Curriculum for the elective subject of International Cooperation (ISA1-01)

Elective subjects shall help pupils develop a desire to learn and experience a sense of mastery, individually and as a group, through practical and varied work. Elective subjects are interdisciplinary subjects that contribute to comprehensive and contextual learning.

The elective subject of International Cooperation shall help pupils develop language competence through contact with young people in other countries. The elective subject provides pupils with the opportunity to express their own opinions about issues that affect their lives, allowing their questions to be heard and hearing what other young people have to say. By communicating in English or in another foreign language, the pupils will be able to practice using a foreign language and develop an understanding of the significance of speaking more than one language. Norwegian or Sami can be used to communicate with pupils from other Scandinavian countries.

The elective subject will help increase pupil insight into their own culture and interests and the culture and interests of other pupils, and raise their level of understanding about living in a global society. Through contact with young people in other countries the pupils are given the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and develop respect and tolerance for other ways of living.

The elective subject shall help pupils improve their communicative language skills through planning and producing texts, images, sound files, video files and by exchanging information. The use of different social media and digital tools is a welcome part of this elective.

The elective subject takes its main elements from the subjects English, Second Foreign Language and Social Science. Elements from Norwegian/Sami and Religion/Philosophy/Ethics may also be included in the elective.