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E A L H A N D B O O K
E n g l i s h a s a n A d d i t i o n a l L a n g u a g e |
E A L H A N D B O O K
E n g l i s h a s a n A d d i t i o n a l L a n g u a g e |
Our 9 PYP English as an Additional
Language (EAL) teachers are: Zahra
Hadi, Angela Clark, Duncan Kaiser, Krista
McInnis, Martine Bayard, Ben Lee and
Natasha Boyle, Theresa Hull and Alex
Van’t Hof.
The English as an Additional Language
(EAL) program at GEMS World Academy
(GWA) recognises the contribution of
international students to the education of
all students. In the context of our rapidly
changing world, the interaction between
students of different geographical,
national, ethnic, and linguistic
backgrounds provides the basis for future
understanding and cooperation. The
common task of learning English as an
additional language unites EAL students
in their academic pursuits and at the
same time provides themwith the skills to
interact with the larger English-speaking
community of the world.
The EAL program encourages students’
own individualities and appreciation of
their own culture and language, while
giving them the skills they need to fully
benefit from the learning opportunities
available in the larger school community.
The EAL program develops both basic
interpersonal communicative skills
(BICS) and cognitive academic language
proficiencies (CALP) so that the students
will be capable of working in the language
of the classroom and curriculum.
BICS are language skills needed to interact
in social situations, for example, when
speaking to a friend on the telephone.
and refers primarily to context-bound,
face-to-face communication which is
used in everyday social interaction. CALP
refers tomore abstract, decontextualized,
communication that takes place in
the classroom, starting in elementary
grades. CALP involves the “language
of learning”, which enables children to
problem-solve, hypothesize, imagine,
reason and project into situations with
which they have no personal experience.
It is a prerequisite for learning to read
and write and for overall academic
success. The implications of the BICS
and CALP concepts for children are that
the language of instruction needs to be
sufficiently well developed for her or him
to be able to meet the cognitive demands
of the academic setting. Students typically
are thought to acquire BICS within about
two years of initial exposure to a new
language but take at least five years to
develop the CALP needed to be on the
same level with their native speaking
counterparts in the classroom.
The EAL program at GWA is for students
who need extra support to effectively use
the English language. In this program,
students are provided with intensive
instruction in listening, speaking, reading,
writing and comprehending English. This
intensive English language instruction
is delivered by highly qualified EAL
teachers who are trained in recognising
and working with language differences.
Students who are learning or still
improving their English also receive
support from teachers and teaching
assistants in the regular classroom
.
Therefore, all teaching staff of
English Language Learners at GWA
share a common commitment to the
development of the language skills of EAL
students. GWA’s EAL program adheres to
the national goals developed by Teachers
of English to Speakers of Other Languages
(TESOL). There are three goals for limited
English proficient students in GWA’s EAL
program:
To use English to communicate in social
settings.
To use English to achieve academically in
all content areas:.
Here is some more information on our
team of EAL teachers:
The EAL Team aims
to empower students
to learn the English
skills necessary to
function academically,
thrive socially, and
grow as multilingual
global citizens.
- EAL Mission Statement
Our EAL team is made up of highly
qualified educators who work together
as a cohesive group, sharing their
knowledge and expertise within their
fields to support each other and to meet
the needs of students at GWA.
Duncan Kasier:
I have
been teaching for fourteen
years and have experience
across the age levels and
in a variety of curricula. I
have previously worked
in the UK and Thailand
and am now beginning my
sixth year at GWA. I enjoy using technology
in education to make the learning engaging
and creative and have a strong interest in
building students’ thinking skills alongside
the academic knowledge.
Martine Bayard:
My
name is Martine Bayard
and I come from Canada.
I have a bachelor’s degree
in teaching English as
Another Language and I
have been teaching for 22
years, mostly in French and
English schools, working
in immersion programs. This is my second
experience in an international school. I
worked in China for 2 years, where I taught
EAL. I am very pleased to start my fifth year
at GWA.
Zahra Hadi:
Born in
California and raised in
Hong Kong, I earned a
Bachelor of Arts in French
Language and Linguistics
and a Master of Education
in Curriculum and
Instruction. I most recently
moved from Houston, where I taught English,
Language Arts and Social Studies in bilingual
and ESL programs. I have enjoyed working
and traveling throughout the world, and I
am looking forward to my third year as part
of the EAL team at GWA-Dubai.
Angela Clark:
Hello!
I am originally from
Wheaton, Illinois and
I have a Bachelor’s
degree in Music
Education and a
Master’s degree in
Teaching English as
a Second Language.
I have experience teaching Music,
Humanities and EAL to children in
preschool through grade 8. I believe that
incorporating music and movement can
enhance language learning; especially in
young learners. Therefore, my classes
often involve singing, moving, acting,
performing and creating as ways to
engage further with speaking, listening,
reading and writing.
NatashaVrutska:
Natasha
has an Master’s degree
in English from Tavrida
National University and
an MA in Education from
GeorgeMason University.
She has previously taught
in the U.S. and in South
Korea. In her 5th year at GWA, she is
currently teaching Grades 7 and 8.
Ben Lee:
I was born
and raised in a small
town in Canada. I
received my degree
in Canada and my
teaching credentials in
the United States. I am
currently completing
my Master’s degree in
Teaching English as a Second Language.
Most recently I have served as an EAL
teacher and homeroom teacher for
Grades 3 and 4 in an international
school in China. The remainder of my
teaching career was in Belgrade, Serbia.
Theresa Hull:
Theresa
taught in Canada and
Kuwait. She teaches
grades 9 and 10 at
GWA. Currently, she is
an examiner for the IB
and is working on her
Master’s in English.
Alex Van t’Hof: has a
BA and Master’s degree
in English from Leiden
Universit y and has
taught English in five
countries at secondary
and at university levels.
Speaking five languages,
he is also an official
translator and has been the team leader
for the Secondary EAL Department.
O U R E A L T E AM
GWA’S EAL TEAM
Krista McInnis:
I come from
Canada and my family and I
are settling in to our 8th year
in the Middle East. I have a
Masters degree in Teaching
English as Another Language.
I am also certified in adult
language instruction. I’ve
taught English to students
of all ages in South Korea, Canada, Doha and
Dubai. I enjoy teaching students at all levels
of language proficiency. The best part of
teaching English is seeing students transfer
their knowledge and skills and become active
participants in their classes.
I N T R ODU C T I ON