English as an Additional Language

Curriculum Guide 2022 - 2023 ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE (EAL)

The American International School Chennai is proud to host students from diverse countries, cultures, and language backgrounds. The EAL Department's primary goal is to support each student’s English language development while acknowledging that students’ home languages and cultures are resources for students to draw upon in order to build proficiency in English. This is done through a variety of ways including translanguaging. We value all students as members of our diverse, multilingual learning community.

EAL Admissions Procedures

In order to ensure their success in a demanding academic environment, English Language Learners (ELLs) are accepted in Grades 9 through 12 depending on their level of their academic English and academic school records. In order to be considered for admission, Grade 9 and 10 applicants should demonstrate English language proficiency at the intermediate level or above. Grade 11 and 12 students need to be adequately prepared for the academic rigor of AISC; therefore, they should be working independently without ongoing EAL support to be admitted.

The School will take into consideration a range of criteria to determine appropriate EAL support for an applicant in Grades 9 to 12, including the following: ● The application ● School records (transcripts and/or report cards) ● WIDA MODEL English language proficiency assessment. (This assessment is generally administered at AISC or online through Zoom.) After the assessment, application, and records have been considered, a recommendation will be made for EAP 1, EAP 2 or ELD support.

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Courses Overview

The EAL department offers English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses at two different levels: EAP 1 and EAP 2. These courses are designed to give students explicit knowledge and understanding of the academic English used across the AISC high school curriculum. These courses are recommended to ELLs in the “intermediate” range of their English language proficiency as measured by the WIDA MODEL test, which is administered to all new students for whom English is not their first language— as well as annually for all EAL students at AISC.

English for Academic Purposes 1 (EAP 1)

Prerequisite EAL Department recommendation Duration 1 year Units of Credit 1

Curriculum Guide 2022 - 2023

The relative importance of achievement strands in this course:

The High School English for Academic Purposes 1 (EAP 1) course is designed to give students explicit knowledge and skills about how language is used to make meaning, including how texts are structured and organized, and which language features and vocabulary are appropriate according to purpose and audience. The focus of EAP 1 in writing is sentence and single paragraph cohesion and clarity. In reading, speaking, and listening, the focus is comprehension and clarity of short responses. Students will be developing the basic skills needed to engage in their course in a meaningful way. Each EAP 1 unit is designed using the WIDA English Language Development Standards, which are aligned with the Common Core Curriculum.

English for Academic Purposes 2 (EAP 2)

Prerequisite EAL Department recommendation Duration 1 or 2 years Units of Credit 1 or 2

The relative importance of achievement strands in this course:

The High School English for Academic Purposes 2 (EAP 2) course is designed to give students explicit knowledge and skills about how language is used to make meaning, including how texts are structured and organized, and which language features and vocabulary are appropriate according to purpose and audience. The focus of EAP 2 in writing is expanded paragraphs and essay cohesion, and clarity. In reading and listening, the focus is comprehension of longer and more complex information as well as developing the speaking skills and language needed for participating in academic discussions with expanded and complex interactions with others. Each EAP 2 unit is designed using the WIDA English Language Development Standards, which are aligned with the Common Core Curriculum.