Language Support
EAL
Taaleem schools offer 'English as an Additional Language' (EAL) Programmes. The sole purpose of these programmes is to assist students whose first language is not English.
Our EAL students, who come from many different countries, often have varying levels of English which may be their second or third language.
To most effectively assist these students, they are assessed upon entry into a school and then continually by their teachers as well as by a specialist EAL teacher. They are also monitored in all areas of listening, speaking, writing, reading and social awareness.
After a student has been assessed, the EAL teacher(s) will work with the student, parents, teaching assistants, teachers, curriculum coordinators and administrators to determine an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for the student. Parents are consulted and informed of both the type and duration of support offered. The student's progress is regularly reported home via correspondence; in student-led conferences, parent-teacher conferences and regular report cards.
Students are catered for based upon their needs, and offered either in-class or pull-out individual or small group support.
Mother Tongue Maintenance
Some of our schools offer mother tongue maintenance in cooperation with volunteers who teach different mother tongues including Dutch, German, Afrikaans, Swedish and Russian. These classes are not part of the schools' curricula and vary per school.
Special Educational Needs
Our schools provide a caring and supportive environment in which each student is valued. It is the intention of our schools that each student should be able to access and derive benefit from the curriculum and educational programmes to realise his or her potential. Most students' needs can be met in the mainstream classroom but some students might need extra support, this will be written in their IEP.
Our schools will work closely with other professionals to identify those who may have intellectual, personal and social development needs and those requiring extra support may include:
- Those experiencing academic difficulties in a part of the curriculum requiring a short intervention programme.
- Those experiencing difficulties of a personal or social nature, which may or may not affect learning.
- Those of exceptional ability.
Limited support is available within our schools. Our programmes allow for differentiation by ability and those of exceptional ability normally find their needs are met in class by this process. Our schools might sometimes refer parents to service providers to give additional support for a student. Students whose needs cannot be met in mainstream classes may be asked to seek an alternative school.
Our schools offer teams of Special Needs professionals, which include specifically trained/experienced teachers, trained/experienced assistants and the schools' nurses.
ADD/ADHD Support Group
The ADHD Support Group was founded in 2010 by Rachel Jex, the school nurse at Jumeira Baccalaureate School. Its objective is to promote awareness to Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and to provide information and support to sufferers, both adults and children, and their families in Dubai. Each month the group meets at the Dubai British school (www.dubaibritishschool.ae). Speakers are invited to come and share their ideas and information to help us help our children.
The group has a large resource of professionally recommended support such as doctors, therapists and counselors in Dubai, all of which have been recommended by members, as well as an extensive list of helpful books about ADHD/ADD.
For more information visit the group's facebook account: Dubai ADHD/ADD Support or contact Rachel by e-mail at racheljex@yahoo.co.uk or mobile +971 (0)50 9535075.
Helpful websites
www.adders.org
www.nimh.nih.gov
www.emiratesspecialneeds.com
Parents' and Friends' Groups or Associations
Most of our schools feature a Parents' Group or Association to give parents a chance to be an integral part of the schools' communities. Membership is free and open to all parents.
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