Subjects · English
Where students find
their voice.
Reading closely. Thinking critically. Speaking with confidence. English at ASAD is where students learn to use language, and to use it well.
Every subject depends on words. In English, our students learn to choose them with care, weigh them with judgement, and use them to explain, persuade, question and create, in the classroom, at university and in whatever they choose to do next.
What your child gains
An education in expression
From their first Middle Years unit to their final Diploma examination, students explore a wide range of texts: novels, drama and poetry alongside speeches, advertisements, films, photography and digital media. Along the way they grow into readers who enjoy a challenge and writers who know what they want to say.
Writing and speaking with purpose for different audiences, from a personal narrative to a persuasive speech.
Seeing how language, structure and context combine to create meaning, and questioning whose voice is heard.
Meeting perspectives different from their own through stories from many cultures and traditions.
Discovering texts that challenge, move and inspire, and carrying the habit well beyond school.
The research, argument and essay-writing skills that universities around the world look for.
Exploring heritage, identity and community through the texts we read, in line with the UAE National Identity framework.
Our approach
Three traditions, one classroom
ASAD is an Australian school in the heart of Abu Dhabi, and our English programme draws on three strong foundations, so that students gain a global qualification, solid literacy and a strong sense of place.
The IB framework
Concept-driven, inquiry-based learning from the Middle Years Programme to the Diploma, recognised by universities worldwide.
The Australian Curriculum
The English learning area from ACARA informs our literacy foundations: language, literature and literacy taught together.
The UAE context
Texts and discussions that celebrate Emirati culture, heritage and citizenship alongside world literature.
Why the Australian Curriculum?
ACARA, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, sets the national curriculum for every school in Australia. Its English learning area is built on three connected strands: Language (how English works), Literature (responding to and creating imaginative texts) and Literacy (using language confidently to interpret and create texts in print, digital and multimodal forms). As an Australian school, we use it to benefit our families in practical ways:
- Strong foundations. A clear, well-sequenced approach to grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing, which supports the IB inquiry that follows.
- Continuity. Families who move between the UAE and Australia find a familiar learning language and a common set of expectations.
- Literacy for every subject. The curriculum treats literacy as a shared responsibility, which helps students read and write well in science, humanities and beyond.
- A broad canon. Literature from many voices and periods, including Australian and First Nations writers, sits beside works from around the world.
Middle Years Programme
Language and Literature
In the MYP, students build strong foundations in reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing. Each year is organised into concept-driven units linked to global contexts, so English connects to real-world issues and to every other subject. The IB organises the course around four key concepts: communication, connections, creativity and perspective.
Textbooks and a wide range of resources form the backbone of the programme. They support systematic skill development in grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing for different text types, from narratives and descriptions to articles, letters, reviews and persuasive speeches. These are complemented by short stories, non-fiction, media and visual texts, film, digital tools and teacher-designed materials.
| Criterion | What students develop |
|---|---|
| A · Analysing | Identifying how writers use language, structure and techniques to create meaning |
| B · Organising | Structuring ideas logically and using evidence and quotations effectively |
| C · Producing text | Writing and speaking creatively and purposefully for different audiences |
| D · Using language | Choosing accurate, varied vocabulary, grammar and register |
Students also become familiar with IB command terms such as describe, explain, analyse and evaluate, and through the Approaches to Learning (communication, thinking, research, social and self-management skills) they learn how to learn, which is preparation for the Diploma in itself.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
IB mission statementEvery learner, every step
EAL support, Primary to Middle Years
Our students come from many countries and language backgrounds, and we see that as a strength. For learners still developing their English, we offer English as an Additional Language (EAL) support classes from the Primary Years Programme through to the Middle Years Programme.
EAL students are supported in small groups, withdrawn from selected lessons, with parental consent, so that every child receives the focused help they need while staying connected to their class. We work in partnership with families at every step.
