English Immersion Program

The English Immersion Program (EIP) is a short-term, intensive, and rigorous English language learning program intentionally designed for students between Grade 4 and 7 with very limited English proficiency.

The goal of the English Immersion Program is to equip English Language Learners (ELLs) with the foundational understanding of the English language, which includes the phonology, mechanics, structure (grammar), and vocabulary of English with content adapted to students’ comprehension level. As students make progress, the instruction and content will increase in difficulty and complexity—an approach that would improve students’ readiness for core content instruction. 

Students will get a chance to practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening in English using a variety of fiction and informational texts, engaging materials, and research-based practices.  It is also designed to introduce academic vocabulary to students in a systematic and gradual process.

Students enrolled in the EIP program will pause their academic track to receive intensive English language development courses during core instructional periods.

To promote holistic development, EIP students will be joining peers of similar age groups during specials such as art, music, physical education, innovation/tech hours, after-school-activities, assemblies, whole-school activities, etc. Students may also receive extended and guided library time in order to promote students’ reading habits.

In our English Immersion Program, teachers help students acquire a new language by providing active, direct, and explicit instructional methods that provide students ample opportunities to learn and gradually produce new and more complex English language structures. Students will also be participating in engaging and age-appropriate learning tasks and grouped with peers who have similar proficiency levels in order to maximize the amount of understandable instruction in the new language. 

Upon meeting the exit criteria measured by various English language assessment tools, successful graduates from the English Immersion Program will then enroll in mainstream courses and intermediate English language development courses.