At IST, the Student Services Departments include English Language Acquisition (ELA), Individual Needs (I.N.), Counseling and Child Protection. The Student Services Department enables students for whom English is an additional language and students with individual learning or emotional and social needs to participate fully in the various academic and related social programs of the school.
The emphasis of IST’s ELA support programme is to promote academic English proficiency that will enable learners to access the mainstream curriculum as quickly as possible. ESL teachers work in active collaboration with homeroom and other specialist teachers to support students.
Grades 1-5 students with limited English language proficiency receive a combination of ‘pull-out’ and ‘push-in’ learning support depending on their level of proficiency, as determined by WIDA assessment programme. Pull Out Support: Students with lower levels of proficiency are pulled out of mainstream classes for up to 2 lessons per day for foundational language support during the mainstream language and literacy time.
Push In Support: Students with lower levels of proficiency are also supported by ELA teachers in the mainstream classroom context. Those students who have developed a reasonable degree of language proficiency but who still require support to fully access the curriculum continue to receive push in (or ‘in-class’) support. These students may occasionally be pulled out for specific content support.
ELA in secondary is aligned with the MYP and DP English Language Acquisition courses. Each student’s English language proficiency is determined using the WIDA assessment programme. ELA students in Grades 6-9 are placed into one of three different classes in accordance with their phase of proficiency. ELA students in grade 10 will be placed in two groups. When students have a strong enough English level to exit the ELA program, they are placed in English Language and Literature. ELA students also attend the Humanities for English as an Additional Language (HEAL) course, which runs parallel with the mainstream Humanities course but are taught by the ELA teachers.
IST currently offers first language classes in English, French, German, and Chinese throughout the school, and in Korean in Secondary. Students are also able to take independent Language A courses paid for by the school as part of their IB Diplomas. All students are afforded the opportunity to study Mandarin Chinese, with courses being offered at between three and four different proficiency levels. Active efforts are also made to promote the importance of first language maintenance and development, including the publication and circulation of first language maintenance tips and the sharing of facilities to support classes that are independent of the school’s own programmes.
We believe all students have the right to participate fully in our academic and social programs. Our I.N. program support students who need special support to participate in the school’s programs. Support is based on the students’ needs, and may consist of support within the classroom, through small group instruction or modifications made by the teacher. Students may be withdrawn from their classroom for small group instruction but the majority of their time is spent with their peers in the regular classroom.
IST believes:
The IST School Counseling program helps to promote the overall wellness of K-12 students by offering a comprehensive, preventative, and accessible program in the areas of academic, personal/social, career, and global perspective domains.
IST Counseling services include but are not limited to:
ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
CLEAR AND IMMINENT DANGER
In the case of imminent danger that has been disclosed and determined by the counselor, the issue must be urgently addressed. Students who disclose a risk of suicide or harm to others will be immediately reported to Administration and the parent will be immediately contacted. A professional evaluation and clearance by a physician, licensed psychologist, or psychiatrist, as well as a re-entry meeting with the School Principal and School Counselor is required before a student is granted permission to continue classes.
LIMIT OF SERVICES AND COMMUNITY REFERRALS
Professional School Counselors holding Master’s level credentials in School Counseling are formally trained to assist students with concerns in academic, social and career areas. Although school counselors have been trained in various counseling techniques, school counselors are not capable to provide psychological or medical diagnoses. A formal diagnosis may be obtained by a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist or medical physician.
