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Inclusion Policy Academic Integrity Policy Admission Assessment Policy Language Policy

International College University School’s

Inclusion Policy


ICUS Mission Statement

At ICUS we believe that all students have the right to learn in a safe and secure learning environment supported by qualified and caring adults. We will provide them with challenging international educational program to develop their personal, physical, mental, emotional and social health. Our graduates will be ready to join the changing world by being actively involved in the local and global community.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:
- Ensure equal opportunities and education to different students
- Ensure that every student reaches their full potential.
- Outline the responsibility and role of all members of the school community
- Describe the methods used to meet the needs of each student.

Philosophy

ICUS believes in the International Baccalaureate goal to make learning more inclusive and diverse. ICUS strives to create a better learning community where each student can meet their full potential and more. A diverse and more inclusive learning environment creates better opportunities for students to learn about their needs. The school goal is to remove all barriers to education by making it easily accessible to the community. ICUS strives to ensure our students are internationally-minded and caring (Standard 0101-03). Not only respect diversity, but we also encourage it. One of the school’s main goals is to remove all barriers to learning and help make it accessible to more people.

Legal Requirements

ICUS adheres to all local and IB regulations regarding students with special needs counting: Local laws:
- The Ministry of Education’s national plan for inclusion and special education in classrooms all over Iraq and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Law 38 of 2013 on the Care of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs). It caters to special needs students, disabled students, and talented and gifted students. It also ensures equal opportunity, education, and integration for each student.
Teachers use differentiation with instructional strategies, classroom materials, and assessment methods to guarantee each student’s learning style and need. We acknowledge that each student has different needs, learning preferences, goals, and abilities. There is no one-size-fits-all. Students also learn and acquire knowledge and information in different ways. We aim to provide tailor-made guidance, accommodations, and challenges to challenge personal growth and success.

Roles and responsibilities of the school community:

School:

- provides guidance and arrangements for students with special needs to help them make informed decisions when applying to the school.
- raises staff awareness of students’ needs and how to care for them
- is responsible for giving and providing teachers with the special tools and resources needed to implement the Inclusion Policy.
- takes into consideration that some subjects might be strenuous for some students: teachers provide them with extra help and modifications.
- has the students’ best interest at heart and works collaboratively with the school community to ensure that each student reaches their full potential.
- has no tolerance for bullying.
- creates community links that promote inclusion.
- celebrates events and activities that promote intercultural appreciation.
- puts in place processes to remove barriers to learning for every member of the school community.
- ensures that international-mindedness is in the school ethos through mission statements and policies.
- creates community links that promote inclusion.
- celebrates events and activities that promote intercultural appreciation.
- encourage participation in school decision-making by all members of the learning community.
- encourage safe and respectful dialogues.
- encourage independent and collective thinking.

IB Coordinator:

- maintains discretion and confidence in providing special education needs services.
- works with the learning community to provide and support students with special needs.
- encourages open communication among teachers and between students with learning support requirements.
- ensures quality decision-making about learning support and assessment accommodations.
- creates a nurturing environment of collaboration, respect, support, and problem-solving.
- has no tolerance for bullying.

Teachers

- can identify struggling learners and refers the student to the IB coordinator as needed
- implement appropriate accommodation and modification to the program when needed to support students.
- maintain accurate records of students’ progress .
- participate in all required training when available.
- maintain discretion and confidentiality in providing special education needs services.
- challenge assumptions through inquiries that honor diversity (for example, writers from diverse cultures, male and female pioneers, inventors from a broad range of backgrounds, public figures/ representatives from local and global communities).
- challenge disrespectful or insensitive behavior and comments.
- no tolerance for bullying.
- reinforce desired values, disposition, and behaviors in class and the playground.
- provide ongoing opportunities to discuss and reflect on cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and social diversity.
- convey diversity through the use and display of languages, images, and books.
- encourage and support students to explore multiple perspectives.
- share their own experiences, interests, and viewpoints with students.
- show respect and kindness to all community members.
- model internationally-minded values and dispositions.
- are prepared to respond to and discuss strenuous topics such as national identity or local and global conflicts

Parents

- communicates and gives the school all the information and documentation regarding their child’s learning support requirement.
- communicates with the school regarding any changes in their child’s learning support requirement and special educational needs and any other issues that may affect their learning.
- provides the documentation needed for their child .
- plays an active role in their child’s education.
- maintains an open mind and works collaboratively with the school.

