Our world is more connected every day as technology, travel, and industry connect cultures, countries, and ideas.

At IST, we know that meaningful language acquisition is a cornerstone of an IB education.  In order to truly prepare our students to be caring citizens of the world, we empower them with language.  Children are natural linguists — their curious and nimble minds learn languages with skill and joy.

IST students begin their study of Spanish in Junior Pre-K.  They study through learning play, songs, and creative activities.  In Kindergarten, our students begin their study of Mandarin.  As our students grow, they gain confidence in their written and conversational language skills, while having fun learning.  It is not uncommon for an IST student to tell you that Spanish or Mandarin is their favorite part of the day!

Our Language Specialists are native Spanish and Mandarin speakers who educate their students to speak and respect not only the languages but also the cultures that inform them.  From the celebration of Dia de los Muertos to the Lunar New Year, Trailblazers enjoy all aspects of meaningful language acquisition and global cultural education.

When IST students enter the Middle School in Grade 5, they choose to continue their journeys as language speakers by concentrating on either Spanish or Mandarin.  In Middle School, our students then progress through advanced levels of language acquisition, reading novels, writing their own fiction and nonfiction, and performing plays in their chosen language!

We welcome you to tour our campuses and encourage you to listen for the sounds of Spanish and Mandarin in our classrooms.  It is music to our ears and a testament to the bright future of our multilingual Trailblazers!