English as a Second Language (ESL) Department

“Preparing Students for Success in English”

Some DIS students are learning English as a Second Language (ESL). The main goal of the ESL program at DIS is to prepare students to be successful in the regular classroom so they can benefit from the mainstream curriculum. To maintain a high academic standard, no class has more than 25% of students who are currently mastering English.

ESL applicants take a language test to determine their level of ability in English. Any ESL student at Dalat must have demonstrated from his previous schooling good learning ability plus strong motivation to learn and be successful in school.

Elementary School

Young students can more quickly learn enough English to be successful in the regular classroom. The more English our new students have, the more quickly they can fully join the mainstream curriculum, but we sometimes enroll elementary students with minimal English. We leave them in the regular classroom as much as possible but pull them out for help or bring the help into the classroom.

Middle School

Many ESL students arrive at Dalat in the middle school years. We leave them in the regular classroom as much as possible but usually offer at least one special English class each day for their benefit. In grades 5 and 6, there is a Welcome Class available for students with English skills too low for them to benefit from the mainstream curriculum. Students remain in the Welcome Class for one year.

High School

New ESL students with English ability at the intermediate level or higher can begin at Dalat as late as grade 9. Grade 9 ESL students generally take two classes offering simplified English instruction. One English class with simplified instruction is offered in grade 10, but by grade 11 all students need to be fully functioning in English.

 Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When can an ESL student be enrolled at DIS?

A: Only at the beginning of each semester.

Q: If an ESL student arrives from a school system whose calendar is not August – June, how do you determine his grade placement?

A: ESL students are not allowed to skip grades, so sometimes students have to repeat part of a grade level, depending on the academic calendar of the school from which the student is coming. Our main goal is to place students at the level where they can be successful in school.

Q: How can I study for the language test?

A: We do not encourage students to study for the language test, because we want to know the student’s actual ability in English, not his knowledge of the test questions. Generally, the test assesses pronunciation, listening and reading comprehension, fluency and grammatical correctness in speaking and writing, and lots of vocabulary.

Q: How long does the language test take?

A: About 1.5 hours, depending on the speed at which the student works.

Q: If a student passes the language test, does that mean he will be enrolled at Dalat?

A: No. The language test result is one component to make the admission decision. All the application documents are important.

Q: Does DIS enroll beginning-level English students?

A: Only in the early elementary grades.

Q: Does DIS enroll low-intermediate level English students?

A: Yes, in the elementary grades. Also in grades 5 and 6 we offer a Welcome Class for students with a low-intermediate level of English.

Q: Does DIS enroll intermediate-level English students?

A: This is the level at which many of our ESL students begin their education at DIS.

Q: When do the ESL classes meet?

A: During the school day, usually at the same time the other students are studying English, or what we often call “Language Arts.”

Q: Do you require that ESL students take after-school tuition?

A: Sometimes, especially those who need extra help with their English.

Q: Are DIS teachers available to give after-school tuition?

A: No, DIS teachers are not allowed to contract to give special lessons, though Dalat teachers are very willing to help students with special needs on occasion.

Q: How long will it take for a student to be able to join the full mainstream curriculum?

A: That depends on many factors, including the level at which the student began at Dalat, and his or her age and motivation. We will do all we can to help each child make maximum progress and be successful in school!