ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages. English is not the first language of many of our students. It may well be their second, third or even fourth spoken language. Therefore, the ESOL programme is essential to help students improve their English skills quickly and integrate fully in all aspects of their life here at BISS and is supported by highly skilled and experienced team of teachers, who work in collaboration with homeroom and subject teachers.
In Elementary School, ESOL students are generally supported by ESOL teachers directly in their homeroom classrooms. ESOL teachers work closely with homeroom teachers to design and prepare carefully differentiated lessons and materials, which support the specific language needs of ESOL students. Occasionally, ESOL students are pulled out of their regular homeroom classroom to participate in specialized ESOL lessons. These lessons may be designed to address specific language needs such as phonics development, to participate in level appropriate guided reading or writing lessons, or to pre-teach important vocabulary prior to a Unit of Inquiry (UOI). Elementary School students who arrive at BISS with very little or almost no English are pulled out of their homeroom classes approximately one period per day for about six weeks to participate in a Basic Beginner Language Programme.
In Secondary School, students in Grades 6 – 10 are supported by ESOL teachers during their Individuals & Societies and Science classes. ESOL teachers work directly with individuals or small groups of ESOL students to assist them to be successful in these classes. Support is provided in these two particular subject areas because they require students to use and produce more academic language. At times, ESOL teachers will “pull-out” ESOL students from any classes for instructional or assessment purposes when it is deemed to be beneficial. Furthemore, an Intensive Support Programme (ISP) is in place to provide a supportive orientation structure for students new or relatively new to BISS who demonstrate low levels of English. This programme aims to alleviate some of these challenges by teaching students in a sheltered environment to ensure comprehension and success during their inclusion in the subject classes.
Upon sitting the entry test, all students requiring ESOL support will be charged a one-time fee. This fee supports the programme as a whole. This fee is non-refundable, regardless of the length of time a student spends in the ESOL programme or the amount of support received before entering the Mainstream programme.