[lg policy] Ruamrudee International School language policy

[Harold Schiffman]

Overview

We at Ruamrudee International School believe that language is the key
to learning. It is through language that our
students become inquiring, knowledgeable individuals, good
communicators and reflective thinkers. We believe
that language and culture are interdependent, and by integrating
language into every aspect of the curriculum, we
emphasize the importance of culture, diversity, and sensitivity
towards others. This enhances students’ personal
growth, cognitive development, and facilitates a global community
among our students. We believe that language
is the means through which we celebrate “internationalism” and that it
should be used as a tool of “inclusion” rather
than “exclusion”.

We recognize that many of our RIS students are learning in a language
which is not their first language. It is our
goal to respect the languages and cultures of all our students, while
still encouraging the use of English on our
campus. English is a tool for learning at RIS, as well as a shared
means of communication among students who
speak multiple native languages. Therefore, we expect English to be
the common educational and social language
of the school and the language in which all students are able to
communicate with each other, regardless of other
languages they may speak.

RIS Language Policy

As an international school, RIS embraces the expectation that all
members of the school community, including
students, faculty, staff, administrators, and parents use English on
campus as the language of communication, both
for academic and social interaction. English is to be spoken in all
areas of campus at all times. Other languages are
acceptable only when necessary for academic support or as required for
business transactions.
In order to realize this expectation, all stakeholders share specific
responsibilities as stated below:

Senior Administrators are expected to

• enforce the language policy and the action plan throughout RIS
• provide funding, facilities, leadership, and resources for the
successful implementation of the language
policy
• provide effective professional development in relation to the
language policy and the action plan
• hold section administrators responsible for the effective
implementation of the language policy in their
classrooms and around campus
• attract and retain highly qualified administrators and teachers who
are aware of and embrace the language
policy at RIS
• communicate the RIS language policy with transparency to all
stakeholders, teachers, staff, students,
parents
• provide training in English to staff who need to communicate with
faculty and students on campus (i.e.
cafeteria, security)

Section Administrators are expected to

• enforce the language policy and the action plan throughout RIS
• implement all aspects of the policy and the action plan on campus,
holding all stakeholders (teachers, staff,
students, parents) responsible for adhering to the policy
• support teachers in the delivery of instruction in English
• observe instructional evidence of enhanced, comprehensible
instruction in every class on campus
• provide constructive feedback, materials, planning time, and staff
development opportunities
• include instruction in English as part of teacher evaluation
• include exclusive use and promotion of English in coach evaluations
• attract and retain highly qualified teachers who are aware of and
embrace the language policy at RIS
Teachers are expected to
• enforce the language policy and the action plan throughout RIS
• integrate language instruction with content instruction (explicit
attention given to the features of language
in the design of lessons)
• make high level academic content instructionally comprehensible
through the use of contextualization
strategies like gestures, visuals, maps, graphs, manipulatives, drama,
songs, chants
• create classroom environments that are discourse-rich and
process-oriented by providing plentiful
opportunities for students to listen to, speak, read, and write
through interactive activities
• model metalinguistic learning strategies

Students are expected to

• ensure that the language policy and the action plan are implemented
throughout RIS
• speak English on campus as the language of communication in all
areas of the school community except for
Thai and foreign language classes
• speak English as the language of social interaction with other
students because it is the only language on
campus that everyone can understand
• speak English on the school campus in order to improve their own
English communication skills and better
prepare themselves for post-secondary education in International Programs
• speak English on campus in order to positively represent their
school and to support the goals of
Ruamrudee as an International School
• speak English on campus with all school staff (except for Thai and
foreign language teachers)

Coaches are expected to

• enforce the language policy and the action plan throughout RIS
• promote and facilitate the use of English among teammates
• model proper English at all times when talking to players and fellow coaches
• insist on “English only” during training periods and competitions
• instruct and practice plays in English at all times
Staff Members are expected to
• enforce the language policy and the action plan throughout RIS
• use English as the primary language of communication with students,
teachers, administrators, parents, and
visitors
• develop and use English skills for communication in school

Parents are expected to

• ensure that the language policy and the action plan are implemented
throughout RIS
• consistently remind and encourage their children to speak English at
all times while on campus
• maintain an ongoing dialogue with their children emphasizing the
importance of practicing English at
school because they speak another language at home, and with
globalization transcending beyond our
borders, proficiency in English communication (speaking and writing)
is paramount to a successful future
• encourage, model, and enrich the use of the native language in the
home and in the community
• support the administrators' and teacher's implementation of the RIS
Language Policy, including the
consequences for not following the policy
• speak English (to the extent possible) while on campus

http://www.rism.ac.th/ris/pdf/faculty/English%20Language%20Policy.pdf

-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to
its members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner
or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents.
Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal,
and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message.
 A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well.  (H. Schiffman,
Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************

_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list