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Language Instruction
Philosophy
Philosophy
The learning of language is fundamental to life-long learning and communication. At ISL all teachers are language teachers because language learning permeates the whole curriculum. Through language, our students acquire the ability to think and to learn, to develop social skills and values and to acquire knowledge.
To meet the needs of our students, we run comprehensive programmes in English as an Additional Language for English Language Learners across the school as well as Modern Language programmes teaching all levels of French in Grades K-12 and German in Grades 6-12.
In the School Year 2017/18 Spanish was introduced as a part of the Language acquisition programme. At the moment students can choose Spanish in the Middle School and as an ab initio Language in the IB Programme. All Languages offered follow the European Framework Curriculum. As part of the Cascade programme, Middle School students also take Luxembourgish Language and Culture classes to learn more about our host country.
We recognise the important role of the first language in enhancing second language acquisition, cognitive growth, and students' overall well-being. ISL therefore hosts a number of mother tongue programmes organised by various community groups whose goal is to further students' growth and development in their native languages and cultures.
Students will:
- Learn language to a level required for academic success
- Be plurilingual in a multilingual society
- Be encouraged to develop cultural awareness and respect
- Be encouraged to respect and understand the special linguistic and cultural make-up of our host country, Luxembourg
- Be encouraged to maintain and enrich their proficiency in their mother-tongue or best language
Languages
Languages Taught at ISL
In the Middle and Upper School, as far as possible, students follow the main stream courses that are most suitable for their needs. The degree of competence in the language, English, French and Spanish or German, and the different degree of proficiency a student desires to obtain by the end of his/her study will determine the placement in the different mainstream levels.
All students in Grades 6 - 10 take French as an additional language (at Language A or Language B level) unless there are exceptional circumstances. Most students also study either German (Grades 6 – 10) or Spanish (Grades 6 & 7 only) in addition to French, unless they are in the ELB or the Learning Support programme. During Grade 10 students must take decisions about which languages they wish to continue as part of the IB programme.
In Grades 6 through 8 students study 2 languages in addition to English. Based on individual students’ learning profiles and other academic data, however, the school may decide that studying two additional languages is not appropriate. In such cases, the school will inform parents and assign the student to a Teacher Assisted Study Class (TASC) in place of German or Spanish.
EAL
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The EAL programme aims to help students gain competence in English so that they may succeed in the academic programme and integrate fully into the social life of the school. We recognise that it takes time to learn a new language, and therefore, beginner EAL students must spend a certain amount of time each day in classes designed especially for them.
However, we believe that they also benefit from contact with other students in the regular classroom and the greater school community. At ISL, we aim for an appropriate combination of formal instruction in the language, participation in the regular curriculum, and social interaction outside it.
Objectives
- To help students learn the basic listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in English
- To encourage students to use these skills
- To provide students with the opportunity to learn language in an active way, building on natural motivation and interests
- To provide language that is meaningful to situations in which students find themselves, and to give them the opportunity and freedom to communicate their own ideas, feelings and experiences
- To help students gain confidence to use their acquired language to socialise with their peers, and in the wider school environment
- To help students widen vocabulary and master both sentence structure and the basic elements of English grammar so that they can more easily understand the texts used in their classes
- To encourage reading, both within and outside the course, in English and their first languages
- To promote a sense of achievement and confidence in students so that they can understand and make themselves understood
- To enable students to self-identify as valued members of an international school community
Upper School Programme Overview
At ISL, multilingual students are immersed in academic English language development and content-area learning simultaneously. With the exception of Modern Language courses such as French and German, all students take all other classes in English, including Science, Maths, Social Studies, PE/Health and Arts.
Through the English Language B (ELB) / English as an Additional Language (EAL) Programmes, we support multilingual students to communicate confidently and reflectively in a challenging academic programme delivered in English.
Of the eight core subjects offered in the middle and upper schools, three of them are language courses. Students typically study English and one or more additional languages. All students take at least one English course throughout the upper school.
Current English course offerings are:
- English A (English, IGCSE English A, IB English A) - English courses for students who are proficient in all areas of academic English: speaking, listening, reading, writing, language usage and vocabulary
- EAP (English for Academic Purposes) - English courses for students who are still developing academic English skills in one or more of these areas: speaking, listening, reading, writing, language usage and vocabulary
- EAL (English as an Additional Language) - English courses for students who are still developing English proficiency
We also offer the IB English Language B course in Grades 11-12 for students whose Language A course is not English.