DUTCH FOR
IB STUDENTS
International Baccalaureate is an international school system established in 1968 which provides access to university studies upon completion (www.ibo.org). Most universities in the world have recognised the diploma. It can therefore roughly be compared with the Dutch VWO.
International Baccalaureate Organization is the organisation that established IB education and is responsible for the quality of education and examinations of the IB.
IB Diploma Programme; the programme for the last two years of the IB curriculum, for students aged approximately 16-19 years old, comparable to the 5th and 6th year of secondary education in The Netherlands.
The IBDP Curriculum consists of a hexagon with six subject areas, supported by a ‘core’. A student chooses six subjects, one subject from each of the six subject areas. A minimum of three subjects must be chosen at Higher Level (HL) and three subjects at Standard Level (SL).
School Supported Self-Taught; students can choose their (mother/first) language as one of the six subjects in their Diploma Programme, even if it is not taught at their school. With the help of a school supervisor and an external tutor, students can study the two-year Language A Literature programme. This is only possible at SL (Standard Level).
IB Middle Years Programme; the programme for the five ‘middle’ years of the IB curriculum, for students aged approximately 11-16 years.
IBID offers a balanced programme to prepare Dutch and Flemish students abroad for the IBDP Dutch A Literature SSST exam through distance learning. IBID also offers a five-year pre-IBDP programme intended for students aged 11-16 years old.
Absolutely. The IB calls the subject ‘Dutch’, but that includes Flemish-speaking students. Exam texts always come from Flemish or Dutch authors, and the book list can also contain works by both Dutch and Flemish authors.
Students abroad are very different from each other. IBID takes these differences into account when guiding these students. In practice, this means that for both the Dutch A Literature SSST programme and the pre-IBDP programme, weekly video calls take place, one-on-one, with a permanent teacher. The guidance is intensive; IBID works completely tailor-made. Students receive remote lessons with a teacher who is almost as easily accessible as a teacher at school.
Our teachers understand the world of the student studying abroad. They are of Dutch or Flemish descent, but have a lot of experience abroad. All teachers are qualified and have in-depth knowledge of IB education. Some of our teachers live in the Netherlands (again), others live abroad. They all have experience teaching at international schools, so they know the circumstances you are currently in very well. IBID consists of a large team of teachers and this gives us the opportunity to see who suits you best.
For us, ‘customized education’ means that we do not write hours. IBID aims to guide every student in the SSST program to the diploma as best as possible and to a successfully completed year in the pre-IBDP. In our opinion, there is no label with a number of hours. Anyone who registers with IBID receives weekly lessons and guidance with unique teaching materials compiled by IBID, for the entire year. Just like at school.
IBID is affiliated with the NOB Foundation (Dutch Education Abroad) and is periodically visited by the Education Inspectorate of the Dutch Ministry of Education. Our last inspection visit was in September 2023, which IBID passed with flying colours. If desired, the inspection report is available.
IBID was the first remote provider of IB Dutch in 2000. There are now several providers. Sometimes it is difficult to see the forest for the trees. First of all, IBID distinguishes itself by its enormous wealth of experience. We have been guiding students in the IB Dutch A Literature SSST programme for over twenty years now. In order to guide students through this demanding exam programme, it is essential that a teacher knows exactly what this entails. At IBID we know that.
The pre-IBDP programme has been added since 2010, at the request of parents who realized that preparation for the IB Dutch A Literature SSST programme has many advantages. Our teachers have a lot of experience with the MYP curriculum, and can therefore offer students appropriate, tailor-made education.
In short, the rich experience of our teaching team is what makes us unique.
There are distance learning providers who offer teaching packages with a prescribed number of hours. That may seem more economical, but in practice this is usually not the case.
Our method is one-on-one, individual, with a curriculum developed by our teachers. IBID students achieve excellent results and experience a lot of learning and reading pleasure.
Furthermore, we find continuity important. We can guarantee this because we are a team of experienced teachers. In the unlikely event that one of the IBID teachers are unavailable for a longer period of time, the lessons will be covered by another IBID teacher.
Our students’ email correspondence and Dropbox accounts are always transferable internally.
