ESL
Multiculturalism is the essence of the expatriate population in Riyadh, and this quality is reflected in the make-up of our school.
Our ESL pupils come from diverse cultures, having varied linguistic abilities. They are of all ages, and at all stages of learning their own mother tongue; they may be new to Riyadh (and in some cases Saudi Arabia), and attempting to cope with a new home, new surroundings, a new school, and a new language.
The ESL department is designed to give students tools to settle into this new environment, and to integrate themselves into the school both academically and socially. Our focus initially is to provide them with a program to develop their communicative skills that will enable them to interact with their peers, and then to develop their language skills to allow them to progress academically in the classroom.
ESL Learners: Points of entry to school and difference in backgrounds.
Students learning English as a second language may enter school
- at any year level of schooling
- at any point in the school year
- with varying levels of proficiency in their first language and in English.
ESL Students include:
- Students beginning school with minimal or no exposure to English born to parents with language backgrounds other than English.
- Students with disrupted education in one or more countries with little or no exposure to English.
- Students with some exposure to English.
- Confidence in communicating with their peers and teachers in English.
- A level of competency and confidence in English that allows them to participate fully in both social and school based activities.
- Continuing conceptual development while developing English language skills.
- Integration into mainstream classes as quickly as possible to further academic achievement.