Students

- ask for assistance from the school administrators, faculty, and staff : .
- are active participants in classes .
- follow IB policies and procedures .
- accept their responsibilities and exercise their rights while respecting other people’s rights .
- listen to other perspectives without making judgments .
- share their cultural traditions and stories in classroom discussions and assemblies .
- value peers and teachers for who they are .
- include others in games in the playground and social activities .
- engage with different students in the playground and inquiry groups .
- are tolerant and respectful .
- show empathy by understanding and sharing the feelings of others .
- learn to be aware that body language can also send messages of inclusion or exclusion .
- let go of their assumptions or prejudices .
- treat everyone with mutual respect, including those who speak a different language, come from a different country, or have a different learning need or belief .
- resolve conflict through dialogue .
- help new students feel at home in the learning community .
- take responsibility for their actions .
- model appropriate behaviors when teachers see insensitive behavior.

Connection to other IB policies:

Inclusion and Admissions:

During the admissions process, applicants provide complete documentation of their academic history and educational evaluations. Applicants present (if possible) details of extra academic or specialist support they have had or are currently receiving (evaluation reports, individualized learning plans or individualized education plans, documentation of diagnosis, etc.).
The school expects families to disclose evaluation reports (pedagogic psychological speech, occupational therapy, and modified test) or documentation that informs if a student needs additional services in class.
Students go through an evaluation process (before being accepted) to gauge their degree of education and know-how to support them.

Inclusion and Language:

Students wishing to be accepted must take an English screening test before entry (as already mentioned in the Admission Policy) to ensure accurate phase placement.
Students with identified learning difficulties are granted inclusive access arrangements (e.g., additional time, assistive technology, etc.) for the placement test.
They are also given extra support in class: the teachers give them supplementary material to go through, along with differentiated worksheets and assessments appropriate for their level. Teachers work together with the student and parent to provide extra lessons when necessary.

Inclusion and Assessment:

Students with identified learning difficulties are allowed inclusive access arrangements and reasonable adjustments (e.g., additional time, use of assistive technology, breaks, etc.) for all assessments in one or more subjects throughout the year, as appropriate to their needs. Students with special needs and gifted and talented students take a differentiated test to help challenge them.

Procedure of Inclusion

When a student identified as special needs like (ADHD, mental disabilities or dyslexia) teachers give a report about this students and present it to pedagogical leadership team and there will be a special committee of different needs (language committee, and special needs committee) to determine what step they will start with the case. After using a written and special plan according to the identified case the student will have another test to make sure that student can catch up with expectations of the knowledge. Teachers and program coordinator follow different strategies to overcome the difficulties of learning regardless of what kind of barriers are they, emotional like resistance to change and fear of failure, personal like different learning style or motivational like lack of pre-knowledge. At ICUS we believe that all students have the right to get a special plan either the student is low achiever, high achiever or middle.

To be reviewed annually by the assessment committee Approved by: Resources: Learning Diversity in International Baccalaureate Programs: Special Education Needs within the International Baccalaureate Programs (2010) Meeting Student Learning Diversity in the Classroom (2013) Learning diversity and inclusion in IB programs (2016)
https://education-profiles.org/northern-africa-and-western-asia/iraq/~inclusion
https://www.ispringsolutions.com/blog/barriers-to-learning#emotional-barriers


International College University School’s

Academic Integrity Policy

ICUS Mission Statement:

At ICUS we believe that all students have the right to learn in a safe and secure learning environment supported by qualified and caring adults. We will provide them with challenging international educational program to develop their personal, physical, mental, emotional and social health. Our graduates will be ready to join the changing world by being actively involved in the local and global community.

