IB Languages: Are You in the Right Course?
Language A, Language B HL, Language B SL or Ab Initio? Choosing the right IB language course isn’t always as straightforward as it seems.
Over my 20+ years working in international education, I have taught hundreds of language students from very different linguistic and educational backgrounds.
And there is one issue I have seen repeatedly:
Students placed in the wrong language course.
Sometimes a student has been placed at a level that is simply too challenging. In other cases, I have seen students taking a language course that does not reflect their previous experience or actual level of proficiency.
As an IB language teacher and examiner since 2009, I believe getting this decision right from the beginning is incredibly important.
And it isn’t simply about asking:
“Which course gives me the best chance of getting a 7?”
There is much more to consider.
First: what does the IB actually say?
The IB makes an important distinction between its language courses.
Language Ab Initio is a language acquisition course intended for students with no prior experience or very limited previous experience of the target language.
Language B, on the other hand, is intended for students who already have some previous experience of learning the language.
Language B can then be studied at either Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL).
This distinction matters.
Choosing an IB language course shouldn’t simply be about where a student feels most comfortable. Previous language experience and linguistic background need to be considered carefully.
Language Ab Initio: Are you really a beginner?
Ab Initio is sometimes viewed as the “easy language option”.
But that isn’t really what it is.
It is a beginner’s language course.
The IB describes Ab Initio as being designed for students with no previous experience, or only very limited previous experience, of the language.
So before choosing Ab Initio, ask yourself:
Have I studied this language before?
If so, for how long?
Have I lived in a country where the language is spoken?
Have I attended a bilingual or international school where I used the language?
Do I speak it with family members?
How confidently can I already communicate?
These questions matter much more than simply asking whether you think you could achieve a 7.
Language B – SL or HL?
If you already have experience learning the language, Language B may be the more appropriate route.
But then comes another question:
SL or HL?
The difference is not simply “a little bit more French”, Spanish, German or whichever Language B you are studying.
The IB expects a higher level of competency at HL across receptive, productive and interactive language skills.
There is also a significant difference in teaching time: across the Diploma Programme, SL subjects are designed around approximately 150 teaching hours, compared with 240 hours at HL.
Language B HL students also study two literary works originally written in the target language.
So the decision between SL and HL should take into account not only your previous grades, but how comfortably and independently you can actually use the language.
And what about Language A?
Language A is different again.
This is where another misconception sometimes occurs:
Speaking a language fluently does not automatically make Language A the right course.
Language A is part of the IB’s Studies in Language and Literature group rather than Language Acquisition.
Students are expected to engage critically with literary and/or non-literary texts and develop sophisticated analytical skills.
The IB describes these courses as being studied in a language in which the student is academically competent.
That word academically is important.
A student might speak French fluently at home, for example, but have completed all their schooling in English and never learned to analyse literature or write academic essays in French.
That student’s situation is very different from someone who has completed much of their education in French.
“But wouldn’t it be better to take the easiest course and get a 7?”
I understand why students think this way.
The IB Diploma is demanding. Every point counts, and university offers can depend on the final score.
But your language choice shouldn’t simply be a strategy for finding the easiest possible 7.
It should be an appropriate academic challenge based on your previous experience and linguistic background.
This is also why schools have an important responsibility when placing students.
Interestingly, the IB itself refers in its current curriculum information to the importance of thoughtful and responsible placement decisions in Diploma Programme language courses.
And from my experience, that thoughtful placement really does matter.
An examiner’s perspective
This is something I feel particularly strongly about.
I have been an IB language examiner since 2009, alongside teaching IB students myself.
When you have read and assessed a large amount of student work over many years, you develop a very clear understanding of what performance typically looks like across different levels.
Occasionally, a student’s linguistic sophistication can appear noticeably different from what would normally be expected at that stage of language acquisition.
That doesn’t mean that excellent students should somehow be penalised for being excellent. Far from it.
But it reinforces why appropriate placement needs to happen before assessment, with the school considering the student’s complete linguistic and educational background.
Your language history matters
When deciding which IB language course is appropriate, don’t look only at your latest school report.
Think about your whole language journey.
Have you:
studied the language for several years?
attended school in that language?
lived in a country where it is widely spoken?
used the language regularly at home?
attended a bilingual school?
previously studied the language at IGCSE, GCSE or another qualification?
developed strong reading and writing skills as well as conversational fluency?
There isn’t necessarily one question that determines your placement.
It is the overall picture that matters.
What if I think I’m in the wrong course?
Don’t panic but don’t ignore it either !
Speak to your language teacher and IB Diploma Coordinator as early as possible.
Explain your complete language background and ask why your particular course was recommended.
This is particularly important at the beginning of the Diploma Programme, when there may still be time to reconsider your options.
After more than 20 years teaching languages internationally, I have seen students flourish when they are placed at the right level.
I’ve also seen how difficult things can become when they aren’t.
The aim isn’t to choose the easiest course.
Nor is it to choose the hardest.
It’s to choose the right course for you.
And once you’re there, then we can start working towards that 7.
If you want to learn more about this, here are some articles:
IMPORTANT TO NOTE: 2026 IB update about the upcoming curriculum where the IB specifically says its guidance contains a section on “The importance of thoughtful and responsible placement decision.”
Tiffany, IB teacher and examiner
Follow me on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frenchhorizonacademy/
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