At St. Michael’s International School, we welcome many students who use a home language other than English. We value each of those languages and are committed to encouraging the development of those languages. We also value being able to learn and communicate in a common language therefore, English is the medium in which our curriculum is delivered. Teaching ELL students is a shared responsibility, and the whole school is involved in developing strategies to meet each of our students’ language needs.
A solid foundation in both spoken and written English is needed at St. Michael’s International School (SMIS), therefore, The English Language Learners (ELL) programme aims develop students’ Knowledge, Skills and Understanding of English. We support students’ learning so that they are able to communicate with their peers and their teachers, participate in the classroom, access the curriculum and achieve suitable learning outcomes for their age group. ELL teaching is integrated as much as possible into the mainstream curriculum. Students are supported to learn the specific language that is age-appropriate and necessary for their class subjects.
Additionally, the ELL programme aims to:
- Support our ELL students in a friendly and encouraging environment.
- Help our ELL students become confident and secure in communicating with their peers and teachers.
- Ensure our ELL students are growing in their Knowledge, Skills and Understanding of the English language.
St. Michael’s International School is one of very few schools that do not have a charging policy for our ELL programme.