Philosophy:

Respecting our shared educational commitment and working collaboratively to enforce the moral code of the ethical policy is the school community responsibility. At ICUS all the learning community is required to promote their action with trust, fairness and honesty.

Teachers’ responsibilities:

- Teaching students the honest, fair and have full understanding of what academic misconduct is and what is the consequences of the transgression.
- Give feedback and ensure to activate the academic integrity policy .
- Plan a manageable workload, students can allocate time to produce work.
- Save students work to avoid any lost and students have multiple opportunities to participate in academic integrity with guidance.
- Respond to students’ academic work and give feedback to avoid the academic misconduct.

Coordinator responsibilities: the program coordinator work to ensure:

- All students and teachers have a clear idea about the academic integrity policy
- Follow up with teachers and students when practicing all activities related to investigation.
- All stakeholders comply the rules of the academic integrity
- Reporting suspected instance of students’ academic misconduct and school maladministration to school administration or IB.

Students’ responsibilities to ensure the academic integrity:

- have a full understanding of their school IB policies
- respond to acts of student academic misconduct and report them to their teachers and/or program coordinator
- respond to acts of school maladministration and report them to their teachers and/or program coordinator
- complete all assignments, tasks, examinations and quizzes in an honest manner and to the best of their abilities
- give credit to used sources in all work submitted to the IB for assessment in written and oral materials and/or artistic products
- show a responsible use of the internet and associated social media platforms

What is the academic misconduct?

- Plagiarism is the act of attempting to pass off another person’s work as your own. Avoiding the plagiarism is the first step to the academic integrity. Simply plagiarism should be avoided due to many reason one of them is that when you plagrize a work it means that you will not understand the work that you have done, and it’s disrespectful of other’s work. Paraphrasing is also a type of plagiarism which is repeating or rewriting someone else’s words or ideas, usually changing some of the words or presenting the information in a different sequence.

https://summer.harvard.edu/academic-opportunities-support/services/resources-to-support-academic-integrity /


International College University School’s

Admission Policy

IB Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

ICUS Mission Statement

At ICUS we believe that all students have the right to learn in a safe and secure learning environment supported by qualified and caring adults. We will provide them with challenging international educational program to develop their personal, physical, mental, emotional and social health. Our graduates will be ready to join the changing world by being actively involved in the local and global community.

ICU school Philosophy:

At International College University School, we encourage the child's social-emotional development, cognitive growth, and creativity. Our learners acquire in a positive atmosphere, with careful supervision and guidance from instructors who care about and know each child individually. The ICUs is dedicated to hiring exceptional instructors and providing our educators with the greatest quality professional growth. From kindergarten through Year 5, we provide a comprehensive International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) (ages 4-11). Providing the opportunity for kids to find and explore their passions while fostering peer community.

Admission procedure:

1. The student explores the school for one full day before scheduling a second appointment based on the teachers' and admission committee recommendations. During the initial visit, parents book an appointment then instructors conduct a formal interview with the student.
2. The Admission Committee focused on students' abilities to be productive and collaborative learners, as well as their capacity to become engaged citizens in our school community.
3. Students take an English entrance examination based on the criteria for each grade level (1 to 9) that is already divided into three: Firstly the academic tests that focus on language, Mathematics and Arabic, The 3–5 Grades must exhibit English competency. A comprehensive English language examination may be admissible evidence of English language competency. Secondly the social interview, students will be asked a variety of questions regarding their social lives, personalities, daily routines, various talents, and mindsets. We suggest that students provide samples of projects that they are proud of or that highlight hobbies or areas about which they are enthusiastic. Work that shows intellectual or artistic work, group projects, athletics, community service, travel experience, dancing, theatrical, and whatever other topics. Thirdly students will do the Intelligence Quotient tests in order to build on student’s level and assess mental abilities, the tests will be administered in five distinct categories, attention, memory, visual, linguistic, and logical-mathematical areas are among them.These enrollment exams are not focused on any educational system. Purpose of providing a valid evaluation of the academic attainment and potential of applicants from various educational origins and educational backgrounds, the content of the tests and the assessment instruments used must also be varied; diverse in nature in order to reflect an international perspective and ensure equity of access.
4. The admission committee discusses all the information about the admitted students to make the last decision.
5. When an application and assessments are submitted, reviewed by the Admissions Committee, which is mainly composed of the Head of School, the Primary Principal, the program coordinator and the admission committee who aim to draw a conclusion within one week, subject to any further follow-up that may be necessary. Based on all of the information obtained throughout the application process.
6. If the student’s academic level needs support, the school will be responsible for developing students’ needs during the summer school.

