Difference between SL and Ab initio?

[GirlwiththeBlueBox]

So I've been seeing a lot of people on here with something called Ab initio for their language. I'm starting my second year of the IB in French SL and I was wondering: what's the difference between French SL and French Ab initio? I know 'Ab initio' means 'from the beginning' in Latin...

[Award Winning Boss]

Ab initio means that you start learning the language from scratch whereas SL means you have a few years experience of the language already. Usually 3 years or something like that.

[GirlwiththeBlueBox]

Thanks! So is the Ab initio test easier than SL?

[JoeZell]

Thanks! So is the Ab initio test easier than SL?

No. Ab Initio people know less French, so it's hard for them. If you wanted a comparison, it would be like you taking a Uni level paper. Free writing is easy, but the comprehension is where many fall.

I do Ab Initio, but I've 10 years of French under my belt. Not exactly a beginner.

[Gaby]

Thanks! So is the Ab initio test easier than SL?

No. Ab Initio people know less French, so it's hard for them. If you wanted a comparison, it would be like you taking a Uni level paper. Free writing is easy, but the comprehension is where many fall.

I do Ab Initio, but I've 10 years of French under my belt. Not exactly a beginner.

And they let you do ab initio? That's not exactly the way it should be... I've been learning English for 11 years and I'm taking B HL.....

[sarahlouise]

Thanks! So is the Ab initio test easier than SL?

No. Ab Initio people know less French, so it's hard for them. If you wanted a comparison, it would be like you taking a Uni level paper. Free writing is easy, but the comprehension is where many fall.

I do Ab Initio, but I've 10 years of French under my belt. Not exactly a beginner.

Yeah I'm rather surprised too that they let you do Ab initio French after having learnt it already for 10 years...How on earth is it justifiable? I've been doing French for only 6 years (although for the first 2 we didn't learn anything, so really it's been learning French for 4 years, 2 of which were actually during the IB) and I'm doing French B.

OP, basically ab initio is, as you said, from the beginning. It's for those who have no background to the language. Obviously it would seem easier if you were actually at B standard, but because they're learning from scratch for two years it's harder for them.

[carpediem]

Ab initio is easier in the sense that students can start from the very basics, but it's difficult because the ab initio students go at a very fast pace. From what I understand, at the end of IB the ab initio kids will be at the level of B SL - 2 years compared to my 5 years. It can be a bit overwhelming.

Thanks! So is the Ab initio test easier than SL?

No. Ab Initio people know less French, so it's hard for them. If you wanted a comparison, it would be like you taking a Uni level paper. Free writing is easy, but the comprehension is where many fall.

I do Ab Initio, but I've 10 years of French under my belt. Not exactly a beginner.

Yeah I'm rather surprised too that they let you do Ab initio French after having learnt it already for 10 years...How on earth is it justifiable? I've been doing French for only 6 years (although for the first 2 we didn't learn anything, so really it's been learning French for 4 years, 2 of which were actually during the IB) and I'm doing French B.

OP, basically ab initio is, as you said, from the beginning. It's for those who have no background to the language. Obviously it would seem easier if you were actually at B standard, but because they're learning from scratch for two years it's harder for them.

JoeZell may be in the ab initio class because he may not have had formal lessons. There's a student in my school's ab initio class who speaks very good Spanish after spending a summer in Spain, but because she hasn't had formal tuition my school couldn't put her in SL.

[Guest HayashiEsme]

Yep, Ab Initio is very demanding because of how time consuming it is, along with the fact that you're to juggle the rest of the hexagon of doom with it *dundundunn* There's been people at my school who've been averaging high 6/low 7s for Ab Initio and the drop it in favour of a less stressful Language B - where perhaps that foundation for the language has already been established and daily practise will not be as demanding.

[Guest Positron]

This has in a way been answered already, but no that clearly. Just to clarify, in the IB the languages are divided into two main groups; Group 1 and Group 2. Both of these have two "sub-groups"; Lit and Lang&Lit in Group 1, and B-language and ab initio in Group 2. All others except ab initio can be taken at either HL or SL, ab initio is always SL.

Ab intio is a Group 2 subject, like language B. Group 2 subjects are meant for language acquisition; language B for those who already have experience with the language, but are not fluent, ab initio for complete beginners. Thus you can't really say that either one would be easier than the other, as they are not meant to be options between which one could choose from. Of course ab initio is easier than language B in any case, but as I said, they're not supposed to be alternatives. Basically what I'm saying here is that ab initio and language B are different subjects, it's not like Math HL versus Math SL. It's more like English Literature versus English B. I hope that comparison makes sense

Edited November 16, 2012 by Positron

[emantse]

So are there separate exams for Language B SL and Language AB initio SL?

[carpediem]

So are there separate exams for Language B SL and Language AB initio SL?

Yes, the exams are different and separate.

[Njofrica]

It all depends on the teacher... For me, Spanish ab inition is one of the hardest (if not the hardest) subject...