Parent and Student information for EAL is avalible in different languages below.
The academic and personal success of students is our major concern at AISS. As EAL teachers we have two goals: one, immediate, and the other long term. The immediate concern is the acquisition of adequate English to help in the integration of students to their life within in the school, both academically and socially. The long-term goal is to assist students in acquiring enough English so that they can function in the mainstream classroom without ESL support.
At AISS, language support is available to all students for whom English is not their first Language from Preschool to Year 12. The support is available in two forms: The Intensive Language Centre and the English as a Second Language Support Program.
Staffing of EAL
At AISS, specialist language teachers are employed to deliver the EAL and Intensive Language Centre (ILC) programs. Language teachers are also specialists in primary and/or secondary methodology.
However, EAL and language acquisition is a whole school focus and all staff are routinely developed professionally in theory and methodology of English language teaching.
Junior & Primary School EAL
Junior School (Prep -Year 2) and Primary School (Year 3-5) students whose mother tongue is not English are identified at enrolment and referred to the Curriculum Leader (EAL). Students are assessed and then placed in a mainstream class, and withdrawn from specific parts of the mainstream day to receive a number of special language tuition classes in their year groups. Occasionally groups are also supported in the mainstream classroom. Where possible, these sessions do not take place during other specialist times, with the exception of LOTE as the acquisition of English is given priority. New arrivals with very limited English receive additional specialized instruction a few times a week.
The support program is structured to meet the academic needs of students at their various stages in the language acquisition process. Emphasis is placed upon improving the students' ability in all four macro skills that are needed for successful participation in their mainstream programs. The support also aims to offer assistance with projects, homework tasks and other mainstream areas such as the PYP Units of Inquiry.
The Junior School and Primary School EAL programs offer nurturing, small group environments in which students are able to gain confidence in coping with the challenges of instruction in their additional language, whilst retaining links with their mainstream classes at appropriate parts of the school day.
Middle & Senior School EAL
AISS welcomes students whose mother tongue is not English. Excellent and innovative programs are in place to cater for these students’ linguistic needs.
In the middle years (Year 6-9), students are assessed during the enrolment process and placed in either the Partial Mainstream Course (PMC) (Year 6-9) or the English Language B Mainstream (Year 6-10).
The PMC provides students with the opportunity to learn the language of academic subjects in sheltered classes such as Foundation English Language B, Mathematics, Science, and Humanities, while further developing their knowledge and skills in these academic areas coherent with the mainstream curriculum. These PMC students concurrently attend mainstream Mathematics, Physical Education and Homeroom classes to ensure they are a part of the mainstream school community. When deemed prepared to cope, these students are then moved into English Language B Mainstream and attend all mainstream academic classes. Students at this stage of their learning study Standard or Advanced English Language B which runs parallel to mainstream English in time and themes. At the end of each semester, English B Mainstream students can make the transition into English Language A. EAL students continue to receive support through the EAL Elective course in Years 9 and 10, and are provided in-class support in their mainstream subjects when necessary.
In the senior years (Year 11-12), students who have been in an English Medium of Instruction (EMI) school for five years or less at the commencement of Year 11 are entitled to take the accredited Preliminary and HSC ESL English courses. Both courses are governed by the regulations of the New South Wales Board of Studies and are internationally recognised at the tertiary level. Students are also offered ESL Support classes in Year 11 and 12 for extra support with their mainstream tasks.