Admission and Assessment Policy

Students are assessed at the beginning of their journey at ICUS to determine their abilities and interests to build a correct plan for the admitted student. Receiving students’ documents and previous report cards from any school is also important to enhance or improve student’s level who registers in PYP from 2-5 grades. Making a good balance between the documents that school already received and the entrance exams in admission procedure is highly considered to make decision about student’s admission.

Admission and Language Policy

For PYP students who enter grades 3 to 5 must give evidence of English language proficiency. At the beginning of the year a group of experts with high degrees of education has been specialized by the pedagogical leadership team to support the language of instruction and examine students’ abilities in different languages to have a language profile for each admitted students.

Admission and Inclusion Policy

During the admission process, applicants should provide the school with student’s documents that appear the academic history. The school has been assigned a plan to make students easily adapted with school community.

Admission and Academic Integrity Policy

The school is responsible to determine student’s abilities and needs by the school committee and provide the legal guardian with school policies and procedure to follow them. Parents or legal guardian should promise to follow up with the student to manage student’s level in learning.

Requirements to new applicants:

- For new applicants from pre-school to G1 parents should complete the vaccination card of the student and should be confirmed from the ministry of health.
- From grades 2-5 the school should receive a deed movement for this student from the previous school.
- Completing the school procedure to be admitted by giving evidence of their abilities to lean and adapt with new program.
- Usually the school have the right to visit the family at home to observe socio-economic and cultural conditions and follow a good strategy to support or develop them.

To be reviewed annually by the assessment committee Approved by:

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International College University School’s

Assessment Policy


IB Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

ICUS Mission Statement

At ICUS we believe that all students have the right to learn in a safe and secure learning environment supported by qualified and caring adults. We will provide them with challenging international educational program to develop their personal, physical, mental, emotional and social health. Our graduates will be ready to join the changing world by being actively involved in the local and global community.

Philosophy:

At ICUS, we believe in success: assessing knowledge is more than an evaluation. Assessment is an ongoing mechanism for providing instructors with data to improve their teaching strategies and methods. In other words, teachers guide and motivate learners to be involved in their learning process. Our goal in assessment is to let students assess themselves and take charge of their learning. Therefore, regulated by the Primary Year Program (PYP) –assessment goal, ICUS assessment supports all stakeholders thoughtfully and effectively through the acquisition of subject-specific knowledge and skills, the understanding of concepts, and the development of approaches to learning.

Purpose of Assessment:

Assessment for learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their educators to decide where the learners are in their goals, where they need to go, and how best to get there (Assessment Reform Group, 2002). At ICUS, we believe that assessment is crucial in supporting students to effectively learn and succeed inside and outside ICUS, reflecting how teaching methods and strategies impact pupils, and informing parents and legal guardians about their progress. Consequently, ICUS utilizes assessment (which is a continual process of gathering, analyzing, reflecting, and acting on information about student learning) to inform teaching practice and progress. The purpose of assessment is evaluation, information, correction, and reinforcement of concepts and content.
The whole learning community is involved:
1. Students detect knowledge, understanding, and ongoing learning process.
2. Teachers monitor, document, measure, report, and adjust learning.
3. Parents and legal guardians understand the goals and progress of their children.
Altogether, the learning community must participate in the assessment process to identify the learning outcomes, curriculum, methods, and analysis of results. The learning community makes decisions to press priorities and professional development needs. ICUS uses assessments that support sufficient learning for students by acquiring and developing their skills (ATL; thinking, research, social, communication, and self-management skills) and implementing the IB learner profile. Both ATL and LP -engraved- assessments develop self-regulated learners that are agents for their learning. Students set their own learning goals, ask open-ended questions, generate motivation and perseverance, reflect on their achievements, try out different learning processes, self-assess as they learn, and adjust their learning process where necessary. Our assessments (along with learning and teaching) share some key characteristics: authenticity, clarity, variation, development, collaboration, interaction, and appraising (feedback and feed-forward). The key to a successful assessment is self-assessment: this is the first step in any evaluation.

Teacher-Student Role:

An efficient assessment supports successful learning. A structured evaluation helps enhance learning strategies, not only inside the school but also outside it. At ICUS, our evaluation carries different characteristics:
1. Authentic tasks: It has meaningful assignments where students apply knowledge beyond the classroom.
2. Congruent with instructions: It focuses on the learning goals, the learning success aspects, and the learning process (Portfolio).
3. Wide and varied: It uses different tools and methods to compile a complete profile of each student's progress.
4. Collaborative: It involves not only teachers but also students. The purpose of assessment is to enable students to assess themselves. It fosters their metacognition. Students are gradually given more responsibility during evaluations (selecting the products and performances, developing assessment criteria, and using tools for reflection and self-assessment) rather than fostering their dependence on teachers’ comments for guidance.
5. Developmental: It is equitable and offer fair opportunities for success to each student. It focuses on each student's progress, not as a whole. Thus, it uses multi-dimensional expressions of each student's learning.
6. Continuous and ongoing: Students have daily instructions (daily journaling). Students have frequent opportunities to gain feedback and modify their learning approaches to improve their progress. In addition, it gives the teacher opportunities to review instruction, content, strategies, and learning resources (Unit file).
7. Feedback: It is both live and written. Both help improve future performance (feedback to forwarding), enhance current knowledge, and improve how students approach learning (solo-taxonomy).
At ICUS, the assessment demonstrates the following notions: the knowledge, skills, strategies, attitudes, and progress of each student. Instead of focusing on their weaknesses and deeming them a failure, the school aims to help each student reach their full potential in life based on their strength.
Based on all that, each partner in the ICUS learning community has an important role and responsibility to fulfill:
- Teachers:
• Monitor progress and support students' progress .
• Recognize the achievements and needs of pupils (practice their skills).
• Develop present and future curriculum, plan, learn, and teach different strategies (self-assessment as an educator helps improve their practical skills).
• Support individual and group learning (Inclusion).
- Students:
• Select the materials and tools to demonstrate their learning.
• Reflect on their progress (self-assess) to achieve their learning objectives.
• Co-construct learning goals and success criteria .
• Develop the five essential elements of PYP: understand concepts, gain knowledge, acquire skills, develop attitudes and take action.
- Parents (legal guardians):
• Understand and appreciate their child's efforts, signs of progress, and achievement during the learning process.
• Provide teachers with information to assist in their child's learning.
• Improve learning.
• Provide appropriate motivation and support for learning and education.