No. There is an annual amount for tuition and a one-time registration fee for a new registration. This ensures that the student receives the help he/she needs. The students purchase the required books themselves.
The pre-IBDP programme can be followed by students from any type of (international) school.
The Dutch A Literature SSST programme is only suitable for students who are registered for this subject by an IB school.
In principle, you are not allowed to take Dutch B or Dutch A Language and Literature as a self-taught subject, with a remote teacher. However, there are situations where this is still an option. In such a case, IBID can offer a complete guidance programme, in close consultation with the school. Please contact IBID for more information.
Yes. IBID can also offer tailor-made tutoring, for example if you are studying an IB Dutch programme at school with a teacher, but you need some extra support. You must then register for at least five hours of supervision. Please contact IBID for more information.
IBID students score higher on average than other students who take exams for this subject.
The pre-IBDP students almost always reach the desired IBMYP level at the end of each school year. The IBID program is therefore successful, and the pre-IBDP students who subsequently move on to the SSST programme at IBID certainly perform excellently.
In addition to the IBID programme, some pre-IBDP students also take an alternative exam for the Dutch subject (CNaVT, NT2 state exam or the MYP e-assessments).
Even if you don’t really like reading, learning with IBID is fun. The books you read are a way to learn about other cultures and countries. A healthy dose of curiosity about the world is therefore required. The Dutch A Literature SSST programme also offers a lot of freedom, you choose most of the books yourself and you can usually arrange your own study times. If you have a specific preference for a theme or genre, the programme can be shaped accordingly. In short, you have more independence and have more personal input than with the other subjects. The individual one-on-one approach is also something that many students find very pleasant.
IBID is the abbreviation of the Latin term ‘Ibidem’ which means ‘in the same place’. The word has similarities to the word ‘idem’, which means ‘the same’. With this, we would like to point out that our lesson offering is comparable to the lessons at the IB school. Furthermore, it is a rhyming pun if you look at the pronunciation: in Dutch IB-idee, in English IB-idea.
The name of the subject says it all: ‘literature’. The Self-taught programme is a literature study. In two years, you will read seven books and learn to analyse them in detail, speak about them and write about them. While reading, the context of the books is also discussed: the place and time in which they were written. This way you will be intensively prepared for the DP exams at the end of the second year: one oral exam and two written exams. For the most part, you choose the books you read yourself.
This can be for various reasons. In most cases, this is an excellent preparation for a study at any Dutch, Flemish or foreign university. It may also be that you prefer Dutch rather than English as your ‘A’ language. Or you would like to choose two A languages; those subjects fit together well. Of course, you can also choose the subject because you enjoy reading, or because you enjoy staying connected to the Dutch language and culture. In addition, scientific research has shown that maintaining a native language is highly beneficial for general cognitive skills.
As the name suggests, this is an ‘A’ course. The IB assumes that Dutch is your mother tongue, and that you can therefore already speak, read and write in Dutch at a sufficient level. In practice, there is always time to correct any gaps in your reading or writing skills, but the Dutch A Literature SSST programme is not a language course. Keep that in mind!
Yes. If you choose Dutch A Literature SSST, it is one of your six IBDP subjects. You take the central exams, just like with any other IB subject (an oral exam at an agreed time and written Paper 1 and Paper 2 exams in May of the second year). Your final grade will appear on your diploma. Most schools provide free study hours to work on your Dutch.
Dutch A Literature SSST is a Group 1 subject. This means that it falls into the same category as, for example, English A Language and Literature and all other A languages.
You can also choose an A language in group 2 and even in group 6.
Yes! If the ‘Language of Instruction’ at your school is a language other than Dutch, for example English, then your diploma will state that you have taken a ‘bilingual’ exam.
That is possible, but there are some snags. If you have any questions about this, please contact IBID.
The IB only allows the Dutch A Literature SSST programme at Standard Level (SL).
During the two years of the Dutch A Literature SSST programme you work on a ‘learner portfolio’. All your acquired knowledge and experience is bundled in a personal ‘learner portfolio’. During the entire course, a lot of attention is paid to working on this portfolio. The portfolio is a mandatory IB component.
