This brochure provides information about the K–12 First and
Additional Language learning pathways at UWCSEA. For
detailed information about English as an Additional Language
(EAL), please see our EALbrochure.
At UWCSEA, the language of instruction is English. In addition
to English or EAL lessons, almost all students take another
language. This could be a First or Foreign Language.
A First Language is a language learned as a child, spoken
at home, and/or in previous school setting. It also includes
languages spoken by a parent, grandparent or ancestor—
‘heritage languages’.
A Foreign Language is not spoken as a first language by any
family member and the student is not culturally connected to
the language.
Our language courses are designed to provide our students
with exposure to their own culture and linguistic identity, in
the case of First Languages, or other cultures in the Foreign
Language courses as well as to acquire skills in a language
other than English.
Language learning options depend on the student’s campus
and grade, their proficiency in the language, and their
experience in learning the language in an academic setting.
To help us find the best course match, we may invite new
students to engage in brief language activities that highlight
their current proficiency, background, and skills.
We welcome multilingual learners from K1 to Grade 11 on
both campuses. We support students in building their English
language skills through specialist EAL support, classroom
scaffolding and targeted instruction, while also encouraging
them to maintain and strengthen their home languages.
For the most part language lessons take place during the
academic timetable unless otherwise indicated.
We also offer a comprehensive Home Languages Programme
(HLP) for students who wish to maintain and develop a level
of academic exposure to a language which they do not study
during the school day.
Foreign Language Courses
Beginner courses
These are for students with little or no experience learning
the language. In the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP), these are
the ‘ab initio’ courses. There is at least one beginner language
option available for students joining in K1–Grade 8 on Dover
Campus and Grade 9 on East Campus; and Grade 11.
Continuation courses
These courses require students to have had at least a year
of prior academic study in the language. There are
continuation courses available for students joining the
College in K1–Grade 11.
First language courses
A selection of first language courses are offered through
the academic programme. Students joining these classes
are assessed as part of the formal assessment and
reporting process.
UWCSEA students who successfully complete at least one
first language/Group 1 course in a language other than
English in the IB Diploma Programme (Grades 11 and 12),
as well as meet all other requirements, will graduate with
an IB Bilingual Diploma, unless they opt for the IB Systems
Transformation: Leadership for Change course (in which
case they can receive an IB Diploma without completing a
first language course).
School Supported Language (SSL) course
This High School programme is for first language learners
who would like to continue academic studies of their chosen
language. This course is available to students when their
chosen language has a small number of proficient users in
our community. To enrol in the course, students need to
have sound reading and writing skills. A students’ chosen
SSL language is not necessarily their first, best, home or
family language. It could be a language in which they were
schooled for a number of years.
For this course, parents receive assistance from UWCSEA
to hire a professional tutor (additional cost involved) who
works with the student and collaborates with the school.
Students are also supported by a UWCSEA language
teacher who provides literature instruction and supervises
study time. Students meet two times per week during the
academic timetable in a class which may contain speakers
of a number of different languages. Those who complete the
programme in Grades 11 and 12 earn a bilingual IB diploma.
Home Languages Programme (HLP)
HLP is offered outside the academic timetable and is not
formally assessed. The aim is to help students maintain a
language they speak at home (this is not necessarily their first
language) and to develop literacy skills, particularly in reading
and writing. These classes may assist students progress to a
first language class if it is offered in the academic programme.
Languages at UWCSEA
Overview of language offerings on Dover Campus
Languages
K1
K2
G1
G2
G3
G4
G5
G6
G7
G8
G9
G10
G11
Foreign
Language
Beginner
Chinese
French
Spanish
Foreign
Language
Continuation
Chinese
French
German
Japanese
Spanish
First
Language*
Chinese
Dutch
French
German
Hindi
Japanese
Korean
Spanish
SSL
EAL
Home Languages
* Students may be offered the SSL as an alternative to their First Language or Language A if there are insufficient numbers to form a class.
Chinese in K1–G2, Chinese first and second language students are taught together in interactive classes with emphasis on speaking
and listening. From Grade 3 onwards, first language Chinese is offered as a separate class.
Dutch in Grade 7 and 8, Dutch is taught as a first language after school. More information on UWCSEA’s Dutch language and
cultural programme for students in Grades 7–12 can be found at uwcsea.edu.sg/Dutch.
German in Grades 7 and 8, German is taught as a first language according to the Swiss curriculum, supporting students joining
us in Grade 7 from the Swiss School in Singapore; German First Language speakers and ‘Near first-language speakers’ are also
encouraged to join this course that adopts a differentiated approach to prepare them for German A or German B HL in Grade 11.
More information on the programme for Grades 7–12 can be found at uwcsea.edu.sg/German.
Japanese is taught as a first language from Grade 6 onwards for first language speakers. Second Language Japanese speakers are
also encouraged to join this course that adopts a differentiated approach to prepare them for Japanese A or Japanese B HL in Grade 11.
Home Languages Programme is an option from K1. Students can choose either Model A with one session a week and a
responsive curriculum; or Model B with up to three hours a week and a rigorous , structured curriculum with assessments.
