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An Ocean of Collaboration Between Homeroom Teachers and EAL Specialist in Grade 1

Navigate through this Prezi to see how the EAL department collaborated with Grade 1 homeroom teachers at ISPP to help students gain Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency in English at the end of Semester 1 in 2015.

(Hint: Click on areas of the Prezi like text boxes, circles, and pictures you are interested in, and your view will zoom IN to that area. Click outside (in the mostly gray areas) and you will zoom OUT. Watch on an empty stomach your first time.)

The New ISPP EAL Model and How It Is Working in Grade 1 and Kindergarten

The EAL program has existed for a long time in ISPP Elementary in Grades 2 - 5. However, this year is the first time we have had EAL teachers working regularly with Kindergarten and Grade 1 students. This year also marks a break from how EAL instruction has been offered in general from previous years.

The EAL teaching team has worked this year to establish some cornerstones of an effective EAL program in Kindergarten and Grade 1. Some of these components are: 

1) A varied program that meets student's language learning needs at different levels. The core of this program is in-class support of English Language Learners (ELLs). The program also includes small group, short pull-out lessons for development of social English for those students who are complete beginners;

2) Effective co - planning between EAL teachers and homeroom teachers;

3) Development and dissemination of knowledge of EAL/Language Acquisition teaching and learning strategies between EAL teachers, homeroom teachers, and students;

4) Established systems of assessment that aid in the entry and exit of students into ISPP's EAL programs.

For more information, please check the following: 

ISPP EAL Information for Parents

New Beginnings for ISPP EAL in Kindergarten and Grade 1

Mr. Jon Banules (Me)

Greetings to parents and English as an Additional Language (EAL) Students in Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3!

My name is Jon Banules and it is my great pleasure to assist students with their English Language acquisition in Kindergarten to Grade 3 this year.

As EAL instruction is new in Kindergarten and Grade 1 this year Ms. Mom Meach, my teaching assistant, and I have been busy putting together lessons, programs, and systems that are enabling our students of all levels to access the English-language-based curriculum in their homerooms. We work extensively with homeroom teachers to create lessons that further academic and interpersonal English language acquisition of students identified as EAL students and mainstream students alike.

Please follow this blog, and the blogs identified in the "Recommended Blogs" side panel, to see how EAL teaching strategies and methodologies are helping bilingual students to learn more through English at ISPP and around the world.

The Elementary EAL Team (from Left): Ms. Tatiana, Ms. Marcelle, Mr. Wathana, Ms. Kim, Ms. Mom, Mr. Jon