Student Services - Elementary Campus

EAL addresses the needs of students from non-English speaking backgrounds who are still in the process of developing interpersonal and academic English language skills. The goal of the EAL programme is to facilitate English language learning so that as soon as possible these students can operate independently, within their general classroom, at a level that reflects their age and ability.

6-Trait Writing is a writing programme which focuses on the specific areas of:

• sentence structure,
• organization of written work,
• vocabulary extension and word use, and
• grammar conventions.

For Kindergarden, Grade 1 and Grade 2, the 6-Trait writing programme is done in-class two times a week. It is co-taught between the classroom teacher and a Student Services teacher.

In Grades 3, 4 and 5, 6-Trait Writing is taught to small groups of students during Foreign Language time. G3-G5 students who need some extra support with writing follow this programme instead of taking a Foreign Language.

The Learning Support (LS) Team addresses the needs of students who are operating on the borderline or outside of the differentiated range of the classroom.  The goal of the LS Programme is to collaboratively work with colleagues to identify and implement effective accommodations and interventions that enable students with learning differences to operate independently in their grade.

The LS Team offers a variety of support for students who have academic difficulties. Students receive the majority of their education within the general class; curriculum support and more intensive small group classes are offered where necessary and available. Services may be direct or indirect. Direct services may include small group, in-class support, placement in a support class, and homework assistance. Indirect services may involve collaborating and consulting with subject/class teachers for planning and implementing of instruction, parent and staff in-services and liaising with the community. 

The Counseling Department has a variety of student centered programs that engage students in learning about who they are and helping them understand their role as community members at IST. The programmes deal with conflict resolution, developing pro-social skills and promoting each child's self-confidence and self-regulation. Look for signs of these programmes in your child's classroom and around campus:

• Second Step
• Classroom Meetings
• Kelso’s Choices