an international student currently studying in a swedish school, Taking English A1 and Swedish B. The problem is with my Swedish, i do not speak a word of swedish and is expecting to understand swedish fluently by next year, which is nearly impossible this will just be dragging down my IB scores. I do not really have a solution here since i understand that the IB diploma requires two languages. i'm screwed

[timtamboy63]

Yes it requires two languages, but can't you take Swedish or some other langauge at Ab Initio?

[Carl Hallin]

Just been looking through Ab Initio, as recommended. But seems like only Spanish and Mandarin is offered for the case, since that i'm half Swedish but could not speak a word, my family are pushing me to learn the language. So i guess i have no other choices then just letting the Swedish dragging down my IB scores.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Carl Hallin

[Where Love Died Laughing]

Are you taking it on B HL or B SL? I took Russian B HL after learning it sporadically for 2 years (barely knew anything) since my coordinator was sure I could do it (taught me to never trust her again), but now I'm averaging a 5/6... But perhaps B SL would be better? And I don't know whether ab initio Swedish exists.. maybe look into that?

Edited March 26, 2012 by Where Love Died Laughing

[Jaymi]

Just been looking through Ab Initio, as recommended. But seems like only Spanish and Mandarin is offered for the case, since that i'm half Swedish but could not speak a word, my family are pushing me to learn the language. So i guess i have no other choices then just letting the Swedish dragging down my IB scores.

Why don't you speak to your parents about that? Tell them there's lots of time for you to learn Swedish and by them forcing you to study it as a SL will only end up with your marks getting lowered becauseof that and could cause you a place at a good uni (I know, worst case scenario lol) but what I've learnt, if you give them the worst case, they usually listen to you. Just explain to them you'll do better doing an ab initio subject.

Give it a try it might just work=) good luck

[citizenoftheuniverse]

Honestly I think you should study swedish, if only because of your heritage. Since you go to a swedish school, but don´t speak any swedish, I would assume that you recently moved there. Give it time. After a while I am sure the language will seem much easier to you as you are exposed to it more. Learning the language will help you understand the culture where you come from, and also understand the people around you better. Since you are half Swedish, you have an excellent resource to learn from, your other parent! In the beginning, you probably should get a tutor or learn swedish on your own so you have the basics down, but after that, learning a language B in a country where the language is actually spoken should be ridiculously easy. Taking language B in IB while living in the country where it is spoken is probably the easiest subject choice you could take in the IB! The only EASIER thing I can think of is taking it ab initio. If your school offers ab initio, maybe you could beg the co-ordinator to let you take swedish at that level since really are a true beginner. However, unless you are absolutely atrocious at languages (which I doubt you are!) I tell you that taking Swedish B will be the best choice you ever made. Having went to an international school myself, I know many anecdotes about people learning a language really well in only a few months after moving to the place where it is spoken. However there is the other side of the coin as well. I also know this dutch boy who lived in Finland for nine years and still didn't speak that good finnish. However, I think it can be blamed in part to the fact that you can get by really well in Finland with just english, so if you don't want to learn finnish, you don't have to. But anyway back to you! When exams come around, you will be greatful about being able to just watch movies off the tv in swedish and have it count as studying. You will learn so much swedish from your surroundings if you just try that you probably won't need any more studying and swedish will be an easy seven. Swedish is also VERY similar to english since they are both germanic languages, so you can draw on your english skills to help you a lot. Swedish has also historically affected english to some extent and vice versa. Mandarin and spanish on the other hand are much more different to english than swedish, and they would be much harder choices. In summary: TAKE SWEDISH!

Edited March 26, 2012 by citizenoftheuniverse

[Carl Hallin]

Honestly I think you should study swedish, if only because of your heritage. Since you go to a swedish school, but don´t speak any swedish, I would assume that you recently moved there. Give it time. After a while I am sure the language will seem much easier to you as you are exposed to it more. Learning the language will help you understand the culture where you come from, and also understand the people around you better. Since you are half Swedish, you have an excellent resource to learn from, your other parent! In the beginning, you probably should get a tutor or learn swedish on your own so you have the basics down, but after that, learning a language B in a country where the language is actually spoken should be ridiculously easy. Taking language B in IB while living in the country where it is spoken is probably the easiest subject choice you could take in the IB! The only EASIER thing I can think of is taking it ab initio. If your school offers ab initio, maybe you could beg the co-ordinator to let you take swedish at that level since really are a true beginner. However, unless you are absolutely atrocious at languages (which I doubt you are!) I tell you that taking Swedish B will be the best choice you ever made. Having went to an international school myself, I know many anecdotes about people learning a language really well in only a few months after moving to the place where it is spoken. However there is the other side of the coin as well. I also know this dutch boy who lived in Finland for nine years and still didn't speak that good finnish. However, I think it can be blamed in part to the fact that you can get by really well in Finland with just english, so if you don't want to learn finnish, you don't have to. But anyway back to you! When exams come around, you will be greatful about being able to just watch movies off the tv in swedish and have it count as studying. You will learn so much swedish from your surroundings if you just try that you probably won't need any more studying and swedish will be an easy seven. Swedish is also VERY similar to english since they are both germanic languages, so you can draw on your english skills to help you a lot. Swedish has also historically affected english to some extent and vice versa. Mandarin and spanish on the other hand are much more different to english than swedish, and they would be much harder choices. In summary: TAKE SWEDISH!

I really appreciate your help here, making myself feel more concern that i'm choosing the right subject, Learning Swedish is a huge benefit for me because after all it's half of where i came from. I guess i should work harder from now on, thank you very much for motivating me!