European Baccalaureate Language 3 study plan
European Baccalaureate Language 3 · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Written examinations
Diagnose current writing level by completing one full past-paper task under timed conditions and scoring it against the official assessment criteria
Map the written exam structure (task types, text types, weighting, time allocation) into a one-page reference sheet
Build a personal error log from the diagnostic essay, tagging errors by category (grammar, lexis, register, cohesion, task achievement)
Establish a daily 20-minute vocabulary routine targeting the thematic fields most likely to appear (society, environment, technology, culture)
Your checkpoint
A scored diagnostic essay plus a categorized error log with at least 15 entries and a one-page exam-structure reference sheet
Written examinations
Draft three different written text types (formal letter, opinion article, argumentative essay) using templates for structure and register
Apply cohesive devices deliberately in each draft and highlight them for self-review
Rewrite the week-1 diagnostic essay incorporating at least 80% of the logged corrections
Memorize 30 high-frequency academic connectors and discourse markers and use 15 of them in writing
Your checkpoint
A portfolio of three polished text types with highlighted cohesive devices and a corrected rewrite of the diagnostic essay
Written examinations
Complete two full timed written papers (90 minutes each) simulating exam conditions without dictionaries
Self-assess both papers using the official criteria and identify the two weakest sub-skills
Produce targeted drills for the two weakest sub-skills (e.g., tense control, complex sentences, paraphrase)
Compile a personal phrase bank of 40 functional expressions for arguing, conceding, and concluding
Your checkpoint
Two timed papers with completed self-assessment grids and a 40-entry functional phrase bank
Written examinations & Preliminary mark (formative and summative assessment during s7)
Consolidate written-exam technique by completing one more timed paper and comparing scores with week 3
Audit all s7 coursework, tests, and projects to date and list every piece of evidence relevant to the preliminary mark
Request feedback from the teacher on two specific weaknesses identified in the audit
Create a tracker spreadsheet mapping each preliminary-mark criterion to existing evidence and gaps
Your checkpoint
A preliminary-mark evidence tracker with every criterion rated and at least three concrete gap-closing actions
Preliminary mark (formative and summative assessment during s7)
Close the top two evidence gaps by revising and resubmitting improved coursework or completing missing assignments
Schedule and hold a feedback meeting with the teacher to confirm preliminary-mark expectations
Draft a 300-word self-assessment in the target language reflecting on strengths and weaknesses, usable as portfolio evidence
Set up a weekly log documenting all in-class contributions, homework quality, and participation to sustain the formative component
Your checkpoint
A completed self-assessment text and a signed-off feedback summary listing agreed actions for the preliminary mark
Oral examinations
Analyze the oral exam format (preparation time, text or image stimulus, follow-up questions) and build a one-page strategy sheet
Record three 5-minute monologues on unseen stimuli and transcribe them to identify fluency breakdowns
Practice 10 follow-up question drills, answering each in under 60 seconds with a structured response
Build a topic-specific lexicon of 50 words across three likely oral themes and use them in recorded speech
Your checkpoint
Three recorded and transcribed monologues with a fluency error analysis and a 50-word oral lexicon
Oral examinations & Written examinations
Conduct two full mock oral exams (15 minutes each) with a peer or teacher and score them against the criteria
Refine pronunciation and intonation by shadowing 20 minutes of authentic audio daily
Complete one timed written paper to maintain writing stamina and check for regression
Rehearse handling unknown vocabulary in oral tasks by paraphrasing 15 difficult terms aloud
Your checkpoint
Two scored mock oral exams with recorded feedback and one timed written paper with a score comparison
Written examinations & Oral examinations & Preliminary mark (formative and summative assessment during s7)
Run a full exam simulation week: one timed written paper and one mock oral under strict conditions
Review the entire error log and phrase bank, then produce a one-page final cheat sheet of personal priorities
Verify with the teacher that all preliminary-mark evidence is submitted and confirmed
Finalize a day-before and exam-day routine covering timing, materials, and stress management
Your checkpoint
A final simulation score report, a one-page personal priority sheet, and a confirmed preliminary-mark checklist
Milestones
Week 2: Can produce three distinct written text types in the target language with correct register and at least 80% of logged errors corrected in a rewrite
Week 4: Written-paper score has improved from the week-1 diagnostic, and the preliminary-mark tracker shows every criterion mapped to evidence
Week 6: Can deliver a structured 5-minute oral response to an unseen stimulus with no more than three fluency breakdowns per recording
Week 8: Mock written and oral scores both meet or exceed the personal target, and the teacher has confirmed the preliminary-mark evidence is complete