Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which languages does the SSST Coordinator support?
We are able to support any of the approved Language A: Literature SL languages. Currently, these include: Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, French, Georgian, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Modern Greek, Nepali, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese.

Q: What if the language I need support with is not in the above list?
The school's IB DP Coordinator will need to submit a Special request language A: literature form through IBIS at least 18 months before the student's examination session. We are happy to assist DP Coordinators with this process at no charge.

Q: Can the SSST Coordinator replace the requirement to have a Language A: Literature teacher at our school?
No. As per the IB's instructions in the Assessment Procedures publication, regardless of whether part-time external tutor is available, the school must provide SSST candidates with access to a local Language A teacher who must supervise and advise the SSST candidate(s).

Q: Our school is interested in regular tutoring throughout the entire year. Is this possible?
Yes. Our highly experienced mother tongue SSST Educators are available to work with students to help them engage in their work and prepare for the IB assessments.

Q: What official IB assessments must SSST students prepare for?
It is important to note that the SSST course is composed of three external assessments; there are no internal assessments. The three external assessments are: Paper 1 (guided literary analysis); Paper 2 (comparative essay); and the Individual Oral (prepared response of 15 minutes). While Papers 1 and 2 take place in May/November according to the IB's official examination calendar, the Individual Oral must be uploaded to IB for assessment on or before April/October 20.

Q: How can students find out if they have the appropriate language level to undertake the Language A: Literature SL course?
Schools should contact us for support conducting a mother tongue evaluation with our team of experienced Language A educators. More information about this process can be found on our Services for Schools page.

Q: Can you provide support with mother tongue extended essays?
​Yes! Students enrolled in the IB Diploma Programme are eligible to write an extended essay in their mother tongue, typically in studies in language and literature (i.e., group 1). When there is no member of staff who can competently speak the student's mother tongue, IB allows for students to work with an external EE mentor. For more information, see our EE Mentorship page.

Q: Who pays for the SSST Coordinator services?
We accept payments either from schools or directly from families. We offer flexible payment plans that allow schools and families to pay for SSST services in 1, 2, 4, or 10 installments—almost always in their local currency. We accept credit cards and bank transfers, and we also use most other major payment platforms as well; our goal is always maximum flexibility and support. For more information, see our Payment Information page.

Q: What currencies do you accept?
We offer schools and families the possibility of paying in their local currencies. Currently, we accept the following currencies for flexible online payments: AED, ALL, AMD, AUD, AZN, BGN, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, GEL, HKD, HUF, HRK, ILS, INR, ISK, KZT, MYR, NOK, NZD, PLN, QAR, RON, RSD, SAR, SEK, SGD, TRY, USD, UZS.

Q: What is the maximum number of SSST candidates that my school may enroll?
According to the SSST Guidance for schools document, “The IB does not prescribe a maximum number of SSST students for one individual language." It is up to individual schools to establish their own policy relating to the number of students needed to open a taught class.

Q: Does SSST Coordinator impose a set of deadlines upon my school?
No. Your school may provide its own SSST timeline, which SSST Coordinator will easily work around.

Q: My school does not have a deadline schedule for the SSST course. Can SSST Coordinator help with this?
Yes. Your account manager can work within your school's Diploma Programme structure and unique set of deadlines to help you establish key deadlines for your SSST candidates. Establishing a set of deadlines is included in the standard service fees.

Q: Is the SSST Coordinator service only available in English?
Our team is always available to support you in English, French, and Spanish. We are also able to provide limited support in a number of other languages. Please feel free to contact us in your native language and a team member will work to support you.

Q: Can the SSST Coordinator service be integrated with ManageBac?
Yes. If your school is one of the the more than 3,000 leading IB World Schools using ManageBac, our service can be seamlessly integrated as a virtual class within your ManageBac account.

Q: Is the SSST Coordinator affiliated with the IB?
No. The SSST Coordinator is an independent service that is not affiliated in any way with the International Baccalaureate Organization.

Q: Who is behind the EE Coordinator?
​Hearing the need from Diploma Programme Coordinators, the SSST Coordinator℠ was designed by Jacques A. Weber, an IB DP graduate, teacher, examiner, workshop leader, and consultant. Jacques has worked with many schools around the world to help modernize, streamline, and upgrade their DPs. He leads a team dedicated individuals to offer a top-rate service for IB DP schools.