EAL (English as an Additional Language) support is an additional school service provided to enable children to succeed in the grade-level classroom. EAL instructors work closely with classroom teachers to help children develop English language skills, reading and writing strategies, and cultural awareness which they will need to work successfully with ISG school curriculum.
The language of instruction throughout the school is English for the majority of classes. We recognize, however, that some students may have very limited spoken English, or in some cases, no English. For these students, a support program, English as an Additional Language (EAL), is provided by qualified EAL support teachers. Prospective EAL students will be assessed with a specific language screening test.
In compliance with District policy, the school has developed criteria for considering all admissions. A student requiring EAL support will be admitted when the balance of factors mentioned below is favorable:
- The level of EAL support required from the specialist and the class teacher.
- Whether the overall school population is able to support further EAL students
- Whether the class can support an additional EAL student.
In the upper elementary school years, limited English proficiency will affect the student’s ability to engage with a curriculum that becomes increasingly more demanding in each successive year.
Students who are placed in KG1 and KG2 classes will NOT receive specialist EAL support. Children of this age are fully occupied in learning to benefit from their classroom lessons and in adjusting to the school environment.
The school tries to accommodate as many students as possible. Each potential EAL student will be assessed on the criteria listed above. Admission decisions are always made in the best interests of the student and the existing student population. Classes will be created with the appropriate balance and mixture of learners.