IB PYP 언어 교과의 특성과 교육적 시사점 고찰 = Attributes of the IB PYP Language Subject and Its Educational Implications

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study examines the attributes of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) language subject and explores its educational implications. The PYP language curriculum, grounded in Halliday’s systemic functional linguistics, emphasizes not only language learning itself but also learning and practice through language. It is structured around oral, visual, and written language within a developmental continuum that reflects a non-linear progression based on learners’ developmental contexts and multilingual environments. Rather than being taught as a discrete subject, language is integrated across disciplines through concept-based inquiry learning and transdisciplinary themes, positioning language as a tool for constructing knowledge, fostering self-expression, and building social relationships. The curriculum further highlights learner identity and agency by valuing students’ linguistic repertoires, promoting diversity and inclusion, and encouraging collaborative goal-setting between teachers and learners.
Educationally, these attributes provide meaningful insights for the 2022 revised Korean language subject, particularly in enhancing learner agency, cross-curricular integration, respect for diversity, process-oriented assessment, and supportive learning environments. Under the philosophy that “all teachers are language teachers,” the PYP fosters a language-based learning ecosystem that supports integrated language development across subjects, enables joint goal-setting, inquiry-driven learning, reflection, and practice, and establishes language as a subject that truly “facilitates inquiry.” This reflects the recognition of language as both the foundation of all learning and the most critical connective medium throughout the curriculum. For elementary education, where integrated approaches are essential, these insights highlight the need to strengthen the instrumental role of the Korean language subject and to enrich its content with achievement standards that foster learner self-understanding and identity formation.