Language Model

LANGUAGE PHILOSOPHY

The philosophy that guides us in our work with children in the development of language at Escuela Bilingüe Internacional is based on the following principles:

• Language is a form of cultural expression that transmits information about the communities that use it and forms part of the community identity;

• Language is a tool by which human beings construct knowledge, create meaning, communicate ideas and feelings and develop relationships with other people.

• The acquisition of multiple languages permits people to develop knowledge about others and increases our chances of understanding the world from different perspectives and cultural paradigms, taking into account other value systems and ways of thinking and feeling.

CONTEXT FOR ESCUELA BILINGÜE INTERNACIONAL

Escuela Bilingüe Internacional is an independent school for children situated in the neighborhood of Rockridge, in the city of Oakland, California. EBI offers a Spanish-English bilingual curriculum begining at the Preschool level and culminates in Eighth grade. EBI is a non-profit institution. EBI opened its doors in September 2006 with Preeschool and Kindergarten classes.

INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE AND INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS

At EBI we believe that in order to achieve intercultural competence and international mindedness, learning languages is essential. EBI students understand that being good communicators means to communicate according to the cutural norms of the language in which they are communicating. They also understand that languages are a form of cultural expression that consist of and carry cultural information that goes beyond the explicit meaning of words.

LANGUAGE PROFILE

Profile of Language Learners

Currently most students at EBI are from the United States and speak English as their first language, but the school has set a goal to enroll at least 50% of Spanish-speakers. There is a significant minority of Spanish-speakers or bilingual children (Spanish/English). Also, there are children who speak other languages.

Language Profile of the School Community

The school staff is recruited and hired the following goals in mind with respect to the community’s language profile:

• Staff is diverse in every sense of the word (with respect to family structure, culture, language, socioeconomic level, race, etc.).
• Spanish speaking teachers come from different countries and not all from the same country, as the school strives for diversity with respect to countries of origin.
• Teachers will speak their language of instruction at a native level. Reading and writing teachers’ skills will be at a level congruent with that necessary for professional studies corresponding to a teacher (spelling, knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, etc.).
• Students must understand what is needed to learn, improve and maintain a language, and must make an effort to read books, engage with multi-media and speak to people in the different languages.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

Model

The dual immersion model develops students who are truly bilingual in English and Spanish with a high academic level in both languages.

Special classes (music, art and physical education) will be in Spanish.

Also, EBI teachers agree to support and facilitate the growth of our students’ literacy by creating a balanced literacy environment in each classroom. This framework surrounds our students with powerful, flexible and authentic literacy experiences, including: out-loud reading, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, interactive writing, writer’s workshop, and word study.

Expectations:

Teachers use strategies that permit/help students see that:

• We use reading and writing as tools for inquiry,
• We use reading to learn more about ourselves and to enrich our lives,
• We read a great variety of texts and make personal connections with them,
• We see writing as a powerful form of communication and expression,
• We approach reading and writing with enthusiasm, perserverance, and a willingness to challenge ourselves and take risks,
• We are aware of the intimate connection between reading and writing, and that there is a symbiotic learning relationship between them,
• We respond to reading with writing, and to writing with reading,
• We are producers and consumers of text,
• Our writing and reading shows an excellent use of language, genre, style and mechanics,
• We are aware of being members of a literate community,
• We search for and value connections between us, other readers and authors to share information, create meaning and support each other’s growth.

LANGUAGES

Language of instruction

Teachers are models for languae and as such avoid mixing different languages when they speak.

Since EBI is an International school, we recognize the richness of the languages from different regions and different countries. We also appreciate the potential of this diversity to help students understand different cultures. Therefore, for academic work we accept the whole gamut of variation that exists within a language, both spoken and written, that is culturally accepted for an academic environment in any country or region.

In EBI we look for equity in all its forms. Therefore, we are constantly reviewing how we can reflect equity of gender through language. Given that in several cultures these norms are currently in flux, we are in the process of defining as an educational community, how we can guarantee through language that all students feel included and valued.

Spanish

Given the changes to the Spanish language alphabet in the last few years, EBI is in the process of implementing updated taxonomy for the symbols that are used for the Spanish alphabet, and ensuring that all didactic materials reflect these changes.

