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Language Policy

Language Philosophy And Statement

Language is a fundamental element of identity and culture. Language is the basis for thinking, communicating, learning and viewing the world. In India, the linguistic profile of students is varied within a given background. Many students speak their mother tongue at home. However, at Neev Academy, students learn English as a Language from the very inception of their learning years. On the other hand, English is the commonly accepted language of the country and is also used as the means of communication in most homes. It is also the school’s internal working language. We view language as a tool for making meaning of the world. Through the language programmes, we aim to develop confident, curious, highly proficient and enthusiastic learners. Language is taught meaningfully and in context. These contexts vary, but often involve the use of real-life scenarios, expert speakers, and a wide variety of text types. We advocate the learning of language through inquiry, allowing students to make connections with context, to explore and investigate. The learning of any language is developmental by nature, building constructively on what each individual student knows to help move them forward.

IB Standards and Practices:

Culture 4: The school implements, communicates and regularly reviews a language policy that helps to foster intercultural understanding through communicating in a variety of ways in more than one language (0301-04)

Culture 4.1: The school implements and reviews a language policy that is aligned with IB language policy guidelines. (0301-04-0100)

Culture 4.2: The school describes in its language policy the way that the school recognizes multilingualism as a fact, a right and a resource for learning. (0301-04-0200)

Culture 4.3: The school identiﬁes in its language policy a variety of physical and virtual resources used to facilitate language development. (0301-04-0300)

Culture 4.4: The school clearly describes in its language policy the rights and responsibilities of all members of the school community and what constitutes good practice within the school context. (0301-04-0400)

PYP 1: The school ensures that students learn a language in addition to the language of instruction (at least from the age of seven). Multilingual programmes, where students are learning in at least two languages, can but are not required to offer additional languages. (0301-04-0411)

Lifelong learners 7 3: Students take opportunities to develop their language proﬁles (0402-07-0300)

Approaches to teaching 5 4: Teachers support language development with consideration for the language proﬁles of students (0403-05-0400)

Link between Language policy and other policies:

● Link to Admission policy :

At the time of admission, students provide the following information as mentioned in the admission form :

○Languageunderstoodbythestudent

○Languagespokenbythestudent

The language policy is linked with admission policy as the English language proﬁciency of external students are assessed at the time of admission to Neev Academy Respective Program speciﬁc teachers will review the language papers and share their feedback The head of Program will also interact with the students to get an overview of the capability and alignment with the school language expectations With regards to DP admission, the DPC or the DPH recommend a level of language for the student applying to DP 1

● Link to Inclusion policy :

As included in the admission form - at the enrollment phase, students are expected to appear for a test in English language followed by an interview The feedback from the test enables us to assess the literacy levels of the new students with a view to liaise with and make adequate arrangements, where necessary, in consultation with the language teachers, learning support coordinator and members of the LS (Learning support) department. Additionally, inclusive access arrangements (as permitted by IB and CISCE) will be made available during board exams and internal school assessments. Also at the time of admission, parents are asked to report with adequate evidence of any assessed learning and physical diﬃculties/disorders to enable the school to make appropriate inclusion access arrangements (as permitted by IB and CISCE)

● Link to Assessment policy:

The language proﬁciency of students are judged at the time of admission. Additionally, different formative and summative assessments at DP in language A and language B will be conducted to ensure that both assessment approaches of ‘Assessment for learning’ and ‘Assessment of learning’ can be effectively applied.

Referencing and Bibliography style adopted by the school is MLA9.

Languages at Neev

At Neev, English is the operational language across all four programmes English is the language of instruction for all subjects except other languages where the target language will be used primarily with English as a scaffolding technique Therefore, we believe that all teachers are language teachers, and that subject teachers are responsible for teaching domain speciﬁc vocabulary and language skills Subject teachers collaborate with language teachers to integrate language learning into their lessons

Outside of the classroom teachers and students are free to express themselves in language/s of their choice.

Language is a complex web of connections, transcending timetables and individual curriculum disciplines. The strands identiﬁed are:

● Oral language – listening and speaking

● Visual language – viewing and presenting

● Written language – reading

● Written language – writing.

These strands are interdependent and taught and learned simultaneously. They are the major connecting elements throughout the curriculum.

