Academic Language Policy

Emirates International School - Jumeirah

EIS – JUMEIRAH LANGUAGE POLICY
LANGUAGE PHILOSOPHY
All EIS – Jumeirah students are expected to become effective communicators, who are able to
understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language.
The language of instruction for Emirates International School-Jumeirah (EIS-J) is English and it is the
aim of the school that all students are able to work successfully in this language. English is the language
of communication used in the school and outside the classroom, on documentation with external
examination boards and in letters to parents. British conventions are used in school documents and
correspondence.

As Arabic is the official language of the UAE, all students study Arabic language from KG 1 through to
Year 9 as per the Ministry of Education regulations. Students registered at the school with an Arab
passport are required to follow the Ministry of Education Arabic curriculum and are required to pass
the Ministry of Education assessments up until the end of Year 12. Legal requirements of the UAE
government require some, but not all, documentation to the Ministry of Education to be completed in
Arabic. This job is done by a Ministry Liaison Officer. Documentation for immigration and Year residency
purposes must often be done in Arabic and is completed by the HR Department.

As an international school, the knowledge of different languages other than English or one’s mother
tongue is considered imperative and students are required to study at least one language other than
English during each year they study at EIS-J. In addition to English and Arabic, French and Spanish are
also offered in the High School and French is offered from Year 5 onwards. This implies aiming not only
at linguistic competence but also at an understanding of the target culture. Learning about other
cultures helps the students to understand the world better but also to develop a strong sense of their
own identity and culture. They learn self-confidence and to have an open, critical and creative view
which develops the ability to communicate, understand, live and work with people from other countries
and cultures.

All teachers are considered to be language teachers as they need to make the language of their
subject accessible to students.

LANGUAGE TEACHING

General:
1. It is preferable that language teachers are native speakers. Thus, it is preferable English is
taught by teachers whose first language is English and French and Spanish is taught by teachers
whose first language is French or Spanish.
2. All language teachers must have an academic qualification in that language.
3. Language is felt to be very important in an international community such as Dubai and all
students from Years KG1-13 study more than one language each year.
4. The acquisition of any language involves four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. All
four areas are stressed in language programmes at all levels at EIS-J.
LANGUAGE PATHWAYS
IB MYP Years 6-10:
Students are all required to study English, Arabic and French or Spanish in Years 6-8 unless there are
extenuating circumstances, such as diagnosed and documented Learning Need or if a family has elected
to opt for additional English language support for EAL students. In Year 9 and 10, Arab passport holders
continue to study Arabic as per Ministry directives and non-Arabic passport holders may choose
between Spanish and French depending on which language they have studied since Year 6.

MYP CERTIFICATION
As per the IB regulations, we are required to provide sustained language teaching in at least two
languages for the year of the MYP. In order to gain MYP Certification, all students must study a
minimum of:
∙ One language and literature course and language acquisition course (Lang. Acquisition is
French and Spanish only), or
∙ Two language and literature courses, or
∙ Two language and literature courses and one language acquisition course.
(Languages and Learning in the IB, August 2012) .

1. English:
∙ All students are required to take at least 4 periods of English language instruction each
week.
∙ A Language Acquisition English programme exists for students who are weak in English
language skills. They follow the same course of study as other MYP students with
modified use of language. Please note that all students are expected to be phased
out of Language Acquisition English into a Language and Literature course after a year
of support. Language Acquisition English is a support program, not the long-term
pathway to English proficiency.
∙ English competency is a requirement for entry in EIS – Jumeirah. For students entering
the school with little English language background, the following courses of action
are taken:
1. Students are entered into the Language acquisition programme until they
are able to move to a Language and Literature English course. They are
evaluated yearly. Students may also be asked to follow English language
development on Linguascope, under the supervision of a qualified staff
member.
2. Parents are requested at the time of acceptance to EIS-J to provide private
intensive tuition in English during holidays and outside school hours.
3. It is the expectation that all EIS – Jumeirah students move into Language
and Literature English very quickly as Language Acquisition English is
considered at most a one-year support program in most cases.
 2. Language A (Language and Literature) and Language Acquisition Arabic: ∙ All students are
required to study Arabic as per the Ministry of Education guidelines up until the end of
Year 9.
∙ The Arabic language and literature programme is for all students who are registered at
the school with an Arab passport. Students are taught classical Arabic according to
the Ministry of Education curriculum and requirements.
∙ Students receive a minimum of 3 periods of instruction per week. In addition, and to
meet the requirements of the MYP Curriculum, students also study Arabic Literature. ∙
Arabic language acquisition students follow a course in Arabic as a foreign language
(language acquisition) which aims to enable them to communicate effectively. The
programme meets the needs of both students who have had little or no previous
experience of learning the Arabic language as well as those who have studied the
subject in primary school. Students receive 3 periods of Arabic classes per week. IB
MYP Assessment Criteria for Language Acquisition are used. Arabic Language
Acquisition is only open to students registered at the school with a non-Arab
passport.

