The Week Ahead 27 September 2019

If there is one thing that unites almost all our parents and pupils it is their desire for English language proficiency. It is one of the most important parts of our education here at Wellington, so much so that we have a team of 12 specialist teachers across the school. Regular readers and attendees of our weekly meet the Master events will know that we are reviewing our language policy this term. The aim is to reinforce the spoken elements of English across the school and help to accelerate the progress of all our second language learners by simplifying the demands on our English usage.

I know very well that many of our families are anxious about the best ways to help their child develop more confidence and competence in English. There may be little or no English spoken at home, and as a result, a young learner must rely on his or her time in school to develop fluency. This is challenging given the constraints of time for even the most confident linguist, so I sought the advice of our English language coordinator in the Senior School, Mrs Rebecca Dong. She suggested three key areas in which pupils can accelerate their language competence.

The first is a language-rich environment: our pupils have the opportunity to immerse themselves with 'mainstream' learners and English native speakers. This fosters confidence and greater integration, through higher proficiency in listening and speaking. Pupils exposed to this level of intensive English become more confident in speaking and more familiar with specialist academic vocabulary. In turn, this can mean it is easier for students to fit in at overseas universities.

Secondly, literature cultivation: our library and classrooms offer a huge range of literary resources. This access to various graded readers, masterpieces of English literature and bespoke reading guidance gives each Wellingtonian the chance to develop a genuine love of reading, explore new genres in writing and stimulate more profound levels of discussion and imagination. Nothing kickstarts a passion for language faster than falling in love with a great book.

Finally, Mrs Dong encourages pupils and parents to focus on IELTS and TOEFL courses:  the rigour and precision of these qualifications open a new world on language competence. Pupils who thrive under these programmes find that their exam skills, grammar, academic writing styles, and academic reading skills are all boosted as a result of the preparation for the tests.

Our language acquisition programmes have been revitalised this year, with greater flexibility in the support offered by specialist staff, as well as a focus on rapid integration into mainstream classes in order to boost confidence and competence. Our reviewed language policy will be available to parents later this term, and our commitment to improving parent information around the language and literacy programmes is reflected in the parent briefing schedule.

In an environment which seeks to offer genuine immersion in the English language, we expect all our language learners to make strong progress. It is a goal that unites us all across the community, so with greater levels of insight and shared purpose, we can continue to offer the finest language-rich programmes in the city.

As ever, if you would like to know more about our academic courses and projects, please do not hesitate to contact us. The team leader for English language acquisition is Mrs Jane Arden and she can be emailed at: jane.arden@wellingtoncollege.cn. Mrs Arden will be able to direct your questions or concerns to the appropriate member of staff.

Best wishes

Julian Jeffrey

MASTER

1. Mental health isn't just about illness. It is also about wellbeing.
2. Showing you're happy to talk and listen will mean a lot.
3. You don't need to set aside hours. Just opening up the conversation helps.
4. You could chat while doing something else, like driving or preparing dinner.
5. Explain that every one of us has mental health.
6. You don't have to be an expert or have the answers.
7. Hypothetical situations might be easier to talk about than personal experiences.
8. Familiar ideas might include feeling stressed, depressed, low or anxious
9. You could suggest learning together.
10. There a lots of good information resources on the internet.

• This year's mini games will include a fierce relay race, strong-man (plus strong woman) tug-of-war, as well as a series of mini games.
• Vendors will provide games for the whole family, including but not limited to American football, water gun combat, baseball, face painting, scooters, mini golf, etc.
• After the games, a lunch will be provided with cold beverages.