HIGH SCHOOL GRADE 9 AND 10

Academic focus

Academic focus for Grades 9–10 for the Dutch programme is on presentation skills, reading comprehension, writing skills, spelling , grammar and literary theory In these years they are prepared to take Dutch as a first language in their IB Diploma Programme in Grade 11 and 12.

Methods

Non-examination course conducted during the academic timetable for students enrolled in two-year Grade 9 and 10 course. Grade 10 Foundation IB students are provided lunchtime support.

Grade 9 materials

Op niveau 3v; past exams for IGCSE, vmbo and havo

Diatoetsen

• reading comprehension

• vocabulary

• spelling/accuracy

Literature

• five classically studied WWII themed novels

• at least two film adaptations

• beginning Term 3: at least 1,000 pages of prose by one modern author (presentation in Term 1 of Grade 10)

• texts on colonial history, special focus on Melaka

Grade 10 materials

Op niveau 4v verwerkingsboek and informatieboek; past exams for IGCSE, vmbo and havo

Eldorado Literatuur voor de Tweede Fase (VWO), Basisboek and Teksten en Opdrachten

Pieken! Creatief Schrijven various printed media such as Vrij Nederland, NRC/De Week (for which we have subscriptions); Elsevier, HUMO, Linda, De Telegraaf, Quest et cetera

Diatoetsen

• reading comprehension

• vocabulary

Literature (Terms 2 and 3)

• three or four classically studied novels, including ‘World Literature’

• one or two film adaptations

Cultural activities

At the end of Grade 9 students individually choose to study a modern author by reading three or four of their novels in the original Dutch language. In Grade 10 they finish this “Oeuvre Project” with a presentation.

Alongside literary topics, the cultural programme includes study of films, cabaret or stand-up comedy and other, often satirical, programmes. We also review the College’s annual High School Art Exhibition. The focus on culture also includes a course in creative writing, surprise afternoons celebrating St. Nicholas, and a weekend excursion to Melaka in Malaysia.

Academic focus

Academic focus for Grades 11–12 for the Dutch programme is on presentation skills, reading comprehension, writing skills, and literary theory. At UWCSEA, students are able to enrol in HL or SL Dutch A: Language and Literature as part of their IB Diploma package, and are able to take a Bilingual IB Diploma.

Methods

Course conducted during the academic timetable for students enrolled in IBDP Dutch language courses.

Grade 11 materials

Op niveau 5/6 v; past IB exams various printed media such as Vrij Nederland, NRC/De Week (for which we have subscriptions) and many websites

4 (SL) to 6 (HL) literary works, with a special focus on Colonial Dutch history, especially regarding Indonesia (‘the Dutch East Indies’)

J.A. Dautzenberg, Nederlandse literatuur. Geschiedenis en bloemlezing

Cultural activities

Grade 12 materials

Op niveau 5/6 v; past IB exams various printed media such as Vrij Nederland, NRC/De Week (for which we have subscriptions) and many websites various DVDs (mainly satire and comedy)

Students follow Dutch A: Language and Literature as part of their IB Diploma package with a special focus on colonial literature and history. In line with these studies the Grade 11 class travels to Java, visiting Jakarta, Bogor, Bandung and Yogyakarta for a week during the Chinese New Year’s holidays. Among the many activities, they stay for a night in the house of one of the Heren van de thee, the eponymous tea-lords from a famous Dutch novel.

Apart from discussions on language and other cultural manifestations, many lessons centre around recent social and political developments in especially the Netherlands and Belgium such as the rise of conservative or right-wing politicians, discussions on migration and assimilation, and the freedom of speech. St. Nicholas surprises are celebrated with Grades 11 and 12 together at the home of one of the students. For the annual UN Night in October, Dutch language students organise at least one food stall, sometimes even a performance.

Grade 12 finishes the year with a celebratory dinner.

“Only after graduating and going to University in the Netherlands did I realise that my level of Dutch was on par with my fellow students, if not higher.

Our classes allowed for a personalised education, including a trip to Indonesia to immerse ourselves in the colonial heritage which we had been learning about. There was also time to embrace other aspects of Dutch culture such as watching Dutch comedians and discussing cultural topics.

I wrote my IB Extended Essay in Dutch, comparing Dutch philosopher Erasmus to contemporary Dutch writer Arnon Grunberg and achieved maximum points—entirely thanks to such immersive language and culture education.

I believe that UWCSEA has made me a true bilingual citizen of the world. Dutch and English are both languages I dream in. NTC education in Singapore enabled me to keep my Dutch up at a crucial time of my development. I am benefitting from this to this day 17 years on.”

Hilde van den Boogaard

Dutch Scholar at UWCSEA Dover

2000–2002

IB Diploma

Every IB Diploma student must take at least two languages, usually one from Group 1 and one from Group 2. Students who are sufficiently strong complete the Group 1 Language A: Dutch Language and Literature course at either HL or SL. Bilingual students who are sufficiently strong in both Dutch and English may take two Group 1 Language A courses, usually Dutch and English instead of a Language B.

Group 1: First language (called ‘Language A’) Dutch Language and Literature HL or SL. Students who complete this course will be awarded a bilingual diploma.

Group 2: Foreign language (called ‘Language B’)

Many Dutch Language students take English B HL. It is also possible to study three languages. In this case, the student would not take a subject from Group 6.

IB Diploma Dutch Language A results

Although some students certainly have to work harder for them than others, we feel we can be rightfully proud of the annually attained IB results.

University Destinations 2019–2021

Graduates from UWCSEA Dover have enrolled in the following Dutch institutions:

• Amsterdam University College

• Erasmus University College

• Hogeschool van Amsterdam

• Hotelschool The Hague

• Leiden University College The Hague

• Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

• Technische Universiteit Delft

• Technische Universiteit Eindhoven

• Tilburg University

• Universiteit Leiden

• Universiteit Twente

• Universiteit Maastricht

• Universiteit van Amsterdam

• University College Utrecht

• University of Groningen

• Wageningen University