Given that most EBI students’ mother tongue is English and they are learning Spanish, we believe that they ought to be exposed to their second language as often as possible. Therefore extracurricular classes, enrichment classes, assemblies, and extended care (EBI Aventura) are in Spanish.

Mandarin

Mandarín is taught as a second language, through the use of English.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE USE OF LANGUAGE DURING THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL YEARS:

Pre-Kinder Phase I: The language of instruction will always be Spanish. Teachers always try to speak Spanish, using signs, gestures, facial expressions, drawings or whatever is necessary before having to speak another language. They seldom speak another language unless something of vital importance needs to be explained to the children – an urgent matter or related to physical or emotional safety. In such cases these things are explained to the children in the manner or language that each child understands best. Children are always able to respond in their mother tongue while the teachers continue to promote the acquisition of Spanish.

Pre-Kinder Phase II: As with Pre-K Phase I, the language of instruction in Pre-Kinder Phase II is always Spanish. Teachers always try to speak in Spanish first, using signs, gestures, facial expressions, drawings or whatever is necessary before having to speak another language. They will seldom speak another language and only in an emergency. Children can answer in their mother tongue and will begin to be asked to respond in Spanish.

Kindergarten: The language of instruction will be Spanish during the hours scheduled for Spanish and in English during the hours scheduled for English. The teacher can speak to them in their mother tongue individually only if they are children who just began to learn Spanish in Kindergarten, and if they think that it is of vital importance with respect to physical or emotional safety. Children will be asked to make an effort to address the teacher in the language of instruction. They can speak with their classmates in their mother tongue until half way through the school year. In January they will begin to be encouraged to speak amongst themselves in the language of instruction in the classroom and during recess.

1st Grade Onwards: The language of instruction will be in Spanish during the hours scheduled for Spanish, in English during the hours scheduled for English, and in Mandarin during the hours scheduled for Mandarin, whenever possible. Students should address both their teachers and classmates in the language of instruction inside the classroom.

At all grade levels, the children will have the opportunity to speak the language they choose during their free time (recess).

PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOTHER TONGUE

In most cases, EBI students’ mother tongue is English. For these children, the English instruction schedule at EBI encourages the preservation and development of their mother tongue.  

For children whose mother tongue is Spanish, the Spanish instruction schedule at EBI encourages the preservation and development of their mother tongue.

For all children (including those who have a mother tongue not included above):

• Parents are encouraged to continue teaching them their mother tongue.
• There are books in the school library in the mother tongue of each student.
• Opportunities are included in the curriculum for children to share information about their mother tongue with their classmates, as valuing the language will help them want to preserve and develop it.

READING AND WRITING THROUGHOUT THE CURRICULUM

Language is taught in an integrated way in the inquiry program using different subject matters.

(See “Scope and Sequence” documents and PYP Planners)

TEACHING LANGUAGES TO STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS (Acronym used: NES)

EBI is a community that, because of its members and the program taught, automatically facilitates all student learning but especially that of students with NES. It is important that EBI continue to value its community as outlined below:

• Since EBI is a school where teaching happens in more than one language, the curriculum is taught taking into account that there will always be students with different prior knowledge with respect to the various languages. Therefore, the teaching method involves a lot of participation, is diverse and allows students, at different levels and who learn in different ways, to understand the same concepts.
• Since PYP is a transdisciplinary program, teachers take advantage of the opportunities to teach children with different learning styles, exposing them to concrete, sensorial and other types of experiences, as they work with each concept.
• The community is very diverse, which ensures that, as they teach, the teachers are careful to ensure that each child feels included and secure, which is essential to learning.
• The development of the IB Learner Profile and PYP attitudes helps children learn within a supportive community, where they are not criticized and where there is openness to the differences among people and their ways of learning.
• PYP also encourages each student to undertand his/her own way of learning. This is very useful for children with NES.
• Group sizes between 18 and 20 students per class promotes more personalized attention for students with NES.

Teachers meet with the Head at strategic points throughout the year to conference about each child. This, along with the regular student evaluations carried out by teachers, helps with the identification of specific children which may need additional support. EBI also has a learning specialist to support in the identification of learning needs. This professional may make recommendations to parents regarding specific supports for children.

Despite the fact that we try to support all children and their different ways of learning, as a small school, EBI cannot always provide all services. If EBI should not be able to provide services to a specific child, the school guide the family as the looked for additional support services or a school that could better meet the needs of their child.