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Kempenfelt Bay School Language Policy
Philosophy:
Kempenfelt Bay School believes that language is fundamental to learning,thinking and communicating, and that we are responsible for ensuring that all students reach their full potential. All students bring a rich diversity of background knowledge and experience to the classroom. Individual linguistic and cultural backgrounds not only support their learning in their new environment, but also become a cultural asset in the classroom community. Teachers will find positive ways to incorporate this diversity into their instructional programs and into the classroom environment. Integration of subjects provides for teachers of all disciplines to practice the skills across the curriculum. All teachers in the MYP are language teachers. Kempenfelt Bay School understands that language is powerful and directly affects our intentions, goals, and values. All members of the Kempenfelt Bay School community will respect all cultures, genders, sexual orientation and religions in regards to choices of words, literature, and course content. Kempenfelt Bay School acknowledges that learning additional languages greatly contributes to the holistic development of students. The study of French as Language B aims to encourage in the student a respect for and understanding of other languages and cultures, and to provide a skills base to facilitate further language learning.
Language A
KBS believes in the development of each student’s mother tongue as well as the acquisition of a second language. The official language of instruction at KBS is English. While English is taught in the Language A classroom, integration of subjects provides for teachers of other disciplines to practise the skills across the curriculum. All teachers in the MYP are language teachers.
Teachers are responsible for developing appropriate instructional strategies to help students achieve the curriculum expectations, and appropriate methods for assessing and evaluating student learning. Using a variety of instructional, assessment, and evaluation strategies, teachers in all subjects provide numerous opportunities for students to develop the skills and knowledge in reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and representing that will enable them to make meaningful connections between what they already know and what they need to know.
Students are provided with frequent opportunities to practise and apply new learning and, through regular and varied assessment, are given the specific feedback they need, in order to further develop and refine their skills. By assigning tasks that promote the development of higher-order thinking skills, teachers enable students to become thoughtful and effective communicators. In addition, students are encouraged to think out loud about their own language processes, and support them in developing the language and techniques they need to assess their own learning. Opportunities to relate knowledge and skills in language learning to wider contexts, both across the curriculum and in the world beyond the school, motivate students to learn and to become lifelong learners.
Language B
All students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 8 are required to study French at KBS. This is different than the public system which requires students take French from Grades 4-8. The acquisition of Canada’s second language is a priority for our school. The amount of time students receive direct French instruction increases as they move through the grades. JK-Grade 3 receive 82 hours of instruction per year. Grade Four receives 96 hours, Grade Five receives 99 hours and Grades 6-9 receive 152 hours. Therefore, a student who attends our school from JK to Grade 8 will receive 953 hours of French instruction.
Students from JK-5 are instructed primarily in the AIM gesture approach that uses multiple sensory pathways to acquire language. Students from Grade 6-8 use a combination of AIM gesture approach and a French programme approved by the Ministry of Education for Ontario. The focus in the earlier grades is oral communication. From Grades 4 and up, the focus continues to be oral communication but further emphasis is placed on written communication.
Each classroom has a French area where the French teacher can display Language B materials. They also utilize a bulletin board in the main hallway to display student work. French resources are found in the library and in each of the classrooms. The French teachers are each responsible for presentations at morning assembly with their students. This usually involves a song or a play. We sing our national anthem in English and French or completely in French.
Language B teachers, like our other specialists are involved in integrated planning sessions throughout each division. Therefore, where possible, their units integrate with other subjects making the instruction of this language more meaningful and relevant.
English as a Second Language Students (ESL)
KBS has a responsibility in ensuring that all students reach their full potential. Language needs of all students whose mother tongue is not the language of instruction are provided for so that they can participate fully in all programmes throughout their time at KBS.
At KBS, ESL instruction is a support programme for intervention rather than a separate curriculum subject. ESL support is mandatory at KBS for the first two years a student attends the school. This support is in the form of classroom withdrawal, either individually or in small groups. During this time, the students are taught about the culture and customs of our school, community and country. They are provided with academic support in order to understand and complete classroom assignments to the best of their ability. The ESL teacher works with classroom and subject teachers to modify assignments if necessary and to ensure the students acquire the required skills to complete the assignment effectively.
ESL learners bring a rich diversity of background knowledge and experience to the classroom. These students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds not only support their learning in their new environment but also become a cultural asset in the classroom community. Teachers find positive ways to incorporate this diversity into their instructional programs and into the classroom environment.
KBS believes that students benefit academically, socially, and emotionally when they are encouraged to develop and maintain proficiency in their first language while they are learning English. The first language provides a foundation for developing proficiency in additional languages. Currently, population of ESL learners in any given language is less than 5 % of our school population. KBS does not provide a teacher to support mother tongue development other than English or French. Families of ESL learners are strongly encouraged to seek outside support in this area. Should the population of a particular second language learner meet or exceed 5 % of our school population, KBS is committed to acquiring support for these students in the maintenance of their first language.
While we cannot reasonably provide instruction in every language spoken in our community, we recognize that there are other languages spoken at home. To promote literacy in these mother tongue languages, KBS will apply itself to supporting whole language learning efforts in these languages. In particular, we will do this through increasing the availability of materials in our library and through the use of technology. E.g. current events in the languages or magazines in Korean, Russian and Mexican.)
Review Process
The Language Policy will be shared with all members of the school community. Input will be collected, and the policy will be reviewed at the beginning of each academic year by the Headmaster, Associate Head of School, MYP Coordinator, and Division Heads. Recommendations will be made and necessary amendments completed, in order to meet the needs of our school community.
Linking of this Policy to other Documents:
The language policy is to be kept in consideration during the application process and explicitly linked to the admissions policy.
This language policy will help guide the development of the IEP when considering the needs of ESL and Special Educations Students.
This language policy is explicitly linked to the development of all units of study, as all teachers in the MYP are considered language teachers.
Assessment must take the language needs of all students into consideration.
Last reviewed November 7, 2009
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