The Gulf Islands International Program offers a unique approach to learning English. Like the French Immersion Program, Gulf Islands Secondary School believes that English is best learned by being immersed in the language.
In the spirit of personalized learning, English learners are enrolled in English classes that bring together local and international students from the different grade levels. Students work together to perfect their English skills. All of the grade levels pursue the Prescribed Learning Outcomes of the Language Arts 9-12 curriculum that focus on reading, listening to, writing, and speaking English. The four levels of English as a Second Language curriculum are integrated into the broader Language Arts curriculum.
Under the guidance of the English teacher, supported by a well-qualified Education Assistant and peer coaches, international students work on the development of their English skills in a cooperative learning environment based on the personalized learning strategies for the 21st Century.
Enrichment tutorials are offered in afternoon tutorials twice a week, as well as on Friday mornings. Senior international students are also offered a TOEFL preparation course.
Because of the strong focus on English in the school and community, the ESL students in the Gulf Islands International Program tend to learn English much faster than students in the larger city programs. The cap on the number of students from each country also results in English being the common language of the international students.
Related Links
Prescribed Learning Outcomes for Language Arts 8 to 12
Course Synopsis for Introductory ESL 10 (Level One)
School District 64 (Gulf Islands) and the Gulf Islands International Program gratefully acknowledge the direction and support provided by School District 38 (Richmond), more specifically Tony Carrigan and his Secondary ESL Facilitators’ team. We also would like to thank them for allowing us to use and build upon their curriculum and their Four Levels ESL model that they have developed.
This course has been developed to help ESL students with minimal English skills develop some basic communications skills. Students in Introductory ESL 10 will focus on the development of introductory speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar skills. These basic language skills will be further integrated and utilized in academic content themes, including English Literature, Socials, Science and Mathematics. Additionally, they will help students explore Cultural themes, including Canadian Culture and Comparative Cultures.
Course Synopsis for Intermediate ESL 10 (Level Two)
This course has been developed to help ESL students who have demonstrated that they have sufficient Introductory ESL 10 English skills to move on to the next level of ESL support. Intermediate ESL 10 continues to develop basic communications skills, but at a more sophisticated level. Consistency of instruction and learning should be accomplished by continuing to focus on the language skills developed in Introductory ESL 10, that is, speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar skills. As before these basic language skills will become more refined through integrated academic content themes, including English Literature, Socials, Science and Mathematics. Cultural themes, including Canadian Culture and Comparative Cultures, will be explored in more depth.
Course Synopsis for Intermediate ESL 11 (Level Three – Communications 11 Equivalency)
This course has been developed to help ESL students who have mastered the skills necessary to move from Intermediate ESL 10 English level to the next level of ESL support (Level 3). The emphasis in ESL Communications 11 shifts from the development of basic communications skills to receiving support in developing academic language for specific purposes. As before, language skills will become more refined through integrated academic content themes, including English Literature, Socials, and Science. Cultural themes, including Canadian Culture and Comparative Cultures, will be explored in a more sophisticated academic manner, including research essays and classroom debate.
Course Synopsis for Intermediate ESL 12 (Level Four – Communications 12 Equivalency)
This course has been developed to help ESL students who have mastered the skills necessary to move from ESL Communications 11 (Level 3) to the last level of ESL support (Level 4). The emphasis in ESL Communications 12 continues to refine and develop academic language for specific purposes. As before, language skills will become more refined through integrated academic content themes, more specifically, English Literature. Canadian Culture and Comparative Cultures will be explored in a more sophisticated academic manner, including research essays and classroom debate. Students will be required to write the Communications 12 provincial exam before credit will be awarded.
