German International School of Silicon Valley

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Subject Choices for Grades 9 and 10 On the Way to a Successful DIAP

Jenny Jungeblut Head of High School May 2015

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Agenda

•  Philosophy DIAP •  eSchool21 •  Grade 10: Introductory Phase •  11-12: Qualification Phase •  DIAP Examination

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Philosophy DIAP

Since the GISSV had the first graduates worldwide of the Deutsches Internationales Abitur in 2009, the DIAP has distinguished itself as a outstanding diploma which successfully combines the education towards global citizenship with the challenging expectations of the German Abitur

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Philosophy DIAP

•  Unique focus on bilingualism and independent learning

•  Outstanding educational program ending with written, oral exams

•  Integration of country-specific requirements, exams, and diplomas

•  New exam format colloquium focuses on project-based and cross-curricular studies

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Anforderungsbereiche

•  Students are taught and tested based on three performance levels

•  Anforderungsbereich I: Understanding of the given material and the ability to reproduce it

•  Anforderungsbereich II: Reorganisation of the given material, e.g. analysis and interpretation

•  Anforderungsbereich III: Transfer and critical evaluation- the ability of the student to go beyond the text or problem to demonstrate and apply knowledge in another context. 5

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DIAP Regulations

•  http://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2005/2005_06_17-PO-Abitur-deutsche-Auslandsschule.pdf

•  http://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/pdf/Bildung/Auslandsschulwesen/DIAP/Richtlinien_DIAP_17_09_2008.pdf

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Roadmap to DIAP

•  Grade 10: Introductory Phase, “Einführungsphase”

–  Choice of third foreign language –  Zentrale Klassenarbeiten (March) –  Realschulprüfung (March written, June oral)

•  Grades 11-12: Qualification Phase “Qualifikationsphase”

–  Choices in languages and sciences –  All grades count toward Abitur average –  DIAP subjects: choices at the beginning of 12th

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eSchool21

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Grade 10: Introductory Phase

•  Additional foreign language offered: – Spanish – French

•  AP Chemistry class possible –  Two-year class leading to the AP Chemistry

Exam at the end of 11th –  Grade needs to be a 2 or higher

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Zentrale Klassenarbeiten

•  Part of the official requirements to enter the Qualification Phase (grades 11-12)

•  From Germany, graded by GISSV teachers according to set expectations

•  Written exams in all three core subjects: German (150 min), Math (135 min), English (135 min)

•  Count twice as much as a regular exam

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Realschulabschluss

•  German exit diploma after 10th grade •  Centralized written exams in two of the

three core subjects in March (2015: German (135 min) and English (120 min))

•  One oral exam (approx. 20 minutes) in June during the DIAP oral exam week

•  The final grading in the three exam subjects is 50 % exam related and 50 % related to the grade for the school year

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From Realschule to Gymnasium

Requirements •  not have a 5 (= “Mangelhaft”) in one of the

three core subjects (German, Math, English) •  have an average of 3.0 in the three core

subjects •  have an average of 3.0 in all subjects

Students repeat grade 10 on “Gymnasium” level, including a second foreign language

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11-12: Qualification Phase

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Qua

lific

atio

n P

hase

Semester 11.1

Semester 11.2

Semester 12.1; Written Exams

Semester 12.2; Oral Exams

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Grading

•  Semester grades •  50% exams, 50% other assignments

•  Semester 1-3: Two exams (except American History/Government and P.E.)

•  Semester 4: One exam (40% vs. 60%)

•  Length –  Grade 11: 2-4 periods –  Grade 12: 3-5 periods 14

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Grading Scale

Grading system von 0-15 points

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Point System 15-13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03-01 00

German Grades 1 2+ 2 2- 3+ 3 3- 4+ 4 4- 5 6

American Grade A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D F

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DIAP Requirements 1.  German 2.  Math 3.  Four subjects from the subject areas of

1.  foreign languages (English, French, Spanish) 2.  sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)

4.  History 5.  Art 6.  Physical Education

For high school diploma: 1.  English 2.  Economics 3.  American History / American Government .

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Facharbeit

•  The research paper combines an involved process of research, critical thinking, source evaluation, organization, and composition

•  written in a subject of the student’s choice •  Subject teacher advises on topic and grades

the paper •  duration: 8 weeks •  replaces the exam in that subject in the first

half of the second semester 17

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DIAP Exam Subjects

Additional requirements: 1.  At least 50 % have to be subjects taught in German 2.  At least one of the oral exam subjects has to be taught

in German. .

German Sciences

Math Physics

Biology Chemistry

Social Sciences

History

Economics

English French Spanish

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DIAP Exam

•  The student chooses his 5 exam subjects at the beginning of 12.1

•  Three written exams – Math, language: 4 hours – Others: 3 hours

•  Two oral exams – 20 minutes – The 5th exam includes a presentation

•  Possibly more oral exams if necessary 19

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Languages of Instruction

German English Bilingual German English Biology History Economics Chemistry Math American

History/Gov. Physics P.E., Art Other

French Spanish

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DIAP - Final Grade

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•  Semester grades in the written subjects in semester 1-3

•  At least 90 points (< 5 points), never 0 points, maximum of 3 under 5 points

A •  Grades of the other subjects in semesters

1-4 (22 semester grades) •  At least 110 points (< 5 points), never 0 points,

maximum of 6 under 0 B

•  Grades of the DIAP examinations •  At least 100 points, at least 20 points in two

subjects, 0 points in only one exam C

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Subjects for the DIAP Grade

•  German: 4 semester grades •  Math: 4 semester grades •  Foreign languages and sciences: At least

14 semester grades altogether, at least 4 in a language and 4 in a science; no single semesters

•  History and Economics: at least 4, at least two of those in History

•  P.E.: a maximum of three semester grades •  Art: at least three semester grades

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DIAP Grading Scale

•  900-823 points: 1.0 •  660-643 points: 2.0 •  480-463 points: 3.0 •  300 points: 4.0

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