Supporting Academic Growth of English Language Learners

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The English language Learners (ELL) program in Boston International school is available for primary (G1~G5) and secondary (G6~G10) students who do not speak English as their first language and, therefore, have limited experience in an English-medium school. Under the direction of Dr. Youngmin An, ELL coordinator, students are given opportunities to study in an intensive system. In general, learning a language for social purposes develops more quickly that many students are able to communicate socially in one to two years. Still, there is a significant divide between a grasp of social language and how to use academic language effectively. In addition, academic language is far more challenging and it requires a much longer time, 5-7 years, to acquire properly. Therefore, The ELL programs in BIS serve to provide ELL students with the opportunities to attain both social and academic language; while they may be fluent in social settings, they still need to develop their academic language to perform successfully in IB programs.

English Language Learner Program at Elementary School

Based on the assessment tool, MAP and classroom performances, ELL students are identified and placed in one of two PULL OUT classes, intensive (Five times a week) and intermediate (Three times a week). ELL teachers guide the students to learn the language, English, discover the world, and most importantly, learn about who they are through various content and topics. From Phonics instructions to literacy skill development lessons using various texts from science and social studies content, many ELL lessons are aligned with homeroom content to help students develop English literacy skills and content knowledge. Students who demonstrate grade-level proficiency and noticeable growth in Map scores may be considered to move to a higher ELL class or exit from the ELL program and join the homeroom.

English Language Learner Program at Secondary School

The ELL program for secondary school is an intensive English acquisition program.

Due to the rigorous IB programs in MYP and DP, the ELL students in secondary need to develop academic language skills and acquire grade-level content simultaneously when entering BIS. Once a student is identified as an ELL upon enrolling in BIS, he/she is placed in an ELL class by grade level. From one, two, or three English acquisition lesson(s) depending on the grade, ELL students receive lessons that are focused on improving reading, listening, speaking, writing, vocabulary, and grammar. The ELL lessons in BIS secondary school use effective instructional approaches to provide language acquisition and content areas that are thematically coordinated to maximize the learning in the English language in other subject areas like Science, Social Studies, etc. The ELL students can exit the program once they show a noticeable increase in their MAP scores, the reading level identified by Lexile levels, and the growth achievement.

Three benefits from BIS ELL Program

Intensive PULL-OUT Language Acquisition Program

The heart of both primary and secondary ELL programs is to provide English language acquisition-focused instruction. It ensures that students can progress quickly in their learning of the target language, English. An intensive ELL program is an excellent way for ELL students to fully immerse themselves in learning English. The size of a class is relatively small and, therefore, is interactive. It allows students to receive individualized and differentiated attention and support to optimize their learning.

Teaching English Across Subjects

As for ELL students,sometimes learning the fundamentals of English should be in isolation, but not all the time. ELL students must be able to apply their developing skills to academic content in all subjects they are currently studying. When teaching English, it is more than just acquiring a language. The carefully designed lessons using multiple resources introduce students to authentic content as much as possible. The ELL teachers bring the world to the classroom by incorporating English language lessons while still introducing new words, concepts, and understanding. Also, carefully chosen lesson materials help the students think critically and communicate successfully so that they can find the pleasure of having their own voice in English.

Producing Language

It’s common for many ELL students to use receptive skills, reading and listening when learning English. However, productive language skills like writing and speaking are equally crucial in English learning. Therefore, the ELL program in BIS introduces all of them from the beginning.

The ELL students in BIS learn English while discussing, researching, collaborating, and creating with their peers. They have access to many different learning tools. For example, they use computers, videos, books, teacher-created materials, and the school library to develop their language and study skills. They also learn how to organize their ideas by brainstorming, generating, and creating their ideas. Furthermore, they learn to feel comfortable making mistakes and starting all over again when necessary. All of these components are essential parts of the learning process, as students become independent learners.

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