Grade 11 IB Diploma Programme (IBDP)
Language A Group 1 courses (first language)
A – English Language and Literature (SL and HL)
A – English Literature (SL and HL)
A – Chinese Language and Literature (SL and HL)
A – Dutch Language and Literature (SL and HL)
A – French Language and Literature (SL and HL)
A – German Language and Literature (SL and HL)
A – Hindi Literature (SL and HL)
A – Japanese Literature (SL and HL)
A – Korean Literature (SL and HL)
A – Spanish Language and Literature (SL and HL)
A – School Supported Language (SL)
Language B Group 2 courses
(Foreign Language continuation)
B – English (HL)
B – Chinese (SL and HL)
B – French (SL and HL)
B – German (SL and HL)
B – Japanese (SL and HL)
B – Spanish (SL and HL)
Language B Group 2 courses (Foreign Language beginner)
B – French ab initio (SL)
B – Spanish ab initio (SL)
Overview of language offerings on East Campus
Languages
K1
K2
G1
G2
G3
G4
G5
G6
G7
G8
G9
G10
G11
Foreign
Language
Beginner
Chinese
French
Spanish
Foreign
Language
Continuation
Chinese
French
Spanish
First
Language
Chinese
French*
Hindi*
Japanese*
Spanish*
SSL
EAL
Home Languages
* Students may be offered SSL as an alternative if there are insufficient numbers to form a class.
Grade 11 IB Diploma Programme (IBDP)
Language A Group 1 courses (first language)
A – English Language and Literature (SL and HL)
A – English Literature (SL and HL)
A – Chinese Language and Literature (SL and HL)
A – Chinese Literature (SL and HL)
A – French Literature (SL and HL)
A – Hindi Literature (SL and HL)
A – Japanese Literature (SL and HL)
A – Spanish Literature (SL and HL)
A – School Supported Language (SL)
Language B Group 2 courses
(Foreign Language continuation)
B – English (HL)
B – Chinese (SL and HL)
B – French (SL and HL)
B – Spanish (SL and HL)
Language B Group 2 courses
(Foreign Language beginner)
B – French ab initio (SL)
B – Spanish ab initio (SL)
Chinese in K1 and K2 students are taught together in interactive and dynamic classes that encourage all students to be active
Chinese speakers, with an emphasis on speaking and listening. From Grade 1, Chinese is offered at advanced level.
Home Languages Programme an option from K1, the classes may help to prepare students to join the first language classes
offered as part of the academic programme in the Middle and High School.
Last updated 31 August 2026 | ADM–2627
In Grades 11 and 12, students are supported by an SSL
supervisor and also a professional tutor in their chosen
language as they study towards a bilingual diploma.
SSL lessons are part of the student’s timetable, within the
framework of the IBDP. Students may have lessons with their
tutor (additional cost) in the allocated study time, or outside
school hours, depending on the tutor’s availability.
Home Languages Programme
HLP is offered for students who want to maintain and
develop a language spoken at home. This may be the
student’s ‘first language’ or ‘heritage language’, or it may be
another language to which the student has had extensive
previous exposure and in which the family is keen for the
student to maintain a level of fluency.
Classes are delivered by a qualified teacher in small groups of
3–6 students of similar age and ability. The classes take place
after school or at lunch time, supporting students to maintain
and develop literacy skills in the language at age appropriate
levels. Classes are scheduled subject to demand, and are an
additional cost.
In K1 to Grade 1 the focus is on maintaining or expanding a
student’s exposure to their home language in an environment
other than home. Teachers use a communicative approach
to build on speaking and listening skills through activities,
games and songs. Students learn to recognise patterns and
characters or single words. From Grade 2, a particular focus
on developing the literacy skills of reading and writing is
introduced, in line with the development of literacy skills
in the academic programme (English and other taught
languages) classes. Students expand their vocabulary and
develop confidence in speaking. They gain a sense of cultural
identity through different activities.
For older students, the programme is intended to assist them
to develop a level of proficiency that may allow them to move
into first language academic classes in Middle or High School
or the SSL course in High School. It may also assist students
who aim to study for a bilingual IB Diploma to develop a level of
language learning to access a relevant IBDP course.
First Language Courses
In the past, UWCSEA High School students have studied over
50 different languages as either SSL or HLP courses, including:
• Asian languages: Azerbaijani, Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali,
Burmese, Cantonese, Chinese, Dzongkha, Filipino, Hindi,
Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Malay, Marathi, Mongolian,
Sinhalese, Tajik, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Urdu, Uzbek and
Vietnamese
• European languages: Albanian, Belarusian, Bosnian,
Bulgarian, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish,
French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian,
Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish,
Swedish and Ukrainian
• African languages: Amharic, Bemba, Kinyarwanda, Shona,
Siswati, Swahili, Zulu
• Middle Eastern languages: Arabic, Hebrew, Persian
School Supported Language courses
In Grade 9 and 10, the course helps students develop
literary analysis skills. Students who are studying a number
of different literature and language courses are guided and
supervised through the course by a UWCSEA language teacher.
In addition, they are supported in their chosen language
by a professional tutor (additional cost) who sets learning
engagements, gives feedback on progress and assesses learning
in each student’s chosen language. By completing a variety
of tasks independently and collaborating closely with their
tutor, students take ownership of their learning. In addition to
developing the conceptual tools for exploring literature, SSL
students also learn how to structure critical analyses, essays
and oral presentations about literature.
Each student’s written work is regularly assessed by a
professional literature tutor, against criteria provided by the
College. These teachers are carefully selected on the basis of
their experience and expertise. Parents play an important role
in supporting their children’s efforts by discussing work with
them and providing additional opportunities to use the target
language in a variety of contexts and for diverse purposes.
Admissions
The availability of all language courses is based on demand; if
an insufficient number of students request the course, we try
to offer an alternative course.
All students applying to continuation or first language courses
are likely to be assessed to ensure the UWCSEA course is an
appropriate fit.
Those intending to apply to study a specific language through a
School Supported Language course should contact Admissions
to discuss their request prior to making an application to ensure
that we confirm the student’s eligibility for the language, and
that we are able to support the language.
Home Languages: registration for these lessons is completed
through the seasonal Activity sign-up. This enables students
and families to manage their lunchtime and after school
schedule in one location.
For more information, please contact Admissions
admissions@uwcsea.edu.sg | Dover Campus +65 6774 2653 | East Campus +65 6305 5353
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