Lord Byng Secondary ESL Department
- Staff
- Interims and Report Cards
- Information About Lord Byng’s ESL Program
- Movement from ESL into Regular
- How Parents Can Help
Lord Byng Secondary ESL Department
Ms. N. Wai is the ESL Department Head.
Mr. J. Rutley is the Vice Principal in charge of ESL
The following teachers are specialists in their subject area below
ESL Science |
ESL Socials |
Transitional Socials |
|
ESL Writing |
ELC Junior |
ELC Senior |
|
ESL Literature |
Transitional English |
Interims and Report Cards
- Interim Reports (Chinese)
- Interim Reports (Korean)
- Anecdotal Reports (Chinese)
- Anecdotal Reports (Korean)
- Interim Reports allow teachers to inform you and your son/daughter about his/her work habits, absences, and lates. Warnings of students failing or receiving a bad grade are usually given at this time. Interims come out the after the first month of every term at least once, but may occur more than once.
- Report Cards are issued Dec 11, March 26, and June 29 this year. Report cards are released to each student in their homerooms who bring them home to their parents. All grade counselors and Ms.Wai will also have a copy of each ESL student’s report card.
- While each student will receive grades and credit for their course, ESL courses are non-credit. Instead, parents and students will receive anecdotal and prescriptive feedback about their current reading, writing and oral abilities for these courses.
- Parent/Teacher Interviews are on Nov 10 and April 1. Please come and meet all your ESL and elective teachers to find out your child’s current progress.
Information About Lord Byng’s ESL Program
- Students are divided up into three groups: Level 1- beginners and lower intermediates; Level 2- lower and upper intermediates, and transitional.
- All ESL students in level 1 take ESL Science, ESL Socials Studies, ESL Literature, and ESL Writing + 4 Courses at students’ grade level: Math, P.E. and 2 electives (Art, Music, Technical Studies, Home Economics, Computer Studies; or Drama)
- Once a student is reading at a grade 3.5 reading level, he/she is integrated into Science within his/her grade. For example, an ESL Science student in grade 8 will go into Science 8 within the school year. If he/she does not move within the school year, he/ she must succeed in ESL Science in order to enter Science 9 next year.
- Once a student is able to read at a grade 5 or 6 level and receives a 2.5-3/6 on a writing assessment within the school year, he/she will enter Transitional Courses. If a student has strong reading and writing assessments, he/she will move to both Transitional Socials Studies and Transitional English; however, if a student is weak in assessments and/or in work/learning habits, he/she may not enter Transitional English.
- Students who enter Transitional English will also take ELC which are higher level English courses in readiness to enter regular English. These spots are for the privileged, the hardworking, and the deserving. Students who move but who cannot cope with the level of English required will move to a level which will enable him/her to learn.
- Students will enter English 8, 9 or 10 once he/she is either reading at grade level or at least 2 grade levels below their grade level. For example, if a grade 8 ESL student enters Lord Byng reading at Grade 7, he/she will be integrated into En 8 right away. ESL students who enter regular English will be given a support block in English called ELC.
- Depending on how the ESL student progresses in English, he/she may be required to take ELC again.
Movement from ESL into Regular
- Readiness to leave ESL: reading level is approximately grade 5 ; writing is a pass on cross-grade writing exams in November and February.
- Readiness to leave Transitional: reading level is closer to grade level, 3.5/4 on cross-grade writing exam, strong pass on final grade 10 exam, and strong independent learning work habits.
- Students typically spend 2-3 years in ESL + 1-2 years in transitional. It is not unusual for students who come in with very limited English to spend an additional 1-2 years in ESL. A new language takes up to 7 years to learn and become fluent in.
- Every year, 2 Reading assessments are done: one in Sept 10-13 and one in the March. The September reading assessments test returning ESL students and give new students an opportunity to prove their strength. These assessments are used to move ESL students if they are ready.
- 2 Writing Assessment are done per years: November and February. These writing assessments are also used to move ESL students if they are ready.
Clubs Pertinent to International Students and ESL Students
- Korean Cultural Club- for all Korean ESL, Immigrant, Canadian and any individual who is interested in the Korean culture. Meets in A207 Bi monthly. Organised Field Trips and Activities. It is student run, sponsored and supported by Ms Wai.
- International Club- For all International Students throughout the school. Mainly for activities and school board field trips. Organised by Ms Wai.
- Byng Busy Bees- For all new immigrant Chinese students and their parents. Organised by Ms Janet Chung- Settlement Worker at Byng.
- Other Clubs- Chinese Cultural Club, Helping Hands, Environment Club plus others…