Makowski ECC #99

At Stanley Makowski ECC #99- IB World School, we believe that language is fundamental for social, emotional and cognitive development for all students. This includes all aspects of learning and the ability to express oneself through speaking, reading, writing, drawing, acting and non-verbal communication. Language is central in driving our students to effectively read, write, listen and speak. We believe that all teachers are teachers of language. Through every subject and interaction, teachers’ model and develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills that support both academic growth and personal expression. We provide our students with authentic and meaningful learning experiences that embed opportunities to use language through play, debate, presentations, art, role playing and the traditional teaching of language skills across all subject areas. Our goal is to ensure that students gain the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage confidently in a multilingual world. Language connects all our curriculum elements and ultimately supports the mission of our school. We believe that literacy instruction should connect to our units of inquiry, instilling an intrinsic love of learning by using a balance of conceptual investigations, exploration of inquiry-based units and instruction that is differentiated to the needs of each learner. We aim to build life-long readers and writers.

Our teachers establish a caring language community to enhance the language learning of all students. Makowski works to promote a language-rich campus for all students. Our primary goal is to ensure that all students receive equitable access to the curriculum and to instruction that is differentiated to meet our students' academic needs.

In the classroom, language development is intentionally supported for all students through the integration of the ATL (Approaches to Learning) Skills:

• Communication Skills – provide students with opportunities to listen actively, express ideas clearly and engage in meaningful discussions across a variety of contexts
• Thinking Skills – develops students’ use of language to analyze, evaluate and reflect on their learning through critical and creative expression
• Social Skills – foster collaboration with peers, build relationships and learn to appreciate diverse perspectives and linguistic backgrounds
• Self-Management - Support independent use of self-expression, self-regulation and advocacy
• Research Skills – Gather and synthesize information, ask questions and use language to construct new understanding

Language is also nurtured in every classroom through the intentional integration of the IB Learner Profile Attributes. As communicators, students are encouraged to express their ideas clearly, listen actively to others, and engage in dialogue across multiple languages. By being open minded, learners explore and appreciate the diverse languages and cultures represented in our school community, recognizing that every language carries unique perspectives. Caring is reflected when students support peers who are developing new language skills, fostering an inclusive and safe environment for risk taking. As risk takers, students are willing to experiment with new vocabulary, sentence structures, and modes of communication, knowing that mistakes are a natural part of learning. Through these attributes, our classrooms become language rich environments where students feel empowered to communicate, inquire, and connect with the world.

Makowski recognizes that families play a vital role in supporting language development, both at school and at home. Our school actively encourages parents to engage in their child’s language learning journey by valuing and promoting the use of home languages and participating in language-rich experiences. Our school provides a variety of resources including community partnerships, outreach programs, workshops and community events to empower families and support the development of language while creating meaningful experiences. To ensure successful communication for all families, Makowski disseminates information in multiple languages, provides translators whenever feasible, and offers assistance from local agencies.

All students at Makowski receive instruction in Chinese as an additional language. Learning Chinese provides students with the opportunity to develop communication skills in a language beyond their mother tongue and fosters an appreciation for diverse cultures. This experience supports the development of international mindedness by encouraging students to explore different perspectives, make global connections, and engage as active participants in an interconnected world.

To ensure equity for English Language Learners (ELL), our school aims to provide educational opportunities that will result in high academic achievement. As required by federal and state guidelines, all students enrolled at Makowski will complete a Home Language Questionnaire indicating the language most often spoken in the home, as well as additional languages spoken. An individual interview will be conducted with students, parents, LAC Specialist & an interpreter. The interview includes a review of prior assessments, academic experiences, reading & writing in English, reading & writing in home language, math, ‘potential’ SIFE, and review and conversation regarding prior schooling. A language proficiency team will make a determination on program placement. (See flow chart placement found HERE.) Stanley Makowski’s language policy is at the forefront of education and is continuously evolving to reflect current research, updated literature, and best practices.