One of the academic goals established at Colegio Arenas is the achievement of communicative competence in several languages. With this in mind, Spanish-English bilingual education commences in Preschool Education; the second foreign language, French and German, is taught from the 2nd year of Primary Education; and, so as to complete our language programme, Mandarin Chinese has been included as a third language from the 3rd year of Primary Education.
Language proficiency is internationally recognised as being a vital skill and one which will create opportunities for our students not only academically, but also professionally and personally. Our school offers a bilingual programme with two languages of instruction. In addition, several subjects are taught at each educational stage in Spanish and English.
For English Language lessons at Secondary and Baccalaureate level, students are organised in groups according to achievement.
The Language Programme at Colegio Arenas has been designed to help students to acquire and develop the necessary language skills for success in the 21st century.
In order to achieve this goal, we base our teaching strategies on the methodology and objectives set out by the IB Programmes for Language and Literature and Language Acquisition, together with the guiding principles of the Spanish curriculum.
GermanThe German language is taught from the 2nd year of Primary Education through to graduation at Baccalaureate level.
Each year students sit the Goethe-Institut external examinations - Fit in Deutsch 1 (A1) , Fit in Deutsch 2 (A2) , Start Deutsch 1 y Start Deutsch 2, which evaluates students who are working at B1 level in German.
Our Secondary students take part in a exchange programme with the Paul-Gerhardt Schule in Hanau. We also offer classes for students whose first language is German.
FrenchFrench is taught from the second year of Primary Education to Baccalaureate level.
Through the teaching of French, we encourage the personal and social development of our students, together with the understanding of ideas and values relating to French culture. Lessons are taught in French and teachers of this subject consistently communicate with students in this language to ensure its use in all areas of their school life.
We successfully prepare our students for the official language exams set by the Ministère français de l’Éducation at levels A1, A2, B1 and B2, within the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Students are given one exam preparation session a week within the school timetable.
During the academic year 2017-2018, we initiated a French exchange programme with the MarcQ School in Lille, for third and fourth year Secondary students.
ChineseMandarin Chinese has emerged to become one of the most important international languages.
At Colegio Arenas Internacional, Mandarin Chinese is taught from the 3rd year of Primary Education and students are given the opportunity to sit the Confucius Institute YCT (Youth Chinese Test) examinations. Language learning is combined with the study of Chinese culture and customs.
Sulis Manor Residential & Activity Centre is located in the university city of Bath in south-east England.
This centre was founded in 1998 and organises educational programmes and courses in England. It works in conjunction with our school so as to provide a service which is appropriate for the needs of parents and students. Students have the chance to stay at the centre while studying at selected English schools in the area. At Sulis Manor they receive both academic and personal support which leads to exceptional results in the development of their English language skills.
For many of these programmes we work in collaboration with the prestigious Saint Gregory School’s in Bath.
EnglishThe English language is taught from infants to high school.
Bilingual Education from Infants with the guarantee of more than 75 years of experience. Native or bilingual teachers qualified with advanced own methodologies that seeks continuous improvement and uses the English language in a transversal way.
The school offers official exams from the University of Cambridge. In the first years of learning the tests of the Starters, Movers and Flyers programs are carried out and then the KET for schools exams, PET, First, Advanced or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and Proficiency. We have our own center in England for courses and stays.
Extensive exchange program.
Our language teaching relies on the accreditation from external organisations that certify our students’ achievements and serve as an important form of motivation for both students and their families.
As such, our school is equipped with the resources and infrastructure required to be authorised as a Cambridge ESOL Exam Preparation Centre.
Our school offers students the opportunity to sit the official University of Cambridge English tests. During the initial years of study, students sit the Movers and Flyers exams before progressing to the PET, First Certificate, Advanced or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exams.
As part of these programmes and tests, students learn through active and participative teaching strategies that aim to develop their spoken and written language skills and which are attested by the excellent results achieved by our students in the university entrance exams. Furthermore, students are accredited with achieving B2 level in English, a level which many universities require students to achieve in order to complete their bachelor degree or to apply for grants or scholarships.
In German students have the option to sit the Goethe-Institut examinations, in French to the Alliance Francaise, and the Confucius Institute YCT tests for Mandarin Chinese.
Each year, Colegio Arenas Internacional organises Exchanges and Study Trips in order to bring students closer to the culture and the language of the destination country and give the chance to be immersed in the language they are studying.
Currently, Primary students are given the opportunity to visit the United Kingdom in the final year of this stage of their education. Secondary students participate in an exchange trip to Germany where they stay with a host family and attend a local school and a Study Trip to the United Kingdom where they attend classes at a British secondary school.
ARENAS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL GRAN CANARIA
