Number of units
18
Number of lessons
250
Duration
2 years
Level
Standard
About the course
Admissions processOverview
IB Mandarin ab initio is designed for students with little or no previous experience of learning Mandarin.
The course provides a supportive introduction to the language, helping students develop the skills to communicate in everyday situations and engage with Mandarin-speaking cultures.
By learning one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, students open up opportunities to connect with new communities and broaden their global outlook.
Advice from our teachers
In order to succeed in Mandarin ab initio SL, we recommend students set aside five to six hours a week.
*Please note, that all courses offered are subject to receiving a minimum enrolment number. Your Pamoja point of contact will be in touch as we approach the start date if we are unable to take a course forward.
Course structure
The course covers the following topics:
Year 1:
- Course Overview
- Introductions
- Shopping
- Daily Life
- Food
- School and Education
- Home and Neighbourhood
- People
- End of Year Exam
- China and the World
Year 2:
- Holidays
- Emergencies
- University and Education
- Special Events, Festivals and Food
- IA and Trial Exam
- Work and Workplace
- Our Home, Our Environment
- Media and Technology
Benefits of the course
Taking IB Mandarin ab initio SL online will enable students to:
Resources
Explore and access key resources for the IB Mandarin ab initio SL course.
Why online?
Students will have the opportunity to:
- Access a structured learning environment that provides flexibility and support in equal measure.
- Study alongside students from around the world.
- Gain experience of using the latest online learning tools.
- Regularly communicate with teachers and fellow students.
- Take part in interactive and engaging lessons that allow them to learn, review and practice easily.
- Practise essential 21st century skills such as digital literacy, collaboration and self-organisation.
Some things won’t be different though. Standards and expectations will be just as high as in a face to face classroom.
Activities and assessment
Activities include live online discussions, creating presentations, learning from videos, as well as exciting, hand-writing practice and interactive tasks. The emphasis is on learning actively together. Of course, there will be some traditional activities such as essay writing and oral practice to prepare you for the exams. Assessment will be both formative and summative and fully in accordance with IB criteria. The IB assessment consists of two parts: external assessment and internal assessment. The external assessment assesses students’ productive and receptive skills, namely, writing, listening comprehension and reading comprehension. The internal assessment assesses oral skills. Students deliver a presentation based on a visual stimulus, before moving onto a general conversation with their teacher.
Interested?
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Testimonials
What our schools say about us
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"The International School of WA is delighted to continue to work with Pamoja, who has supported us in providing a wide range of subjects for our International Baccalaureate students."
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"Pamoja has expanded our subject offerings with programs we couldn’t provide in-house, giving our students valuable opportunities through a reliable and trusted partner."
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"Heidelberg International School has proudly partnered with Pamoja since 2010, enabling us to offer IB subjects beyond our own curriculum and expanding our students’ choices; their teachers bring a vital human connection to online learning, and our students have consistently achieved excellent results through this collaboration."
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"Chatsworth is very pleased to be able to broaden the range of IB Diploma Programme subjects we can offer through our partnership with Pamoja. Knowing the students are taught and assessed by experienced IBDP teachers gives us the confidence to offer this opportunity."
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"Pamoja teachers are fully supportive of the diverse stresses and schedules students face. Learning to proactively and professionally communicate is arguably the most important learning outcome for Pamoja students."
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"Pamoja opens doors for our students to pursue subjects they are passionate about, helping them thrive in areas otherwise out of reach. The team’s support and clear communication make the experience smooth and impactful for everyone."
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"Ermitage International School of Paris is proud to collaborate with PAMOJA. The consistently high-quality and well-structured courses PAMOJA provides play a key role in helping our students pursue their ideal path toward the IB Diploma."
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"Pamoja has been extremely responsive and professional in our partnership. They have helped us to support students in a variety of situations, including those who have transferred in the middle of the IB Diploma, who have scheduling conflicts, or who have strong desire to study a course that we do not offer."
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"Pamoja online courses allow us to expand the range of subjects offered to our students enabling them to pursue subjects they are passionate about that are not currently available within our timetable. The courses also help foster independent learning; an invaluable skill helping students flourish as lifelong learners."
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"Pamoja has enabled us to broaden our subject option choices and provide invaluable support for Extended Essay supervision in popular subjects. As a result, our students have been able to select an individualised course profile which would not have been possible otherwise."
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"Pamoja has been a wonderful opportunity for our students to pursue passions and interests that we can’t offer as a small school. We have found the teachers to be consistently dedicated and support team to always respond with a human touch!"
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"Our partnership with Pamoja provides students with access to a wide range of IB subjects, ensuring greater academic breadth and choice. The online nature of these courses offers the flexibility our student-athletes need to pursue their studies effectively, even while away training or competing."
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"Pamoja has enabled us to expand our subject offerings to better address our students' language acquisition needs. Their highly responsive and accommodating teachers made us feel supported every step of the way."
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"For a school like ours, which is intentionally 'small by design,' Pamoja provides essential strategic flexibility. It allows us to supplement our DP course offerings, ensuring students interested in specialized or low-enrollment subjects can pursue their pre-university plans."
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The variety of subjects offered really allows the school to offer individual pathways for a wide range of students. Students completing a course on Pamoja strengthen the ATL of self-management and are ready for the next steps in life - university or employment.
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Pamoja unlocks opportunities for our students to pursue their passions beyond our high school's course catalog, opening doors to subjects like Economics and Psychology that would otherwise be unavailable to them.
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“Partnering with Pamoja has given our students greater flexibility in shaping their Diploma Programme journey. We value the supportive collaboration that allows us to broaden our course offering and meet diverse student needs.”
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"Working with Pamoja has been a transformative experience, offering quick, responsive service and a student-centred approach that prioritises individual needs and supports success in the IB DP subject."
