Student Support

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

AISK supports enrolled students in a variety of ways to assure successful academic achievement, and one support mechanism is the Student Support Services (SSS) department. SSS is a department at AISK that offers a body of programs that operate by invitation-only and provides a range of academic support structures.

To participate in the programs offered by SSS, families work with the AISK administrative team to develop an individualized program. The programs are designed either to support academic gaps (Learning Support), English Language development (EAL), or to provide supplemental academic enrichment. SSS does not support student behavioral needs.

The SSS department designs, delivers and oversees the implementation of a systematic response to student needs in order to provide appropriate, targeted support to students identified with exceptionalities. This includes, but is not limited to, the development of the processes of identification / assessment practices, targeted interventions, collection of appropriate resources, protocols of delivery of services, scheduling options and admission processes.

SSS provides and develops unique educational opportunities for students with mild learning difficulties, English Language Learners (ELL) and gifted students at the American International School of Kingston.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES:

  • Provides greater access to the curriculum, focusing on academic components and appropriate instruction in basic skills;
  • Maintains and oversees programs for identified students provided through targeted small group instruction and one-on-one instruction;
  • Supports differentiated learning experiences within, before or after the regular school day;
  • Supports learning experiences that are related to the core curriculum which include remediation, acceleration, enrichment and / or independent study.
  • Supports classroom teachers in supporting students with unique educational needs.

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE (EAL)

As an international school, AISK is home to many students whose first language is not English. The overall aim of AISK’s English as an Additional Language (EAL) Program is to allow every student to leave our campus with the skill of English fluency. 

Why is this important? 99% of AISK High School graduates attend university in an English-speaking country. In 2020, our top-performing student for the International Baccalaureate Diploma was a non-English speaking student who went to a prestigious university in Canada. Our goal is to empower EAL students to be fluent for college.

Since English is the language of instruction at AISK, we strive to provide direct support to students who are not at their grade level in English proficiency. The EAL Program provides individualized language education that allows our English Language Learners to access the school’s curriculum and prepare them for success in the AISK classroom. We use WIDA from PreK - 12 to continuously assess each student’s language growth.

At AISK, we:

  • Co-teach and Co-plan

  • Communicate regularly with EAL parents

  • Report student progress quarterly

  • Provide the use of bilingual dictionaries during testing

  • Provide EAL students with extra time for Projects / Assignments 

  • Assist in the Homework Club

  • Offer small group instruction for EAL

  • Offer Pull-Out & Push-In Sessions

Language acquisition is a continuous process, with learners moving through developmental stages at different rates. Learning English doesn’t only happen during EAL sessions. Still, our EAL Support Teacher continuously liaises with Homeroom or Subject Teachers to ensure that every EAL student is supported on their journey to mastering the English language.

Encourage and support your children, nourish the best in them because they will live up to our expectations of them

- Lady Bird Johnson -

Meet the Student Support Team

Learning Support these are the resources, strategies and practices that provide physical, social, emotional and intellectual support which enable all pupils to have an equal opportunity for success at school. They address any barriers each individual child may face so as to promote engagement and learning.