As with the other languages in the IB, the Dutch A Self-taught programme also requires you to take an oral exam. This is slightly different than with a ‘taught’ course. During the oral, the student conducts a 15-minute analysis of two read works. This oral is prepared in advance. Your school appoints a ‘proctor’ (for example the SSST supervisor or the IBDP coordinator) who ensures that this oral exam is recorded. It is then sent to the IB, where a Dutch examiner will assess it orally.
That is certainly very different. The Dutch final exam at Dutch secondary schools is developed by the Dutch Ministry of Education; the IB exams by the international IBO organisation. The two have very different objectives.
IBID’s pre-IBDP programme is strongly oriented towards the MYP, but is also very suitable for students aged 11-16 from a non-IB school. A pre-IBDP student follows a multi-year programme, varying from one to five years. This is comparable to the last grade of primary education in the Dutch curriculum (group 8) up to and including the fourth grade of secondary education. The same applies to Flanders.
The pre-IBDP programme pays a lot of attention to analysis, reflection and the development of skills. The main goal is that students feel strong and confident in their Dutch language skills, and that they develop their imagination by reading and analysing literature.
The programme also fits in with a transition to, for example, the Dutch curriculum, or the preparation for an alternative exam such as CNaVT or the NT2 state exam.
Some MYP students also participate in the MYP e-assessments at school.
This is possible, for example, because you think it is important to keep your knowledge of Dutch up to standard, even though you live abroad. Perhaps you like reading books. The pre-IBDP programme is also a good and fun way to stay in touch with Dutch culture. The programme also ties in with a transition to the Dutch curriculum.
Students who have followed the pre-IBDP programme usually do very well in the DP programme Dutch A Literature SSST. Pre-IBDP is an excellent basis for the final two exam years.
Finally, the pre-IBDP also prepares you for various Dutch exams, such as the CNaVT exam.
Some schools allow you to follow IBID lessons as an integrated subject at school. We will contact your school for this. In most cases, however, you take pre-IBDP as a subject outside of regular lessons. This is a tailor-made programme that also takes into account your life and activities outside of school.
At some international schools, the school offers the option to take pre-IBDP Dutch as one of the chosen (and scheduled) MYP subjects.
If you register with IBID, your teacher will contact your school. It is important that your school knows that you have chosen Dutch A Literature SSST as one of your six subjects. For example, we will ensure that your book list does not overlap with any of your other language subjects. That is not permitted by the IB.
IBID offers a complete substantive curriculum for the two years of the IBDP programme. In principle, your school does not have to do anything about this. It is the school’s responsibility to ensure that you are registered with the IBO as a Self-taught student. IBID will contact your IBDP coordinator at school about this.
We keep in regular contact with the school. Particularly in the IBDP programme, there is contact about progress, reporting and registration with the IBO. This is usually done with the SSST supervisor or the IBDP coordinator.
We find it very valuable to have contact with the parents.
There is at least one formal meeting with parents, the student and the teacher about their progress every academic year. If parents have any questions, they can always contact the teacher and/or director of IBID.
All emails that the teacher sends to the student are also sent to the parents in CC.
An intake interview will take place during the registration process.
This is possible in exceptional cases. The school must agree to this, because IBDP Dutch B is in principle a ‘taught’ subject. Please contact IBID to discuss the options.
Yes, that is possible in exceptional situations. This choice must be approved by the school. Please contact IBID to discuss the options.
Child safeguarding is, rightly, high on the agenda of many international schools. Because IBID practices distance learning, the requirements are different in some respects than at a regular school. Every IBID teacher has a Certificate of Good Conduct, both from The Netherlands and from the country where he/she is currently working. For video calls we work exclusively with our Educational Zoom account, which has a secure environment that cannot be logged in from ‘outside’. IBID also consults with individual schools about specific child protection measures.
You can always contact IBID. Please complete the contact form on our website.
IBID Education
Javaplein 10F
1094 HW Amsterdam
The Netherlands
IBID Education
Javaplein 10F
1094 HW Amsterdam
The Netherlands