As a diverse international school, it comes as no surprise that 30% of our students have taken ELA studies at some point during their education. LAS makes it easy for non-native English speakers to begin their studies without the need for an ESL preparation year. We achieve this by enrolling our students in a sheltered- immersion model of ELA studies—this means that they will share their Math, Arts, and Physical Education classes with native English speakers to promote international understanding and the sharing of cultural backgrounds. More language-intensive classes such as Ancient World History and Literature and Reading will occur in ELA-only classes so that students can receive support tailored to their skill level. As an ELA student's proficiency improves, they will join mainstream and IB courses. Please note that the LAS libraries provide students with an international collection of books, containing reading materials in 23 different languages, to help students maintain engagement in their mother tongues.
Guiding Principles of the Esl program:
Students learn more effectively when they use language for a purpose.
ELA students need opportunities to read material at their individual levels, and writing activities need to be closely integrated with conversation and reading.
A supportive environment is the key to learning a second language.
Groups work together with mutual trust and respect, encouraging the second-language learner to take risks, explore, and experiment with conversational and academic language.
Language and concepts are developed together.
Language is best learned in a functional/experiential context so that students use language to think and learn.
Focus is on meaning and form.
ELA students must be engaged in meaningful learning activities in which the students talk with each other, pose questions, and solve problems together.
Second-language learning builds on previous knowledge and experience.
Successful second-language learning is dependent on the continual maintenance of first- language literacy, which is achieved when parents, teachers or friends listen to, read, and talk about stories in the first language. ELA students develop second-language competence at individual rates, which are influenced by their first-language background, their previous literacy and school experiences, and their own abilities.