Primary Years:

In the primary years, students develop the ability to think, reason, analyse, communicate, express ideas, feelings and act rationally, through the medium of instruction, which is English Language is an effective tool, required to organize and express our thoughts and opinions Hence we inspire our students to hone their language skills to the maximum by providing them with a rich range of language learning opportunities Students will also learn an additional language (choose one language from Hindi, French or Spanish) in the Primary Years

Senior School:

Students seamlessly transition to the Language and Literature programmes in the Middle Years and continue to develop both linguistic skills and work more closely with English and World literature. The four skill areas in PYP language; Oral language(Listening and Speaking), Visual language(Viewing and Presenting), Written language - Reading and Writing are further developed through the Middle Years (MYP & ICSE). As aligned with our school vision, students require to study at least two languages to support the understanding of their own cultures and those of others. The Language Acquisition programme is aimed at meeting these requirements. Students continuing on to the Diploma Programme (DP) will be grounded in at least one additional language besides English.

The MYP Language and Literature programme offers several pathways into the Language ALiterature or the Language and Literature courses in the Diploma Programme. The Language Acquisition programme leads to Language A or B in the Diploma programme.

Career-related Programme:

Language and Cultural Studies is a core and compulsory component of the IB Career-related Programme (CP), designed to broaden students’ perspectives and strengthen their ability to engage with the wider world As the IB emphasizes, the ability to communicate in more than one language is fundamental to developing international-mindedness

At Neev Academy, the programme will be offered in partnership with Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for Creative Arts, Pearson BTEC, and WACP (for Business Administration and Artiﬁcial Intelligence). Formal memoranda of understanding (MoUs) have been signed with SCAD and WACP, while the signing process with Pearson BTEC is currently underway to support programme implementation and delivery.

Students may pursue Hindi, Spanish, French, or another mother-tongue language aligned with their interests, cultural identity, or future aspirations With a strong emphasis on language

acquisition and cultural studies, the programme enables students to build linguistic proﬁciency while deepening their understanding of diverse cultures, perspectives, and traditions, supporting the development of conﬁdent communicators and internationally minded global citizens.

CP students also maintain a Language Portfolio, which documents their learning journey including language engagements, reﬂections, and evidence of progress ensuring they meet the IB’s expectations for successful completion of this essential component of the CP core

Additional Language And Language Acquisition

In our mission to create global-minded citizens, open to the richness of other cultures and languages, all the while instilling a sense of pride in their own, we offer foreign language programmes, which enrich and open new horizons In Neev, the students have several languages to choose from In Neev, students learn at least two languages across all programmes and are encouraged to learn more This encouragement comes in the form of school supported events such as Language Day etc detailed later in this policy document

The students of Grades 1 - 5 will have to study any one of the following languages as an additional language in the PYP and from Grades 6 -10 will have to study any one of the following as Language Acquisition in the MYP

Grades/ Programme Languages Offered

Grades 1 - 5 (PYP)

Grades 6 - 10 (MYP)

Grades 11 & 12 (DP)

Grades 11 & 12 (CP)

ICSE

Hindi/French/Spanish (choose any 1)

Hindi B at SL & HL

French B/Spanish B at SL

French Ab Initio SL, Spanish Ab Initio SL

Hindi/French/Spanish (choose any 1)

Second Language

Hindi

French

Spanish

NOTE:

Additional Language (Grades 6-8) Kannada

In the MYP, language acquisition is organized into six phases. In grade 9 students move to the Emergent or Capable level as per their language proﬁciency with the phases. In Grade 10 the 6

student appears for the eAssessment as per the assigned level from the chosen language In the DP, we have expanded our subject offering and have included French and Spanish at both levels, Ab Initio and Language B at SL level along with Hindi at HL and SL level.

Students will continue with the additional language selected in Grade 1 (PYP) till Grade 10. Students who intend to take up the ICSE curriculum will do Kannada as an additional Language from Grade 6 and will continue with the language till Grade 8.

To be able to offer a second language option, there should be a minimum of 3 students opting for it.

