Bilingual Diploma: Global Trends and Predictors of Attainment

• In Event: Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: International Initiatives in Bilingual Education: Comparative Studies and the International Baccalaureate

Abstract

This study explored global patterns in the award of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Bilingual Diploma (BD) and relationships between student native language and other variables and the award of the BD. The sample comprised students from 139 countries, who earned the IB Diploma between 2007 and 2012. Results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the model significantly predicted whether a student earned a BD and explained an impressive 62% of variance. All seven predictors were significant, while student native language had the most powerful effect: the odds of earning the BD were 17.7 times higher for non-native English speaking students, compared with native English speaking students.

Authors

• Olivia Laura Halic, International Baccalaureate

• Liz Bergeron, New Tech Network

• Alison Smith, International Baccalaureate

• Alexandra Kuvaeva, University of Maryland