ESOL

The ESOL Room at St Thomas’s School caters for around 150 students on a daily basis from over 40 different nationalities.

The key areas of the curriculum (especially Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening, as well as integrated topic themes and general school organisation) are focused on in various group combinations. The group sessions support the classroom programmes- enabling students a better understanding of language, vocabulary and concepts being covered in the year level focuses.

Currently students work with teachers or teacher aides in the ESOL Classroom twice a week. The content of these sessions enables them to identify and familiarise themselves with vital components of the programme. Many of these adults speak several languages or more and are timetabled to work with specific students and small groups at all levels.

We are able to access a wide range of specialised resources and teaching aids in order to complement the specific learning intentions. Teacher Aides and Support Staff utilise the materials available in the ESOL Room confidently in classroom situations to further support their specific students.

In our friendly environment, students are encouraged to ask questions that they may not necessarily feel confident to ask in a collective classroom situation.