Language Proﬁle

Neev Academy is a diverse learning community that welcomes students from multiple linguistic and cultural backgrounds. While English is the primary medium of communication and instruction across the school, students bring with them a wide range of home languages. Recognizing and valuing this diversity is central to Neev’s mission of nurturing global citizens who are rooted in their own identities while being open to multiple perspectives. The school’s current student body represents over 20 languages, reﬂecting the linguistic plurality of India and beyond. Major Indian languages spoken by the community are Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Kannada, Marwari and more. While we also have lesser represented Indian languages like Coorgi, Tulu, Assamese, Kashmiri, Odia, Sindhi, Nepali. International languages spoken are Dutch, Korean and English

Neev’s language proﬁle underscores its identity as a global yet locally rooted school By embracing linguistic diversity, the school not only supports academic growth but also nurtures empathy, intercultural understanding, and community building Below are the Languages spoken by the community (AY 2025-26)

Language Practices

Neev supports holistic, student-centered language development in a caring environment, recognizing language as fundamental to learning All teachers are considered language teachers and provide timely feedback on language use. Parents are an intrinsic part of NEEV’s community of learners and they provide crucial support for language learning Parents also volunteer in classrooms for read aloud Neev Language Day is a parent-led event.

Practices to Promote language development within and Beyond the Classroom:

1. Language Day

This annual event celebrates linguistic diversity and promotes multilingualism by forming voluntary language groups comprising students, teachers, and parent volunteers Every language group sets up a stall representing their language, rich literacy and culture Participation in activities like, folk music and dance, offering ethnic regional cuisine and display of local costume allows for use of language and vocabulary intrinsic to these activities

2. Neev Literature Festival

The Neev Literature Festival aims to recognize great literature for children of all ages, grow readers for life, and make reading part of every home. The festival includes conversations between authors, publishers, educators, parents, and children, as well as numerous events and workshops centered around books and reading. In the run-up to the festival, students do a deep-dive into the books that will be featured during the event, as well as particular authors’ bodies of work, with the Reading team.

3. Neevotsav (Gr 1-3) & Stage production (Gr 4 - 8)

The school celebrates art and expression through visual arts, music, movement and drama exploring artistic traditions from different languages and cultures. Students across grades tap into their strengths to learn, create and engage deeply with their chosen art form

4. Reading Practice

In PYP, students engage in read-aloud sessions and weekly student-teacher reading conferences In senior school, students participate in dedicated weekly reading time with texts in different genres and languages These practices nurture strong reading habits and reﬂect

commitment to fostering literacy and critical thinking The sessions at the library by the Reading team are focused on furthering students’ critical thinking skills about texts and authorial intent, alongside information literacy skills, as well as expanding students’ reading horizons.

In Senior School, the English Department organises a range of engaging literary events and activities that nurture students’ creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills. The Poetry Festival (in Middle years) celebrates the joy of writing and performing verse students compose original poems on the spot for their visitors, while others recite memorised works by celebrated poets, honing their expressive delivery and appreciation of rhythm and imagery. Debates and Socratic Seminars in the higher grades promote analytical thinking, logical reasoning, and persuasive speaking. Creative tasks such as scripting original podcasts and making vlogs encourage students to experiment with voice, tone, structure, and audience engagement, fostering digital literacy and media awareness. Travel blogs develop narrative writing, description, and reﬂection skills, while reimagining and enacting fairy tales and myths invite students to explore intertextuality, adaptation, and performance Together, these experiences strengthen reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, promoting conﬁdence, clarity, and creativity in language use

5. Reading Challenges

The Reading challenges at Neev aims to nurture reading stamina and encourages participants to read deeply, engage with diverse topics, and build resilience along the way We have grade wise reading challenges- Route to Reading Competition is for Grade 1 students R K Narayan Reading Growth Award is open to students within Neev across grades 2-3, as well as Grades 7-8 We also have a reading challenge open to schools across the country for students from Grades 4-6

6. Neev Times

The paper is completely student-run, and makes room for students to display their learnings from language units on opinion writing and reportage. The theme of the paper requires students to think deeply on how their experiences connect with the same so that their contributions may be aligned accordingly

Language Support

Differentiation in language lessons is based on best practice according to the standards and practices of the IB. All teachers respond to students’ needs and may therefore provide individualised instruction guided in some cases by speciﬁc learning goals and Individual Learning Plans (ILPs). Teaching strategies may include working in small groups, using different resources with different levels of language complexity, as well as changing the level of questioning and tasks for individual students. Students may also have choices so they can follow their own interests or use a preferred learning style. The School also follows the IB recommendations on student placement. In addition to this, the School provides a range of specialist support including proﬁling, individual support, speech and language specialists, etc., which is outlined in the Learning Support Policy.

Students in the PYP (Grades 1–5) are grouped according to their reading levels after completing a standardized reading assessment. Levelled books are then assigned based on their reading proﬁciency. Reading progress is tracked periodically and mapped to global standards. The reading data of all students is analyzed to generate insights, which are used to reﬂect and plan the way forward for each student as well as for grade- and program-level cohorts. Peer learning groups are an impactful learning strategy in which students are divided into homogenous or heterogeneous groups as per the lesson to support each other.

