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Language Policy

The Biltmore School believes that language is an integral part of a child’s development. Language fosters social development, molds students’ identities, and facilitates the learning process. All teachers are responsible for facilitating communication. The Biltmore School’s language policy is in alignment with our philosophy and the needs of our students, while supporting students as they learn a second language.

Identification

Students’ mother tongue language is surveyed through our annual registration process.

Mother tongue languages, as well as students who are in need of additional support, will be identified upon enrollment or at the beginning of the school year.

All students will be assessed at the beginning of the year using the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment. The Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) and diagnostic testing from the myView Literacy program may be used additionally.

The results of these assessments are communicated to teachers, so that they are able to make reasonable adjustments or accommodations for students with language difficulties.

Scope and Sequence

The language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are developed with a close alignment to the PYP language scope and sequence.

The teaching and learning of language throughout each unit of the programme of inquiry will take place in both the language of instruction and the mother tongue language to the best of our ability.

The development of critical understanding and use of language to construct meaning and higher level thinking skills. Students receive weekly language instruction in Spanish from kindergarten through fifth grade.

We have collaborated with teachers, administration, and experts in the field to create a policy that meets both IBO and state/national standards.

Language Instruction

Classroom Instruction

• The development of critical understanding as well as the use of language to construct meaning and higher level critical thinking skills are important goals of our language instruction.
• Teachers integrate all disciplines into the Units of Inquiry to provide transdisciplinary teaching and learning throughout the day.
• Language is taught and practiced throughout each curricular area throughout the day by all teachers.
• Inquiry-based learning of language is encouraged.
• Teachers are expected to provide a print-rich environment, teach with best practices, use a variety of strategies, and differentiate for all students.
• Teachers use the ELD component from the myView Literacy program.

Spanish Instruction

• Students from kindergarten through first grade receive a minimum of one hour of instruction in Spanish weekly.
• Students from second grade through fifth grade receive a minimum of two and a half hours of instruction in Spanish weekly.
• Our language teacher provides instruction to support oral and written language.
• The Spanish teacher collaborates with staff and other special area teachers to put together meaningful assessments.
• We are looking for ways to increase teaching time in Spanish, in order to provide our students with more exposure and practice with the language.

 

Mother Tongue Support

• Students whose primary language is not English will be supported and encouraged to continue to study and develop their mother tongue through the following:
• The Biltmore School is committed to celebrating cultural diversity when writing the PYP planners, as well as in school activities, like the Celebration of Cultures and Hispanic Heritage Showcase.
• Our decentralized library has a multicultural section, and The Biltmore School is committed to expanding this section to better service the mother tongue of all students.
• School staff members encourage parents and students to maintain the child’s mother tongue and to share cultural and language information with the school community and integrate this into the PYP units of study as applicable. Most of our staff members/teachers are bilingual.
• Parents are provided referrals for individuals, groups, or community organizations that operate in the mother tongue or who can assist with mother tongue literacy acquisition.
• Students and parents will be offered opportunities to share their mother tongue with classes through activities and celebrations throughout the year.

Language Assessments

The learning and assessment of our language program is based on oral (listening and speaking), written (reading and writing), and visual communication (viewing and presenting) strands, and state standards.

Throughout instruction the teacher will establish a language skill level to create an appropriate language learning plan for the students.

A range of assessment strategies and tools are used based on our assessment policy.

A range of appropriate assessment methods such as portfolios, conferencing, writing sample analysis, writing journal, writing prompt, self and peer assessment are used.

All teachers consider language development in their planning and assessing, as well as, support language acquisition in their teaching.

Professional Development

Teachers are provided staff development to further ensure growth in the use of best practices, including: curriculum/strategies training for new and experienced teachers.

Teachers attend weekly group meetings and monthly individual meetings supported by our IB Coordinator.

Teachers may initiate/recommend training sessions that they would like to have.

Resources

Each classroom has a class library which contains materials specifically aligning with each of their units of inquiries (Class IB libraries).

Our materials will be consistently and purposefully purchased in the primary language of English, Spanish, as well as other languages that reflect the primary languages of students enrolled in the school.

Our reading program, myView Literacy, is a literature based reading program that is enriched by a variety of other literary forms and genres that enrich each grade level’s units of inquiry.

Our science and social studies programs, Elevate Science and myWorld, support language development and understanding of informational texts in alignment with each grade level’s units of inquiry.