ESOL
Understanding, using, and creating oral, written, and visual texts of increasing complexity is at the heart of English teaching and learning.
Students at Al-Madinah come from various linguistic backgrounds. For most English is a second language and for many it is either a third or fourth language. The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programme offered at school helps the students gain confidence and competency in reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in English.
All our English teachers together with the teacher aides from Primary through to Intermediate to Secondary are involved in planning, providing resources and teaching the students.
Students at entry are tested and then given the required support. The programme English Language Learning Progressions (ELLPS) is used throughout to measure the ability of the students at different levels as they move through school.
Some useful links and support for us have been:
Primary
The goal of ESOL in Primary School: To use students Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICSS) and establish Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP).
Keeping in mind that it takes learners of new a language about 2 years to develop BICS and about 5 years to develop CALP, we continue our ESOL support throughout primary school if needs persist. Academic language is used in the classrooms therefore we have a strong support system in place.
Students are identified for ESOL needs as soon as they are enrolled. Several assessments including observations, SEA, Six Year Net tests, Running Records, Writing samples, and NZCER tests such as STAR, PAT Reading Comprehension, PAT Punctuation and Grammar and Oral assessments data are used for identification. We also use JOST by MoE, Biks and Gutches and Record of Oral Language by Marie Clay for further screening and supporting students.
Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) focuses on proficiency in academic language or language used in the classroom in the various content areas. Besides acquiring the language, students learn to develop skills such as comparing, classifying, synthesizing, evaluating, and inferring when developing academic competence.
Class teachers and English Language Learning Assistants (ELLA) work with the identified students.
Intermediate
The objective in these classes is to move the students from the ESOL programme to mainstream classes over time. Following the same English Curriculum as their classmates the students cover English language topics including Formal Writing, Creative Writing, Close Reading , Visual Language and Oral Presentations. In the Literature classes they work on Novel Study, Poetry and Short Story. However, they are given extra support in reading, writing, oracy and grammar with supplementary texts used to do so. Sources used include digital and non electronic texts.
They are supported in class with 3-4 sessions a week by the teacher aide who works in collaboration with the relevant English teacher. If necessary, some may be withdrawn for extra support. The groups are kept small so that each student gains the maximum benefit from these sessions. Within the class they also work with the non-ESOL students and the Senior students also act as mentors and are allocated sessions to work with the students.
The students participate in drama, art, school productions, assemblies and the various school social activities which help and encourage them to gain confidence in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Their progress during the year is measured by the various testing tools used by the school and the English Department.
Senior
If deemed to need extra ESOL classes based on their progress in year 10, students are given in –class support to follow a programme to further develop their skills and fluency in the four areas of English. The programme is streamlined to cater for individual students and the objective is to assist them gain NCEA Level One literacy.
Internal assessments are ongoing with students doing in-class and out-of-class work.
They can do External Standards and for these they have Practice Examinations in TERMS 3/ 4.
NCEA level 1
Students study from a mixture of Achievement and Unit Standards including Reading, Writing, Research and Oracy.
In consultation with their English teacher they choose the Standards they wish to work on in the three terms. They are encouraged to do the Unit Standards which will give them 10 Literacy Credits.
NCEA level 2
As with Level 1 the ESOL students can choose to do a mixture of internal and External Achievement Standards. They include analysing written and visual texts, research and oral texts
NCEA level 3
Several Internal and External Achievement Standards are offered and students can choose to do a mixture of both or just Internal Standards.