ENGLISH LANGUAGE
SUPPORT – ESOL
The International School of Myanmar provides English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) to non-native speakers of English in grades 1-9. All students applying for admission to ISM are screened to assess needs for English support. If Admissions screening determines that a student may need ESOL support, then a full English Assessment (WIDA) is administered to determine the specific level of ESOL support required.
The main objective of the ESOL program is to prepare students for entry into the mainstream level of ISM’s regular academic program by fully developing English skills in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. This is obtained by using different instructional materials catered to the student’s grade level and developmental needs.
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Some of the models used include:
- Push-In/Inclusion: ESOL teachers go into the students’ classrooms to assist ESOL and other students with class work; we do not exclude other students during this time even though they are not in the formal ESOL program.
- Co-Teaching: Teachers plan and teach with classroom or content area teachers.
- Pull-Out: Students go to the ESOL teacher’s classroom during regular language class with the Homeroom.
- Consultation: ESOL teachers meet with classroom or content area teachers to provide professional development related to instructional strategies for students and/or to help in planning for integrating ESOL strategies into classroom/content instruction.
- ESOL Academic Review and Preparation: ESOL staff preview and review subject area content and provide assistance
IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Special effort is made to challenge students who excel in reading and writing, as well as to scaffold support for students who need it. Techniques to support and boost ESOL students are integrated into all aspects of curriculum lessons.
- An Intensive Academic English (IAE) class is offered to students that need ESOL support. IAE students learn speaking, listening, reading and writing skills so that they can meet the needs of their core academic classes. This support is provided through push-in and pull-out classes.
- In push-in classes, the IAE teacher goes in mainly to the ELA class to support not only IAE students but also the other members of the class. To further support IAE students with their ELA class, the IAE class assists with reading comprehension and writing assignments.
- In their pull-out classes, IAE students learn English skills through Fountas and Pinnell’s Leveled Literacy Intervention. This program covers vocabulary, fluency, reading comprehension, and writing skills. In addition, students read ReadWorks Article A Day to improve their reading comprehension, increase their reading stamina, and further develop their love of reading. Students also learn proper use of conventions (capitalization, punctuation, language usage), and speaking and listening skills through oral presentations and group discussions.
IN HIGH SCHOOL
Our aim is for all students to develop their fluency, accuracy, and confidence in English so they can succeed not only at ISM but at any university they choose to attend after graduation.
The High School offers ESOL support to grade 9 students; each ESOL student is scheduled to work with the ESOL specialist during Intensive Academic English class within the daily timetable. Current best educational practice believes that ESOL students benefit most from being immersed within the common curriculum with additional support outside of it. To promote this push-in /pullout program, all of our ESOL students are also placed within mainstream classes, where they are part of the whole.
Students are ‘exited’ from the ESOL program and no longer required to take IAE classes when they have achieved satisfactory results on the WIDA exam and receive the endorsement of the ESOL teacher.