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Our philosophy is that all teachers are language teachers. Our goal is for students to achieve proficiency in English, the language of instruction, as well as in the second language German, the host country’s language.
At Anton Bruckner International School the purpose of the ESL program is to provide students with the support they need to feel comfortable and to learn in everyday situations in the classroom.
In order to assess the ESL needs of the child prior to starting school, the prospective parents are asked to complete a questionnaire to develop a Language Profile for the student. Shortly after starting at Anton Bruckner, teachers and parents meet to discuss progress, growth and goals. The aim of this meeting is to highlight any potential issues that might have emerged and to explain the ESL support that will be provided to the student.
ESL lessons focus on developing communications skills that are necessary for the student to feel comfortable and safe in the class and throughout school. The initial emphasis of ESL lessons will be on speaking and understanding English. Each lesson is planned to suit the needs of the child. These lessons will continue until the child meets the exit criteria.
Awareness of various languages provides learners with multiple and diverse world views, enhancing their international mindedness. All students will have opportunities to learn about the German language and Austrian culture.
From age 6 on, German is taught in two parallel streams, one for native/fluent speakers and one for those students learning German as an additional language.
We believe it is important to allow the students in early years (3 and 4 year olds) to consolidate and develop their mother tongue and/or English before beginning formal lessons in an additional language. Therefore formal timetabled lessons in German are taught from ELC (approx. 6 years old). Informal opportunities for students to use and be exposed to German will occur regularly within the early year’s classrooms. Native German speakers will begin more formal lessons in German at the same age as they would within the Austrian system.
We are unable to offer other additional languages but will help families find teachers who may assist studying outside their home by providing opportunities for these students to maintain their mother tongue.
After School Classes for native speakers of Spanish, Italian and Polish have been offered outside of school hours.
Our German Programme provides a language-rich environment and, although most of our emphasis is focused on the development of English, we include an opportunity for Austrian students to express themselves in the school in their home language. We focus on listening and speaking skills, with activities that include oral work, telling and acting stories, structured play and learning songs. German Mother Tongue classes commence in the Primary (6 years onwards) where they start developing language skills (speaking, reading and writing).
Awareness of various languages provides learners with multiple and diverse world views, enhancing their international mindedness. All students will have opportunities to learn about the German language and Austrian culture.
From age 6 on, German is taught in two parallel streams, one for native/fluent speakers and one for those students learning German as an additional language.
We believe it is important to allow the students in early years (3 and 4 year olds) to consolidate and develop their mother tongue and/or English before beginning formal lessons in an additional language. Therefore formal timetabled lessons in German are taught from ELC (approx. 6 years old). Informal opportunities for students to use and be exposed to German will occur regularly within the early year’s classrooms. Native German speakers will begin more formal lessons in German at the same age as they would within the Austrian system.
We are unable to offer other additional languages but will help families find teachers who may assist studying outside their home by providing opportunities for these students to maintain their mother tongue.
After School Classes for native speakers of Spanish, Italian and Polish have been offered outside of school hours.
Our German Programme provides a language-rich environment and, although most of our emphasis is focused on the development of English, we include an opportunity for Austrian students to express themselves in the school in their home language. We focus on listening and speaking skills, with activities that include oral work, telling and acting stories, structured play and learning songs. German Mother Tongue classes commence in the Primary (6 years onwards) where they start developing language skills (speaking, reading and writing).
For students who are learning German as a foreign language, we develop language skills to enable students to speak, read and write with increasing fluency, so enabling our students to enjoy and better understand their host country.