Intensive English Program


The foremost component of our Intensive English program is the reading and language arts classes, which are held during periods 2–3. From age 6 through secondary, our students are placed in small groups of no more than seven students, and receive instruction in phonics, reading comprehension, grammar, and writing, from a highly skilled and trained educator. Placement into groups is based on a combination of factors including age, English language proficiency, performance on standardized tests, and teacher observation. As students improve, they are sometimes able to move to a more advanced Intensive English group, and as a result they may have different IE teachers throughout the year during periods 2–3.

In addition to our reading and language arts classes, we also offer additional English support classes for some eligible students. These classes typically occur when other students are taking Chinese or foreign language classes. During this time, students work on a variety of skills including content area vocabulary and communication.

Once our students have achieved a level of proficiency that is sufficient to allow them to succeed in general education classes, we transfer them out of the Intensive English program.  Research shows that it usually takes between three to seven years to achieve Academic Language proficiency in English. Some students, through hard work, determination, and an aptitude for language, are able to exit the Intensive English program in less than 3 years. But, each student is an individual, and it is impossible to predict how long it will take an individual student to achieve English language proficiency.