3. Language Acquisition French and Spanish:

∙ All students are required to take 2 periods of French or Spanish each week in Years 6-
8.
∙ Non-Arabic passport holders may opt to continue with French or Spanish in Years 9
and 10 for 3 periods a week.
∙ French and Spanish are taught in two phases; Emergent and Capable. Students are
placed into levels by the LAD Department after students are observed and assessed.

Other:
a. DELF Examination: The French teachers prepare the students for the external DELF
examination. The DELF examination is organized by the French Ministry of Education.
It is the official French proficiency exam.
b. DELE Examination: We offer all of our Spanish students the opportunity to sit for the
Spanish Language proficiency examination sponsored by Instituto Cervantes.

Diploma Programme: Years 11-12:

All students in Years 11-12 follow the IBDP and are thus required to take two languages, (Studies in
Language and Literature or Literature and Language Acquisition). IB DP language courses are taught
over 4 periods per week at all levels.
1. Group 1: Studies in English Language and Literature or Literature (HL or SL). 2. Group 2
subjects: French B, Arabic A and B, French Ab initio, Arabic Ab initio, Spanish Ab initio. Note that
subjects offered are based on student demand.
3. Ab Initio courses at the DP level will be for students with “little or no experience of the target
 language”. No student may enter ab Initio courses if there is less than a three-year gap in their
language studies.
4. Self-taught languages: these can be studied by students wishing to pursue a bi-lingual diploma.
The student does not take a Group 2 language but instead has private tuition in his/her mother
tongue, usually after school. A Self-taught Language Supervisor is responsible for overseeing
any students who opt for a self-taught language. (See Appendix 3 for job description of Self-
taught Language Supervisor.)
Arabic at EIS-J
As per Ministry of Education directives, all students who are enrolled at the school with an Arab
passport are required by law to study Arabic Language and Literature until the end of Year 12. Fluency
in the language is developed in the key areas of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening over the
multi-year, progressive course of study. Arabic Language and Literature courses will also lead to the
Ministry of Education examinations and qualifications. All Arabic Language and Literature/Ministry of
Education courses will be streamed by ability. All students registered at the school with an Arabic
passport are required to follow the Ministry of Education Arabic course of study. Exemptions from the
Ministry of Education Arabic can only be gained by parental requests to the KHDA.

1. The Ministry of Education (MoE) sets the Arabic programme of study required for all Years. This
includes the topics to be covered, syllabus details and textbooks to use. All students required
to study Arabic Language and Literature are expected to meet the MoE standards.
2. Results of End-of-Year “Ministry” exams are sent to the MoE. They are expressed as a %
rather than on a 7-1 scale.
3. Ministry exams are no longer prepared by the MoE. Schools have been instructed to prepare the
exams according to the MoE guidelines. Exams are kept in the event of a Ministry inspection.
4. For Years 12-13, they also do examinations for the IBDP syllabus.
∙ Year 13 does the Ministry exam after the IB DP exams are finished.
∙ Year 12 does the Ministry exam in-class time before the start of the end-of-year
examination period.
5. Responsibility for preparation of both exams is overseen by the Head of Arabic. 6. Software is
provided by Al Dana for the generation of reports for the MoE and data is entered into the
system by the MoE liaison officer.