Learning Support

GSIS is committed to supporting students as they develop English proficiency. Students who are still learning English have full access to all content area curriculum in a language-rich learning environment. English language teachers work with classroom and content teachers across the subjects to provide appropriate language supports for student learning. Our goal is to reduce the interference of language on content area learning while supporting English development.

Inquiry-based learning in the PYP and MYP offers flexibility for English learners to explore new ideas, solve problems, and express their learning with minimal language interference. Educational technology provides endless resources for encountering content in multiple languages; expressing ideas with images, movement, and sound; and language development in all four domains of English proficiency: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

We value the continued growth students’ mother tongue and acknowledge the benefits of multilingualism across the content areas; therefore, we encourage students to read, study, discuss, and build content vocabulary in all the languages they speak.  We recommend that families engage fully in the ongoing development of language and literacy at home and in the community.