Students learn best in a diverse, inclusive environment that allows them to flourish as members of the community.
At ISHCMC, student support builds on the principles of inclusion and differentiation, believing this mindset should be applied to students across the whole learning spectrum – from those with identified learning difficulties to those who are gifted.
Support for identified students is established through a consultative process working with students, parents and staff. The support services team believes that students are best helped when there is a team approach based on individual needs and involving the classroom teacher. The team consists of teachers from:
ISHCMC Primary employs counselors and offers support in the areas of academic, social, and personal development. The services of the counselors are available to both students and parents. The counselors work closely with the teachers and in group meetings to ensure that the students at each grade level receive the information and support they need to cope with the demands placed upon them.
The school employs learning support teachers to support students with mild to moderate learning needs throughout the Primary School. ISHCMC does not undertake to provide for all specialized educational needs. The Learning Support Team will meet to discuss progress and initiate strategies for support at school and at home.
English as an Additional Language (EAL) program is a language support program for students in Grade 1 and above. All students enrolling in KG and above who have a mother tongue other than English may be assessed before starting school.
EAL teachers are responsible for the support of all students in a grade level deemed to be in need of extra language support. For example they are responsible for:
Our counselors are here to support our students as and when needed, on an individual or within a small group basis. Counseling supports students to help them overcome any barriers that may be preventing them from flourishing.
The Learning Support team collaborates with teachers and families to provide support for all students, which may include:
EAL support is provided for students in the English Language Acquisition (“Capable”) classes instead of taking a course in another language. The EAL team provides a personalized program adapted to a student’s reading, writing and speaking needs. Periodic testing monitors improvements in a student’s command of English until they have reached a level when they are recommended to exit the class (and take another language course).