Each programme has speciﬁc learning outcomes for the strands of speaking and listening, reading, writing, viewing and presenting appropriate to the students level. We promote inquiry-based authentic learning through an investigative approach of different genres.

School Library

The Academy library serves as a vital knowledge hub, supporting students’ academic growth and achievements It ensures equitable access to resources for both students and teachers, offering a wide range of curriculum materials that cater to diverse teaching and learning styles The collection includes fiction, non-fiction, multicultural literature, and resources in multiple formats, making it accessible and inclusive The Reading team refreshes the inventory every month by looking at high-quality, critically acclaimed books that would be veritable additions to the collection. Each year, teachers also provide recommendations for new resources, enabling the library to continuously expand its collection with a particular focus on multilingual texts and subject-specific materials. In addition, the library leverages online resources to strengthen student learning and research. The library works in collaboration with teachers to uphold academic honesty. The Reading team at the library follows the standards set by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) for 21st century learners to work deeper with students on honing their reading skills.

Communication of the Policy

The Neev Language Policy is available to the Neev community through multiple pathways including Neev’s public website and Neev’s internal shared drive. New staff will be familiarized with the document during the orientation programme. The printed copies of the policy are available for the Admissions Department and for reference in each school section.

Language Policy Review Process

The Language Policy is reviewed by a team of leaders, once annually and submitted as a draft, for approval

This Policy review done in the month of October 2025

References:

●IBO.PrimaryYearsProgramme,MiddleYearsProgrammeandDiploma ProgrammeLanguageandLearninginIBProgrammes web:IBO,2011 Web 10De c 2016 <https://msturnerealforum wikispaces com/ﬁle/view/Languageandle arninginIBprogrammes pdf>

●IBO “Guidelinesfordevelopingaschoollanguagepolicy”Onlinecurriculum centre.Apr.2008.Web.10Dec.2016.<http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/occ/Utils/getFile 2.cfm?source=/ibis/occ/spec/coord.cfm&ﬁlename=dSpace%2Fen%2Fg 0 i boxx amo 0804 2 e%2Epdf>.

●IBO.TowardsaContinuumofInternationalEducationPrimaryYearsProgramme,Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme web:IBO,2008 Web 10Dec 2016 <http://www godolphinandlatymer com/ ﬁles/IB/F12E57 C5DFADC6B9C01C557C90935681 pdf>

●MiddleYearsProgramme:SecondLanguageAcquisitionandMother-tongueDevelopment International Baccalaureate Organization, January 2004.

● https://www.neevliteraturefestival.org

Annexure A

IB Learner Proﬁle

Source: International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). The IB Learner Proﬁle. Cardiff: IBO, 2013.

The IB learner proﬁle represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools The International Baccalaureate® (IB) learner proﬁle describes a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success It implies a commitment to help all members of the school community learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them. The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world

Attribute

Description

1 Inquirers IB learners nurture their curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research They know how to learn independently and with others They learn with enthusiasm and sustain their love of learning throughout life.

2 Knowledgea ble

3. Thinkers

4 Communica tors

IB learners develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. They engage with issues and ideas that have local and global signiﬁcance

IB learners use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems They exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

IB learners express themselves conﬁdently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways They collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

5 Principled IB learners act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere They take responsibility for their own actions

Attribute Description

6 Open-minde d

and their consequences.

IB learners critically appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others They seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and they are willing to grow from the experience.

7 Caring IB learners show empathy, compassion and respect They have a commitment to service, and they act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around them

8. Risk-takers

9. Balanced

10. Reﬂective

IB learners approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; they work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. They are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change

IB learners understand the importance of balancing different aspects of their lives intellectual, physical and emotional to achieve well-being for themselves and others. They recognize their interdependence with other people and with the world in which they live

IB learners thoughtfully consider the world and their own ideas and experience. They work to understand their strengths and weaknesses in order to support their learning and personal development

The IB learner proﬁle applies to all students across the PYP, MYP, DP and CP programmes. It represents the beliefs and aims that underpin this school’s policies and practices, guiding the development of internationally minded, lifelong learners.

Language_Policy_September_2025_Revised_Neev Academy.docx

Neev Academy Language Policy

October 2025