Shanghai American School inspires in all students a lifelong passion for learning, a commitment to act with integrity and compassion, and the courage to live their dreams.
SAS serves a truly diverse student body and this valuable resource brings many cultural traditions and languages together to enrich our school community. SAS prepares students to participate meaningfully as global citizens by supporting language proficiency in multiple languages. However, in an American school, becoming literate individuals who can communicate articulately, analyze information and create new knowledge means being able to do all these things in English. For students who come to SAS speaking languages other than English, they must first build academic English proficiency.
What is the language background of SAS students?
Most students at SAS are English language learners, a term which describes students who are currently enrolled in EAL classes, students have exited from an EAL (English as an Additional Language) program in the past and bilingual students who may have never received special English language development classes. In addition, native English-speaking students come to SAS with a variety of ability levels in written and spoken English.
What is the biggest challenge facing English language learners at SAS?
English language learners’ biggest challenge is learning academic content in English. Learning English and learning in English are not the same. To be successful at SAS, students need to be able to understand and use academic English. In contrast to social English used in the hallways or on the playground, academic English is used by teachers and students in class, in textbooks and on tests. For example, at lunch a student might say “hey, let’s sit at this table,” (social English) then in science class read about the periodic table or discuss the water table (academic English). Proficiency in academic English means being able to read, write, speak and listen – as well as the ability to think critically in English.
Cultural background
The difference in the way that students approach the learning of English is dependent on whether they are second language learners from Asian or Western backgrounds. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of EAL students from Asian backgrounds.
Similarities between Asian and Western students may include: * are proficient in Mother Tongue. * hold their home country in high esteem. * value learning of Mother Tongue alongside new language which allows for the transfer of cognitive and linguistic development to their new language. * have parents who are generally well-educated and often multi-lingual; they value a good education and want their children to learn English. * receive support at home. * have high expectations placed on them by their parents, and by themselves. * are often high achievers in their previous schooling and often very successful learners (for example: Korean EAL learners are often very proficient in math/music) * have been successful in their schools in their home countries and now make use of the same skills to adapt. * have parents who have made a conscious choice to move to a foreign country so that their children can study at an English medium school. * are themselves positive about the change to an English education system and about learning English.
Differences in Asian learning styles may include the following characteristics: l book-centered learning l frequent use of dictionaries l grammar-translation methods l teacher-centered lessons l large class sizes l teacher dependency l lack of familiarity with collaborative learning methods l little exposure to English once they go home l the need for structure and scaffolding in classroom l parents who are concerned with maintaining Mother Tongue, including a knowledge base in the MT so that students can return to their home country’s educational system. l instances of at-home mothers who don’t speak English, when their husbands do due to their social/business interactions l parents who find it difficult to support student’s homework l often employ tutors or attend academies after school, which is the norm in their own cultures l parents usually want to know from teachers how they can help their children l students are well-organized and systematic - can learn easily once they see the pattern l students are less comfortable with risk-taking l students develop a strong network throughout school and support each other in their learning.
See: NY Times article about Koreans traveling abroad for education
What Does This Mean for Us as Teachers? How Can We Teach a Diverse Group of Students? l Have high expectations of our students. l Remember that even tasks that are beyond their literacy level can be taught to ESOL students if the teachers have the right tools l Use English as a Second Language scaffolding strategies to teach content to diverse learners l Subject teachers need to have access to the tools they need to teach the diverse student body of the International school.
Shanghai American School inspires in all students a lifelong passion for learning, a commitment to act with integrity and compassion, and the courage to live their dreams.
SAS serves a truly diverse student body and this valuable resource brings many cultural traditions and languages together to enrich our school community. SAS prepares students to participate meaningfully as global citizens by supporting language proficiency in multiple languages. However, in an American school, becoming literate individuals who can communicate articulately, analyze information and create new knowledge means being able to do all these things in English. For students who come to SAS speaking languages other than English, they must first build academic English proficiency.
What is the language background of SAS students?
Most students at SAS are English language learners, a term which describes students who are currently enrolled in EAL classes, students have exited from an EAL (English as an Additional Language) program in the past and bilingual students who may have never received special English language development classes. In addition, native English-speaking students come to SAS with a variety of ability levels in written and spoken English.
What is the biggest challenge facing English language learners at SAS?
English language learners’ biggest challenge is learning academic content in English. Learning English and learning in English are not the same. To be successful at SAS, students need to be able to understand and use academic English. In contrast to social English used in the hallways or on the playground, academic English is used by teachers and students in class, in textbooks and on tests. For example, at lunch a student might say “hey, let’s sit at this table,” (social English) then in science class read about the periodic table or discuss the water table (academic English). Proficiency in academic English means being able to read, write, speak and listen – as well as the ability to think critically in English.
Cultural background
The difference in the way that students approach the learning of English is dependent on whether they are second language learners from Asian or Western backgrounds. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of EAL students from Asian backgrounds.
Similarities between Asian and Western students may include:
* are proficient in Mother Tongue.
* hold their home country in high esteem.
* value learning of Mother Tongue alongside new language which allows for the transfer of cognitive and linguistic development to their new language.
* have parents who are generally well-educated and often multi-lingual; they value a good education and want their children to learn English.
* receive support at home.
* have high expectations placed on them by their parents, and by themselves.
* are often high achievers in their previous schooling and often very successful learners (for example: Korean EAL learners are often very proficient in math/music)
* have been successful in their schools in their home countries and now make use of the same skills to adapt.
* have parents who have made a conscious choice to move to a foreign country so that their children can study at an English medium school.
* are themselves positive about the change to an English education system and about learning English.
Differences in Asian learning styles may include the following characteristics:
l book-centered learning
l frequent use of dictionaries
l grammar-translation methods
l teacher-centered lessons
l large class sizes
l teacher dependency
l lack of familiarity with collaborative learning methods
l little exposure to English once they go home
l the need for structure and scaffolding in classroom
l parents who are concerned with maintaining Mother Tongue, including a knowledge base in the MT so that students can return to their home country’s educational system.
l instances of at-home mothers who don’t speak English, when their husbands do due to their social/business interactions
l parents who find it difficult to support student’s homework
l often employ tutors or attend academies after school, which is the norm in their own cultures
l parents usually want to know from teachers how they can help their children
l students are well-organized and systematic - can learn easily once they see the pattern
l students are less comfortable with risk-taking
l students develop a strong network throughout school and support each other in their learning.
See: NY Times article about Koreans traveling abroad for education
What Does This Mean for Us as Teachers?
How Can We Teach a Diverse Group of Students?
l Have high expectations of our students.
l Remember that even tasks that are beyond their literacy level can be taught to ESOL students if the teachers have the right tools
l Use English as a Second Language scaffolding strategies to teach content to diverse learners
l Subject teachers need to have access to the tools they need to teach the diverse student body of the International school.