English Language and ELS

The language of instruction at ACG International School is English while we also value and place an importance on the mother tongue language.  

Introduction 

Students whose first language is not English will be assessed and provided with a suitable course to meet their academic and English needs. 

Students with high level English skills are extended through teaching methods aimed to provide skill development specific to their learning needs. 

Entry Testing 

We use a variety of English tests to ascertain a student's level of English. We set our benchmarks against native English speaker levels. At the Primary level, students are assessed and placed according to the ACG benchmarks in either Phase One or Phase Two ELS courses. At the Secondary level, students undertake the Oxford Placement Test for grammar and listening comprehension. In addition, students complete the Middle Years Ability Test as a measure of their numeracy, literacy and non verbal skills for placement across the Secondary Curriculum. 

The ELS Programme at Primary Level 

The Phase One Programme main focus is on the development of vocabulary, grammar, writing and reading skills. The Phase Two Programme focus is on the further development of literacy skills enabling the students to access the mainstream curriculum. Both courses are for one year. 

Phase One students are withdrawn from their Year Level classroom daily for 45 minutes for the ELS programme. Phase Two students participate in withdrawal lessons but the ELS teachers also 'push in' to the regular Year Level classes and support the students doing mainstream classroom activities. The ELS teachers and classroom teachers work closely together to monitor a student's progress and to provide a programme that caters for the student's needs in English language development. 

Resources 

Our main resources for the ELS programme is the Literacy Programme from Australia called 'First Steps' along with Jolly Phonics, Reading Schemes such as PM, Sails and Oxford. These are all well recognised resources used in English Education system worldwide. 

The ELS Programme at the Secondary Level 

Our English Language Programme at Years 7 - 9 is designed to improve the English proficiency level of students through the study of engaging teenage topics and themes. Students will also undertake units of work from the Cambridge Lower Secondary Programme for Humanities, Maths, Science, Music, Art and Design and Drama. 

Our English Language Programme at Years 10 - 12 enables students to improve their English proficiency and skills through a study of English writing styles and text types, oral presentations, text analysis and listening and speaking activities. Students are able to access a number of IGCSE subjects according to their English proficiency levels. 

Resources 

Our main resources for the ELP programme are the New Opportunities Programme, The New Inspiration Programme, The Oxford Bookworms Series, Cambridge Readers, KET, PET and IELTS test preparation and test materials. 

Our Teachers 

Our ELS teachers are trained in this area and have had many years of experience teaching ELS students. Many of the mainstream or Full Academic Programme teachers have also worked in ELS settings and have had training in the ELS area. 

Exiting ELS at Primary Level 

The Primary School Phase 2 Programme is called the Literacy Support Programme. This programme provides both withdrawn and in-class support for the students. The Literacy teacher plans and team teaches with the classroom teachers. The focus for this programme is to assist students with the development of their literacy skills as well as their Unit of Inquiry literacy focus.

Both the ELS and Literacy Support Programmes are yearlong courses. Every student is reviewed in June for their placement in the English Language Support Programmes for the following academic school year. This review process involves the class teachers, the ELS and Literacy Support teachers. Both summative and formative assessments are used. When reviewing every placement the teachers will consider standardized test scores along with work samples, running records and the Writing and Reading First Steps Map of Developments. The teachers will then decide whether the student is placed in ELS, the Literacy Support Programme or the Mainstream Programme for the next school year. When the review process is completed the parents will be notified in June through a formal letter. This letter states their son / daughter’s placement for the next academic school year.

Exiting ELS at Secondary Level 

Students in the ELP programme at Years 7 - 12 follow the assessment schedule of students in the Full Academic Programme and undertake a range and variety of assessment tasks and tests each term. This will enable students to move to the Full Academic Programme if they meet the required benchmark. The Oxford Placement Test is also used in this process. The process of exiting ELS is in consultation with the ELS Coordinator and the ELP teachers. 

Extra Classes 

ACG also provides extra classes for students to undertake to develop their English skills. There are After School English classes and Saturday Morning English classes running for one or two hours at an extra cost to the regular School fees. 

After-School and Saturday morning English language classes are available to ACG students, students of other schools and parents.