Dimensions of Assessment:

Assessment at ICUS is a constant cycle of improvement. Data gathering is ongoing. It supports the development of knowledge, conceptual understanding, and skills. Teachers use four dimensions to inform, learn, and teach: monitoring, documenting, measuring, and reporting on learning. At ICUS, each has its function to measure and document learning. - Monitoring: To monitor and check on a student's progress, teachers use observations, questions, reflections, discussions with peers and teachers and marking feedback. Teachers use the following tools: open-ended tasks, traffic light self-assessment, exit cards, written and oral assessments, and learning portfolios. - Documenting is used to gather evidence of learning. At ICUS, documentation is both physical and digital- the school uses different media forms to display them (Facebook posts, website, Instagram stories…), students notebooks, learning logs, formatives data sheets for reading, writing and Math, conferences notes and daily work. Teachers also use portfolios, exit cards, and solo-taxonomy rubrics. - Measuring it is as important as documenting it. Measuring learning is related to the learning outcomes (success criteria). Then, the teacher analyses and uses data to inform teaching and learning. Some skills cannot be measured, such as well-being, attributes of learning profile, actions, and soft skills. So, we can use quizzes, research projects, and homework. - Reporting: teachers use report cards to describe the progress and achievement of the student's learning. At ICUS, parent-student-teacher conferences help in documenting progress.

Assessment Practices:

In brief, assessment is a mechanism for guiding and motivating students in their learning. It helps give feedback to both teachers, students and legal guardian. Not only crucial at the end of an inquiry, but it is also crucial throughout, beyond, and across inquiries. Thus, assessments ensure the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and conceptual understanding.
Generally, assessment has one of the three purposes:
1. Assessment for learning (formative assessment): teachers monitor student learning and adjust ongoing instruction. It is always developing and actionable, learner-centered, forward-thinking, and involves the entire learning community. Teachers conduct assessments throughout the learning process. For learners, formative assessment is crucial to evaluate their learning, build knowledge, identify strengths, continually improve schooling, and achieve education. It is feedback to forwarding assessment where students can apply and reflect to improve their current and future learning.
At ICUS, teachers use many tools and strategies to achieve formative assessment; debates, talks, role plays, weekly feedback, quizzes, projects, worksheets, and parent-student-teacher conferences.
2. Assessment of learning (summative assessment): Its goal is to measure skills, knowledge, and conceptual understanding at the end of each unit, year level, and program (end of PYP). For learners, teachers use summative assessment to understand their overall performance in the lesson and to understand whether they have met the learning outcomes. Teachers use different summative assessments; portfolios, tests, reports at the end of each trimester, exit projects, and exhibitions (for the final level grade in PYP- PYP 5 Exhibition).

Exhibition:

It is an opportunity for learners to develop their skills, conceptual understanding, and knowledge. ICUS students set their outcomes, create their planners, and prepare their material. Students regulate their guidelines, choose the right issue, develop deep understanding, document the learning process, and finally exhibit their learning to the learning community.
1. Assessment as learning (part of the formative assessment):
it occurs when students actively take responsibility for their learning (self-assessment) and monitor future development (metacognition). Students reflect on their work, usually through self and peer assessment.

Links to Policies: Assessment and Admission

At ICUS we assess students to observe their level of thinking, progress and performance. In PYP pre-school we assess them through based summative assessments. They are assessed to monitor their progress, improvement and performance as well as to control students’ needs and take into account the instructional goals over a period of time. From age 7-8 we depend on academic abilities and set learning goals for different levels of thinking and let them ready by the end of the summer school.

Assessment and language Policy

Since the language of instruction in our bilingual school is the English language, students who are not native speakers will continue learning the second language.
Assessing students’ language in pre-school happens only to observe the ability of communication.
Form age 7-8 teachers are required to develop and assess the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening and start using the grammatical structure in a correct way.
From age 8-11 students are assessed and developed according to the comprehension skills by reading and analyzing texts.

Assessment and Inclusion Policy

According to students levels of understanding, teachers use different methods while formative assessment with additional time. As well in summative assessment, teachers and coordinator make differentiation in assessment according to students’ abilities. When students who face difficulties with learning to present the authentic exam or project work, the criteria to achieve is defiantly fits their work so that they can do the work better.

