English Language Learners
[ELL / ESL]
TCIS is an English Language School:
- The language of instruction and common social language at TCIS are English.
- We support ESL/ELL students to learn academic English while advancing in content studies.
English Language Needs
TCIS is an international school with a diverse student body that has a variety of cultural and language backgrounds. With this diversity comes a variety of language experience and language learning needs. As an IB World School with English as our common language, TCIS follows the IB recommendations for language learning and the support for English in our programs.
We understand that our students have a variety of levels of English language proficiency as well as many different learning experiences. While most students are considered casually and academically fluent, some students do need support to access academic language at an English-speaking school like ours.
English Language Support
TCIS meets these various language needs through curriculum and ESL best practices. We also meet student needs through an in-class, co-teaching program in subject areas identified as containing challenging academic language, such as PYP units of inquiry, MYP Humanities, MYP Science, and MYP Design. For the most part, students are not separated from their peers in regular subject classrooms but are supported for language in those classes.
TCIS employs teaching staff who are dedicated to investment in our co-teaching program. These faculty also teach our English Language Acquisition courses and, thus, help students leverage their strengths to grow and meet the expectations of all subject areas.
Beginner English Language
Most TCIS students are fluent English speakers, either natively or as a second/third language. Some students need extra support to fully-access academic language in their classes. TCIS additionally offers a small and selective program for highly-motivated students who are beginners in the English language. Our "Running Start" program is offered each year in small cohorts and provides students in grades 6-9 with a focused program of study in foundational English – without isolating students from the rest of the community. Students then transition to our traditional ESL support service program and graduate with a quality international IB education – well prepared for university in English-speaking universiities.
Beginner English Program
ESL Program Goals
TCIS is proud of its diverse student population, including the diversity of linguistic backgrounds. In this regard, TCIS strives for inclusion of all ESL students within its mainstream curriculum and courses. TCIS also strives to provide as much support as possible for ESL students to engage fully with the content of their courses while also developing their English language proficiency in all four language domains: reading, speaking, listening, writing. Our ESL students’ progress in relation to the WIDA Framework is monitored regularly, and, as a result, the TCIS ELA Program is adjusted throughout the school year to meet current ESL students’ needs.
WIDA for Language Learners
TCIS is a member of the WIDA International Schools Consortium (WISC), which is a network of international schools that subscribe to the “World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment” (WIDA) model for English Language Acquisition. This model was developed in 2002 in the United States in order to help schools improve their ELL services through enhancing ELL students’ academic language development as well as improving their academic achievement.
WIDA consists of high-quality English Language Development Standards and a set of assessments for all four language domains (reading, speaking, writing, listening). WIDA also provides professional development for English Language Acquisition teachers as well as for subject area teachers who need support for their work with students who do not possess English language proficiency.
TCIS uses WIDA’s English Language Development Framework and assessment to drive the delivery of its ELA Program across grades K-12. In addition, TCIS provides teachers with professional development to assist them with the delivery of their varied and academically-challenging curricula to all students, including ELL students.
The WIDA International School Consortium
WIDA provides language development resources to those who support the academic success of multilingual learners. We offer a comprehensive, research-based system of language standards, assessments, professional learning and educator assistance. WIDA’s trusted resources are used by 41 domestic states and territories and approximately 500 international schools throughout the world.
"At WIDA, we believe that everyone brings valuable resources to the education community. Children and youth who are linguistically and culturally diverse, bring a unique set of assets that have the potential to enrich the experiences of all learners and educators. Educators can draw on these assets for the benefit of both the learners themselves and for everyone in the community. By focusing on what language learners can do, we send a powerful message that children and youth from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds contribute to the vibrancy of our early childhood programs and K–12 schools."