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The majority of pupils attending the British International School, Bratislava (BISB) regularly speak a language other than English. Throughout the school, about 20 different languages are used with varying degrees of fluency. As well as finding ways to build on their pupils' knowledge of other languages and cultures, the ELS department at BISB will endeavour to ensure that all their pupils develop as competent and confident speakers and writers of English.
This website is intended to help teachers and parents to do this by providing information, resources, teaching and assessment materials and news related to English Language Support (ELS). It focuses in particular on ways of assessing the early progress pupils make in learning English as an Additional Language, in such a way as to ensure that pupils' attainment is appropriately linked to their full national curriculum entitlement. It is also our aim to promote strategies and best practice which address pupils' needs in a holistic and explicit manner. In order to achieve this objective, the following strategies have been implemented: 1.Newly arrived pupils at the British International School in Bratislava (BISB) are assessed on arrival and if their level of English is shown to be lower than level two (see assessment), they are withdrawn from the mainstream classroom for a significant amount of time during their first academic term to receive intensive or semi-intensive language support. 2.Pupils generally achieving at level two or above receive in-class support until it is deemed that they are performing at a level consistent with their chronological age. 3.ELS specialists work alongside the class teacher and the Learning Support department to continuously assess pupils' progress to identify the language-related needs of pupils and develop teaching strategies which address these. 4.The ELS department helps teachers develop their awareness of how to accommodate cultural and linguistic diversity and experiences of ELS students. 5.The ELS department provides a positive context for teachers to trial suggested strategies and reflect critically and openly on their teaching. 6.The ELS department seeks to establish a collaborative working relationship between all teachers and parents through a shared understanding of how best to support ELS students. 7.The ELS department provides access to resource materials to support effective home-school communication and partnerships. |
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