Assessment and Academic Integrity Policy:

At ICUS we enthuse to develop students’ level of thinking, performance and progress, and give them more opportunities to be assessed. Students might be assessed by authentic examinations, project works and presentation so that students have the ownership to choose the way wanted to be assessed. Through this step student are taught to be a risk-taker and honest. To be reviewed annually by the assessment committee Approved by:



International College University School’s

Language Policy


ICUS Mission Statement:

At ICUS we believe that all students have the right to learn in a safe and secure learning environment supported by qualified and caring adults. We will provide them with challenging international educational program to develop their personal, physical, mental, emotional and social health.
Our graduates will be ready to join the changing world by being actively involved in the local and global community.

Philosophy:

At ICUS we are in harmony with the IB Beliefs and values in language as mentioned in Making PYP Happen.
The need to communicate is intuitive, the development of language skills is fundamental to that need to communicate and gives the students the opportunities to solve problems and think creatively. Teaching English has a fundamental role in enhancing learners’ educational and professional opportunities with their language skills they need to become productive members in their community.
Language plays a vital role in the construction of meaning as well. It empowers the learner and provides an intellectual framework to support conceptual development. How languages are learned is the starting point for a language policy in which the language philosophy should be written in way that all the school community can understand what has been claimed. The language policy is essential to learning in which students should learn one additional language to their mother tongue. At ICUS we believe that the language teachers, administrators and librarians are responsible for a professional development in language and learning as well as parents. Otherwise, at ICUS we think that it is important to take into account the needs and wishes of the school community so that they lead us to effective practices where it will be applied.

Purpose:

This language policy is a working document consistent with the stipulated principles and practices of the IB. This policy is intended to provide an overview and guiding principles for language learning at ICUS which performs the whole school curriculum through authentic contexts in a culturally rich and diverse environment. The ICUS Language policy outlines our linguistic goals and defines the programme designed to help our students accomplish these goals and become proficient communicators. The ICUS language policy aim is to nurture the understanding that language is a powerful tool in achieving effective self-expression and global communication. At ICUS we believe that the mastery of English language and the proficiency of the mother tongue boosts the cultural identity. At ICUS we also take into account the socio-cultural circumstances of each school community and work on the language policy to be flexible.

Language profile:

At ICUS approximately 70% of our students speak English as a second language while the Arabic language is their mother tongue language. English is the language of instruction at ICUS. ICUS students are required to speak English within the classroom and are motivated to use it outside the classroom to reinforce to be fluent English speakers. Administrators, teachers and other school staff are required to speak English with the students. Moreover, for Arabic teachers, they support the mother language well. The aim of all IB programs is to develop internationally minded people who shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. ICUS is committed to supporting multilingualism as fundamental to increasing intercultural understanding and international-mindedness. Students' language profile and portraits which is dynamic based on factors like community, changing family dynamic, students’ age, students’ preferences, language backgrounds… The role of teachers is as facilitators to students’ language development and provide students with the acquisition of knowledge to become good communicators.

Admission policy:

At ICUS, the applicants to all grade levels are required to take an entrance exam in English, Arabic and Mathematics aiming to help the school to identify their proficiency as well as their exam is based the goal of observing their IQ (Intelligence quotient). ICUS takes into account the role of language profile in admissions. ICUS, accepts students whose age range is 4 to 5 as KG1 students, 5 to 6 as KG2 students and 6 to 7 as grade 1 students and works on developing their literacy skills. In addition, from KGs to grade 3, students are tested through language while grade 4 and 5 they are tested through language, grammar and comprehension skills to identify their IQ. At ICUS, The head of school, program coordinator and respective Supervisors are responsible for interviewing parents and prospective pupils and ensuring that the school can meet the student’s needs and give them support. ICUS doesn’t distinguish on the base of nationality, race or religion.
-Students should show an acceptable level in both Arabic and English language.
-If students face language difficulties or additional learning needs, they will be provided with learning support program in school.
-The students whose English language is not their mother tongue, they will be required to submit an English text writing as evidence of their proficiency and achievement as well as they will be asked to continue the placement test.

