Frequently Asked Questions

ESL or Mainstream English? Who decides whether my child goes to ESL or Mainstream English lessons? On what basis is the decision made?

Before starting at VIS, all new students are interviewed and tested by the Head of ESL and Mother Tongue who will ascertain their proficiency in English. Depending on your child’s level of spoken and written English, he/she will be received either into the ESL or Mainstream English classes. Mainstream classes require a mother-tongue or near mother-tongue level of English.

Other lessons. Does my child’s going to ESL have implications for other lessons?

Yes. A beginner will be integrated gradually into other classes, as their level of English allows. Normally Maths and Science precede Humanities. Teachers of other lessons are aware of ESL students’ needs and will teach them accordingly. Intermediate ESL students will, from the start, go to the same lessons as the children who are fluent in English but will have an ESL class during French/Spanish times, and will have an ESL Literature class during English times. In Grades 9 and 10, the ESL Department also offers ESL Humanities. This means that students who benefit from ESL English lessons will also have the opportunity to learn History and Geography in separate groups at a pace which suits them.

Mother tongue. Should my child concentrate on ESL and leave aside formal mother tongue instruction until his/her English is secure?

The importance of your child’s mother tongue cannot be emphasized enough. However, while your child is in the early stages of learning ESL, you may prefer to concentrate on speaking your mother tongue at home and delaying formalized instruction with a mother tongue teacher until your child is more settled. You should keep in mind, particularly if your child is in Grade 9 or above that it is essential that Mother Tongue lessons begin as soon as possible since an A1 language is necessary to gain an IB Diploma and 4 years are unlikely to be long enough to attempt English A1.

How long will it take for my child to learn English?

Clearly this is a difficult question but language research tells us that it will take on average between 5 and 7 years for a child to acquire the level of English needed to access all academic fields at school. You should not forget that ESL students have a heavy burden as they are learning English and content at the same time: they are chasing a moving target.

Progress. Will I know how well my child is progressing in ESL?

Parents’ consultations and informally arranged meetings with ESL teachers will give you this information. By talking to your child and finding out how he/she feels in classes you will also have an idea. You should contact the ESL & MT department if you feel that there is an issue which is hindering progress.

How long will my child stay in ESL?

That depends on the age of your child when he/she starts learning English and on individual circumstances. It is dangerous to put too much pressure on children. This will make for an unhappy child and possible problems into adulthood.

Assessment. Does ESL use the same assessment and reporting systems as other departments?

Not quite. While remaining realistic, we do not aim to make the life of a student of English as a Second Language unnecessarily de-motivating. As ESL students progress into the High School, however, assessment and reporting begin to increasingly reflect the IB Diploma Criteria.

German. Why start learning German when English is still a serious challenge?

Apart from giving students confidence and scope to participate in living in our host country, it is proven that learning two new languages simultaneously may benefit rather than slow down cognitive skills. Should there be a particular individual difficulty, this will be addressed separately.

Homework. Should I help my child with homework?

While bearing in mind the school’s rigorous policy on plagiarism, it is always good to show an interest in what your child is doing at school, and to help if required. However, you should only guide and never do the homework for the child. You might not like the mark you are given!

Pronunciation. How can I help my child with pronunciation?

Hearing well-spoken English serves as the best example. CDs and tapes are available too. It is probably best to check with the ESL teacher before doing anything.

ESL Humanities. How are ESL Humanities taught?

The teaching of Humanities at VIS is enquiry-based. This approach is also reflected in the ESL Humanities courses which seek to examine questions and concepts in some depth. However, while the same units are on the programme, it is not possible to cover them all because we move more slowly.

University. Can my son/daughter study at an English-speaking university if he/she has Eng B High/Eng B Standard and not English A?

Yes. Of course it depends which subject your son/daughter wishes to study and where, but every year ESL students leave us in order to study at good English-speaking universities. You should check with the careers adviser at the VIS.

What one piece of advice would you give to ensure progress in English?

READ! Much research has been carried out in this area which shows conclusively that children who read extensively, in both English and their Mother Tongue, will make rapid, long-term progress and will improve in ALL areas of language: grammar, vocabulary, etc. It is the pleasant AND successful way to learn.

Reading

The importance of reading for all students has been studied in depth by Steven Krashen. In his book The Power of Reading (2nd edition, 2004) he gives many insights which are wholly convincing as to why students should read widely in order to improve their knowledge of language. Below is a summary of salient points, but readers are advised to study the book in detail for the many convincing benefits of Free Voluntary Reading – FVR – that he lists:

• If children read books they will develop acceptable levels of literacy – extensive readers improve in writing as well as reading
• People who are well-read write well because they have subconsciously acquired a good writing style
• Children need a print-rich environment
• Administrators need to know that when teachers are reading to students, and when teachers are relaxing with a good book during sustained silent reading sessions, teachers are doing their job
• Administrators need to know that a print-rich environment is not a luxury but a necessity
• Parents need to know that children will get far more benefit from being read to, from seeing parents read for pleasure, and from reading comics, magazines and books than they will from working through workbooks
• Many once reluctant students of English as a Second Language become eager readers if given the right conditions
• Students who read extensively improve in attitude
• Students take more books out of school libraries that have more books and stay open longer
• Recreational reading in students’ mother tongues maintains and improves competence in that language; thus libraries should provide large numbers of books in students’ languages.

The diagram below shows in schematic form the components of a good language development programme (courtesy of Else Hamayan).