English Language Learning Pathways

The Stamford American EAL program offers a unique environment that sees students integrated into the homeroom classroom and supported by dedicated EAL experts.

EAL students are taught by highly qualified homeroom and subject teachers along with highly qualified English teachers. Every EAL student has at least one EAL teacher who supports them throughout the year as they move toward independence in English.

We provide each EAL student with tailored support based upon their unique needs academically, socially as well as emotionally. The extent of assistance each child receives initially depends on their level of English competency. 

Entering, Emerging, and Developing (low-mid level) sees students integrated in a homeroom class with the exception of 80 minutes of English language instruction each day. These students also receive support from an EAL co-teacher during one period each day.

For Kindergarten 2 (KG2)

Students in our EAL program are enrolled in a standard homeroom class that follows the International Baccalaureate PYP curriculum delivered in English. This pathway provides students with daily “in class” support by EAL teachers. Our EAL teachers collaborate closely with homeroom teachers at every grade level to co-plan lessons. This ensures that English language learners receive consistent language support throughout the day—even when the EAL teacher is not physically present in the classroom. Students in this pathway receive a daily 40-minute English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes. During this time, students will learn in a multicultural and multi-linguistic environment. This targeted language class provides a unique opportunity for students to build connections across cultural groups and accelerate their English proficiency.

For Grade 1 to Grade 5 students

Students in our EAL program are enrolled in a standard homeroom class that follows the International Baccalaureate PYP curriculum delivered in English. This pathway provides students with daily “in class” support by EAL teachers. Our EAL teachers collaborate closely with homeroom teachers at every grade level to co-plan lessons. This ensures that English language learners receive consistent language support throughout the day—even when the EAL teacher is not physically present in the classroom. Students in this pathway receive daily 80-minute English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes. During this time, students will learn in a multicultural and multi-linguistic environment. This targeted language class provides a unique opportunity for students to build connections across cultural groups and accelerate their English proficiency.

For Kindergarten 2 (KG2) and beginner level students in Grade 1 to Grade 5

This program groups students together in a homeroom class and follows the International Baccalaureate PYP curriculum delivered in English. This pathway is suitable for native Mandarin-speaking students who may benefit from intensive English language support to help them excel academically. In this program, the students are integrated with our bilingual classes for Art, Drama, PE, and Music. This integration provides meaningful opportunities to practice English with native speakers, while also allowing the bilingual students to strengthen their Mandarin through peer interaction. These shared experiences provide positive socialization and authentic opportunities to use both languages in order to facilitate learning.

 This pathway provides students with daily “in class” support by EAL teachers. Our EAL teachers collaborate closely with homeroom teachers at every grade level to co-plan lessons. This ensures that English language learners receive consistent language support throughout the day—even when the EAL teacher is not physically present in the classroom. 

Additionally, our program provides students with support by EAL teachers in daily 80-minute English Language Acquisition classes. During this time, they will learn in a multicultural and multi-linguistic environment. This targeted language class provides a unique opportunity for students to build connections across cultural groups and accelerate their English proficiency.

For Grade 1 to Grade 5 students with an intermediate to high level of English proficiency

Students will be placed in homerooms and will be fully immersed in the grade level content, allowing them to learn alongside their grade level peers throughout the day, based on their English proficiency and test result at the point of admission.

These students are taught by homeroom and subject teachers along with highly qualified English Language Acquisition teachers. EAL students in this pathway will have daily “in class” support from one of our EAL teachers. Our EAL teachers collaborate closely with homeroom teachers at every grade level to co-plan lessons. This ensures that English language learners receive consistent language support throughout the day—even when the EAL teacher is not physically present in the classroom

Students in this pathway, in addition to English language support, are also offered Mandarin or Spanish as a Foreign Language, giving students the opportunity to expand their language skills and broaden their cultural understanding.

Students who are in grades 6 to 10 who need academic English language support may be placed in the Preparatory Course for Secondary School (PCS) program or the Mainstream EAL program depending upon the outcome of the English assessment test at the point of admission and interview with an English Language Acquisition expert. This holistic process ensures that students are placed in the appropriate course in order to maximize learning in an international school context.

PCS is an intensive 20-week program where students will learn how to fully engage with an IB MYP style curriculum in Math, Science, English Literature, Language Acquisition, Humanities and Physical Health Education (PHE), while improving their fundamental English skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Our highly skilled faculty are at the forefront of English language acquisition pedagogy and social-emotional learning. 

At Stamford American, we proudly embrace diversity, and imagine a world where every child has an equal chance to learn and thrive. This thinking underpins our Foundational Academic English Program, designed for those in need of supplementary English Language tuition. This unique program prepares highly motivated students from grades 6 to 10 for entrance to PCS and for our world-renowned academic pathways. Through an intensive 10-week program delivered by our highly skilled PCS faculty, students will strengthen their foundation in academic English, form an understanding of IB teaching and learning methodology, and be well-poised for success at Stamford American and beyond.

Our EAL support program for grades 6 to 8 students provides full day immersion in subject classes, with a great teacher-to-student ratio for personalized support. MLE students receive English language support everyday for 80 minutes in our IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) Language Acquisition – English class (phases 3-5) and our unique English Skills Development class which focuses on building students’ foundational English skills. MLE students also have the opportunity to attend an after school session for additional English language support. Internal and external language assessments, including iTEP SLATE Plus, given twice per year and MAP given three times per year, ensure continuous progress monitoring and support for students’ language development. In addition, we offer MYP Language and Literature classes specifically designed for Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish speakers every other day. 

Our EAL program for grades 9 to 10 offers a comprehensive language acquisition program to support students in developing their English proficiency. Students benefit from full day immersion in subject classes, where they are exposed to English language in various contexts, and receive instruction and resources that facilitate practical language-embedded experiences. Our program follows the MYP Language Acquisition curriculum with multiple phases, allowing students to progress at their own pace and build language skills progressively.  In addition to our MYP Language Acquisition classes, MLE students will also attend our English Language Development class.  This class provides responsive and individualized English language support based on the needs of each student.  

Our multimodal instruction and resources provide students with engaging and interactive learning experiences, helping them to develop their language skills in a meaningful way.

At Stamford American, we are dedicated to creating a nurturing and welcoming atmosphere for all of our students. Our language programs are specifically designed to aid learners of all abilities in cultivating robust language skills and attaining academic excellence. We warmly invite you to speak with us and discover more about our language programs and how they can enrich your child’s English language learning journey.