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Curriculum
Dalat International School offers an American-style,
college-preparatory curriculum. In our continuous efforts to create high
achievement for all students, Dalat International School bases its
curriculum on standards set
by McRel, a world-wide recognized, private, nonprofit organization located
in Aurora, Colorado, USA. To see a full list of benchmarks and subjects go
to:
www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/.
In addition to these foundations, Dalat also uses an
Expected School-wide
Learning Results (ESLRs), employing teaching methods that focuses on
Kagan
cooperative learning and activity based content learning.
Kindergarten Program
Dalat has an excellent kindergarten program using proven instructional
strategies to teach age-appropriate content and skills according to McREL
standards and the school ESLRs.
Students are well-prepared for success in elementary grades and enter grade
one well-prepared academically, socially and behaviorally.
Elementary Program (Grades 1 to 4)
Quality elementary instruction is one in which the students are engaged,
participating and able to recall and apply what they are learning to
real-life situations. The
elementary teachers implement Kagan cooperative learning structures in the
classroom, a positive addition to more fully engage students in the learning
process.
The ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) test results from 2004-2007 suggest
that the elementary curriculum is effective.
Core scores for all grades are usually over the 80% to 90% against
the norm.
Middle School Program (Grades 5 to 8)
The systematic, sequential and biblical-based middle school instruction has
equal access for all students, including ESL students and special services
needs, with emphasis on learning in a positive social environment that
successfully prepares them for an American-based secondary education.
The Student Advisor Team (SAT) involve all students in small groups
at the beginning of every day to work on organization, character and
teambuilding skills. Recent
changes include alignment of the middle school daily schedule with the high
school and the universal requirement for daily band class.
Middle School student performance on the
ITBS indicated the overall
effectiveness of the curriculum.
The middle school curriculum also follows the benchmarks and
standards of McREL.
Based on the ITBS Dalat middle school students have shown continued increase
in their percentile ranking at 80% against the norm in both the core and
composite scores.
High School Program
Day to day instruction is based on curriculum that aligns with McREL
standards and benchmarks.
Quality high school instruction has consistent integration of biblical
concepts and ESLRs with the course content.
High school teachers apply “brain friendly” strategies as well as use
appropriate cooperative learning structures to meet the diverse learning
styles and English-language competencies in their classrooms. Significant
changes have been made in the expansion of course core subjects and
different online opportunities.
Dalat has recently expanded the number of classes it offers in core
disciplines: a Basic English class; selected honors classes in English,
social studies, and the sciences, and new AP courses: Music Theory,
Psychology, and Mandarin.
Dalat has implemented its own online learning program called
DISCourse Web with all full-time
high school teachers required to have at least one of their classes using
this educational tool. Dalat
has a dedicated staff member to help students with online course providers:
Virtual High
School (VHS) and
SevenStar Academy.
Cooperative learning structures are formally introduced into high school
instructional.
For those looking for a more rigorous course of study Dalat has expanded the
number of Advanced Placement, AP courses that create an ‘honors’ curriculum
for some core classes. Dalat currently offers nine AP courses on campus and
many others offered online. The school started offering the
Advanced Merit Diploma (AMD) program that encourages
exceptional students to pursue an aggressive program of AP courses,
community service and a senior exhibition on a topic of personal interest to
them.
The school’s Guidance and Special
Services Departments have staff members who can professionally identify and
help some high school students on a one-to-one basis with certain learning
disabilities.
Parents who send their young adults to Dalat do so because they want them to
excel in an English-language college preparatory program.
That is an almost universal "need" that parents of different racial,
ethnic, and culture share in common.
The school’s increasing use of cooperative learning structures in its
instructional program and expanded ESL Department
support are based on a desire to help students of different backgrounds meet
this need. The high school
curriculum also reflects its Asian context by offering unique courses such
as four Mandarin language courses and South East Asian Studies.
Secondary teachers also infuse the curriculum they teach with specific
culturally, ethnically, and/or racially appropriate units of instruction.
Specific examples include recognizing solid fuel rocket technology by
the Chinese (Physical Science), the cultural significance of different
colors (English), current Asian affairs (World Affairs class), Asian
symbolism in writing (ESL English), culture-specific psychological disorders
(AP Psychology), different cultural proverbs (Old Testament Issues class),
Australian football and badminton (PE)
Dalat International School is
accredited by the
Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the
Association of Christian Schools International. It is also a member of
the East Asia Regional Conference of Overseas Schools International.
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