English as an Additional Language

When applying to the Riverside Campus of ISZL, non-native speakers of English are requested to state their level of English proficiency. Students entering grades 9 or 10 must be able to demonstrate at least intermediate proficiency in English. Students entering grade 11 to 12 must give evidence of near native English proficiency. Students may be requested to be tested in the four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening comprehension, and/or submit a short written essay to ascertain the applicant's proficiency in English. If it is deemed that the student lacks the academic language skills required to succeed in the mainstream classes, they will be placed in the EAL programme.

In addition to learning BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) at the beginning of the year, the programme will also focus on CALP (Cognitive Academic Learning Proficiency) running alongside the regular MYP (Middle Years Programme) core subjects, mirroring the subject topics and incorporating the language functions, register and vocabulary that are used in each subject.

Students will be continuously assessed using a number of testing devices and may leave the programme once their academic skills reach the same proficiency as their grade level counterparts.