Support is shaped around each learner through differentiated materials and individual learning plans. The IB Language Acquisition framework recognises that language learning is a developmental process, with students moving from emergent to capable to proficient, and the later phases connect smoothly to the Diploma, including English B. Multilingualism is part of the IB’s mission, so we also encourage students to keep growing in their home languages.
Diploma Programme · Grades 11 and 12
Two courses, one destination
In the DP, students are prepared for external IB examinations in line with the IB subject guides and assessment frameworks. Courses run over two years at Standard Level (SL, at least 150 teaching hours) or Higher Level (HL, at least 240 hours).
English A: Language and Literature
For confident users of English. Students study literary works alongside non-literary texts such as advertisements, opinion pieces, photography and speeches, exploring how meaning shifts with context.
- Readers, writers and texts
- Time and space
- Intertextuality: connecting texts
Seven central concepts, including identity, culture, perspective and representation. Works such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable open rich discussion on power, voice and social justice.
English B
A language acquisition course for students developing English as an additional language, building reading, writing, listening and speaking for study and life in an international setting.
- Identities
- Experiences
- Human ingenuity
- Social organisation
- Sharing the planet
Students also study two literary works.
In both courses, students practise exam-style tasks regularly, receive detailed feedback against IB criteria, and develop the independence needed for university study. English also supports the DP core: many students choose it for their Extended Essay, and it connects naturally with Theory of Knowledge through questions about language, truth and interpretation.
Beyond the Diploma
Skills that last a lifetime
Whatever our graduates choose to study, whether medicine, engineering, law, business or the arts, they will need to read complex material quickly, build an argument, and communicate it clearly to others. That is what an ASAD English education trains, every week, for up to seven years.
- Close reading
- Persuasive writing
- Public speaking
- Research
- Critical analysis
- Creative thinking
Assessment
How students are assessed
Students are assessed through a balance of formative and summative assessment, so that learning is checked, supported and celebrated throughout the year.
Formative assessment happens every lesson: class discussion, quizzes, exit tickets, drafts, peer and self-assessment, and teacher feedback. It is not about grades. It helps students see what they are doing well and what to work on next, and helps teachers adjust their teaching.
Summative assessment comes at the end of each unit and measures what students have learned. Tasks may include analytical essays, creative writing, oral presentations, comprehension tests and exam-style papers.
| Programme | How summative work is assessed |
|---|---|
| MYP | Against the four IB Language and Literature criteria (A: Analysing, B: Organising, C: Producing text, D: Using language), each marked out of 8 |
| DP English A: Language and Literature | Paper 1 (guided analysis of unseen non-literary texts), Paper 2 (comparative essay on literary works), the Individual Oral, and at HL a written essay |
| DP English B | Paper 1 (writing), Paper 2 (listening and reading), and the Individual Oral |
In the DP, internal assessments such as the Individual Oral are marked by teachers and moderated by the IB, while examination papers are marked externally by IB examiners. Mock examinations in Grade 12 give students full practice under exam conditions. Parents receive regular updates on progress through reports and parent–teacher conferences.
Common questions
Parents often ask
My child is new to English. Will they cope?
Yes. From PYP to MYP, EAL support classes help students build their English, with parental consent for any withdrawal from lessons. Students begin at the phase that suits them, with individual learning plans, and English B in the Diploma continues the journey.
What is the difference between English A and English B?
English A: Language and Literature is for students who are already confident in English and want to analyse literary and non-literary texts in depth. English B is for students still developing English as an additional language. We help families choose the right course in Grade 10.
Why does an Australian school follow the IB?
The IB gives students a globally recognised qualification and an inquiry-based education, while the Australian Curriculum informs our foundations in literacy and learning. Together they give families the best of both.
How will I know how my child is doing?
Through regular reports, teacher feedback on every major task and parent–teacher conferences, so there are no surprises.
Visit us
See English at ASAD for yourself: meet our teachers, visit our classrooms and hear how our students talk about the books they love.
Framework descriptions follow the International Baccalaureate (ibo.org) and ACARA (australiancurriculum.edu.au).