Supporting integration in our community and beyond

English Language Acquisition

The curriculum taught at IST is delivered in English to students of many nationalities, languages and cultures. The school is very proud that students are multilingual learners with important experiences in other languages. For many of these students, English is not only a second language, but a third or even fourth language, and IST is committed to supporting them in building their language skills to allow them to access the curriculum and communicate with their peers.

IST provides a full English Language Acquisition (ELA) programme to support English learners. The role of the ELA teacher is to aid students in learning English, while supporting the development of their mother tongue and the host country language, Dutch. This approach not only values where the students come from, it also accelerates their access to the school curriculum.

Every ELA learner receives a detailed progress report describing their level of attainment and monitoring their progress. Furthermore, the progress reports help teachers and parents understand where an individual’s strengths and weaknesses are.

In addition, all classroom teachers and assistants are trained in ways to help students participate in the school curriculum. The school offers an environment in which students feel nurtured and comfortable whilst learning the language and skills they need to access the curriculum and build friendships.

Dutch Language and Culture

All students at International School Twente study the language of our host country: Dutch. This helps them maintain their own language and/or develop their understanding of Dutch culture. Dutch is offered twice per week, and during PE lessons, designed to provide children with an enjoyable introduction to the Dutch language and culture. Students learn the basic language necessary for simple day-to-day communications. Differentiation is employed to support students who are more advanced Dutch speakers. Where appropriate, Dutch lessons are tied in with the school’s curriculum and Units of Inquiry.