EAL Secondary Program

The English as an Additional Language (EAL) Department at the International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP) serves non-native English speakers.  To this end, the EAL Department strives to increase students’ English language proficiency through rigorous literacy- and language-based courses while simultaneously supporting teachers whose students have English language learning needs.

Placement

Prior to enrollment, students without a demonstrated competency in English are given a grade-level placement test.  The results of this test will determine student placement in one of the following:

Mainstream: Students need no support to succeed in the reading and writing requirements of all of their classes.

Partial Support: Students have a reading and writing proficiency close to that of their peers but require additional support before completely entering the mainstream.

Students receiving this level of support will have the following classes: Physical Education, Science, Mathematics, Design Technology/Computer Technology, Arts (Music, Visual Art, Drama), Language A (English) and Humanities.

For their additional language, Partial Support students must take Language B English.

Full Support: Students requiring a significant amount of support in reading and writing are placed in Full Support.  Students work with their peers in Physical Education, Science, Mathematics, Design Technology/Computer Technology, Arts (Music, Visual Art, Drama).

Full Support students also receive focused, “sheltered” instruction in a double block of Literacy Support while their mainstream peers are in Language A English and Humanities.

For their additional language, Full Support students must take Language B English.

Course Overview: Partial and Full Support

Language B English (Partial and Full Support)

This is taught in accordance with the Middle Years Programme (MYP) curriculum. The primary focus of Language B English is to improve student performance in the four skill areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking) by focusing on learning strategies and confidence-building activities.  Language B English also supports the work of other subjects by providing opportunities to examine reading and writing assignments in more linguistically appropriate depth and detail.

Literacy Support (Full Support)

The purpose of this double-block course is to improve student proficiency in reading and writing, so that students will be able to participate more productively in their mainstream classes.  This course allows students to receive individualized attention and appropriate materials for their literacy needs while also supporting their reading and writing requirements across the curriculum.

Exiting the ESL Program

When they meet designated literacy targets of reading and writing at or near their grade levels, students may exit the EAL program at the end of each semester. Their assessment consists of work done in class, test results, and their independent reading and writing abilities. Students can move from either from Full Support to Partial Support or from Partial to Mainstream.