PYP Learning Support and Counseling Services
Learning Support
In keeping with IICS’ stated mission, students whose educational and physical needs can be met will be admitted. Students are expected to be able to function independently in the classroom. IICS offers limited services for students with mild learning difficulties and disabilities.
Specific reading, writing, language, and math difficulties will be assessed and provided with support either outside of class or in class whatever is most beneficial for the student. Students with more complex learning needs will be dealt with by a team approach. Learning support meetings with parents are held to provide detailed feedback on progress and recommendations for student development.
Our Learning Support personnel can recommend additional private services for those in need of speech-language, occupational therapy, play therapy, family therapy, psychiatry, and tutoring. Please be advised that the services available locally may not be as extensive as what families are used to in their home countries.
The needs of students with severe language, social, emotional, behavioural, spectrum disorders, physical limitations, untreated moderate to severe ADHD or borderline range and lower intellectual capacity are not able to be such that IICS is not able to accommodate them.
Counseling
The PYP counseling program at IICS is based on the International School Counseling Model, which in turn draws from on the American School Counseling Model. Throughout every aspect of the counseling program, children are given opportunities that encourage physical, emotional, intellectual, and social growth.
At IICS, we are committed to providing students with a caring environment in which they can grow into well-developed adults who understand their own self-worth, as well as the value of others. We believe the development and implementation of the PSE (Personal/Social Education) curriculum will assist in this endeavor. Do you want to add a sentence here which states that this is a three tier system, just to introduce the tier system you outline below?The PSE curriculum consists of three tiers:
Tier 1
School-wide systems support and collaboration: The counselor regularly collaborates with teachers, administrators, staff members, and parents to make sure students’ needs are met. Preventative in nature, the counselor focuses on development and facilitation of PSE lessons for all PYP students at both campuses from EY3 to G6.
Tier 2
The counselor also assists with intervention programs for students needing extended support. Consultation in regards to a specific child’s social, personal or emotional needs can take place between the counselor, parents, teachers, support staff, and any other pertinent members.
Tier 3
Finally, the last tier of counseling services is for students who need increased extended support. This can take the form of responsive services, individual counseling, or SEN student support.
The Services IICS Provides for Primary Include:
– Transition support
– Remedial reading
– Math and writing support
– Social skills development support
– Counselling
– Testing and evaluations of language, memory, cognitive, attention and specific learning disabilities
– Reading, math, writing and mild attention disorders are accommodated at IICS.
EAL (English as an Additional Language)
IICS has students from more than 60 countries. Many students attending IICS are not native English speakers, even though they may speak two or even three other languages. IICS EAL aims to provide high quality, authentic instruction and activities that enable English language learners to acquire the social and academic English needed to achieve in all content areas. Students who speak little or no English are accepted into IICS in Primary.
In the IICS Primary EAL Program, emphasis is placed on developing language in the four-skill areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, using methods designed for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Students are given opportunities to practice and apply language through interaction with adults and peers, hands-on learning experiences, and activities that promote critical thinking.
Primary EAL aims to:
• Enable students to acquire English as an additional language so that they are able to fully participate in all aspects of academic and social school life;
• Help students to access content-based language that can be used in meaningful classroom interactions;
• Help students develop a voice in the PYP units of inquiry;
• Provide students with a “safe haven” where they can learn and experiment with new language before using it in the classroom;
• Create an environment where students feel comfortable and secure, where they can share feelings and opinions with each other; and
• Provide ongoing assessment of students, in collaboration with classroom teachers.