Language program overview:

At ICUS, the language program is based on bilingual education program which enables learners to become competent in listening, reading, writing and speaking in the target language through developing their linguistic abilities. ICUS emphasizes supporting students’ mother tongue language which is the Arabic language. As language is central to learning, students should learn at least one language in addition to their mother tongue. All language teachers should facilitate communication skills and language development. ICUS strives to boost student’s English language throughout the year as well as by making support courses in summer.

Language Programs

English language
At ICUS, English language is considered to be the language of instruction. The school follows the different resources. English is taught since KG1. ICUS supports language development to guarantee that students have an improved capacity to think, talk and reflect on how languages work. Students are required to speak English inside the classroom and are supported to use it outside the classroom. The main purpose of the English course is to strengthen the four basic skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. ICUS insists on the notion that PYP students should learn at least one additional language and communicate confidently and creatively in more than one language, because through language students can express identity and become effective inquirers. In addition, the school has language support and structure in place to ensure inclusivity for students whose language of instruction isn’t their home or family language or their prior school experience. The school emphasizes boosting and developing each student’s written and oral communication skills, when the shows skillfulness, he will no longer need support in the target language. As the language of communication for the school community is English, all written communications from school is in English as well as we are adaptable of any requirements parents need for clarifications in their preferred language. Furthermore, ICUS teachers are responsible for language development of students, in that case, we are capable of improving or developing links between subject areas throughout the year. They all revise the language scope and sequence to make sure that it is as pertinent as possible. English language is taught in a manner that is appropriate for students who are near native competency in the language.
Arabic Language
As long as ICUS an international school based in Iraq, the Arabic language is considered to be a basic part in the school curriculum. Arabic is the mother tongue of the majority of students since they live in the local community. English as a second language (ESL) students may face learning difficulties in the Arabic language, hence Arabic teachers are required to support them within the year and in Summer school. The regular Arabic class fosters the four basic skills as well: Listening, reading, writing and speaking. Moreover, each student’s languages may be developed in different contexts depending on their social and academic experiences.
ICUS provides each grade level with teaching Arabic language five times per week in addition to Islamic religion two times per week. Arabic reading comprehension will be covered through written explanations and reading which contains different and basic linguistic and literary aspects.
At ICUS, teaching in the mother tongue language is supported by the ministry of education by providing the Arabic teachers with resources. As well as they follow the curriculum of the ministry.
In addition, Arabic teachers integrate with all units of inquiry for all grade levels. At the end of each trimester, teachers submit written assessments for all grade levels to assess their development in the target subject. Arabic language is taught at standard level or in a manner that is appropriate for students whose language is their mother tongue. Arabic teachers take into account how students have learned and illustrate their learning through their ability to work hard and their writing and speaking skills.

Assessment policy:

At ICUS, students are assessed through the four basic skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Each trimester, students are also assessed through a based summative assessments to provide students with information on student’s language development and monitor their progress. The assessment at the school is intrinsic with planning and teaching. ICUS follows the IB recommendations. All student’s language needs are settled through ongoing assessments throughout the year. Teachers use differentiation to control the range of students’ needs in different ways. At ICUS, students are engaged in their own learning through the use of portfolio assessments that boost and support the instructional goals over a period of time. The aim behind the assessment is to observe student’s performance and progress and to improve their learning skills. The assessments provide teachers, students and parents with a precise background of student’s performance, improvement and progress and they are built on self-confidence. In addition, students are provided with the opportunity to recoup missed summative assessments when their absence is officially justified.

Support services:

ICUS library offers access to different printed books in English. It includes professional books, articles, science books, history books and also assessment packs to support student comprehension skills.
ICUS language policy is regularly reviewed as well as it will be reviewed after 4 years. Leadership members (head of school, PYP coordinator, designed teachers) are responsible for monitoring the language policy. The development of this policy has taken into account: Brainstorming with the school community including collecting data via questionnaires and focused discussions.
Establishing of student’s language profile community by gathering data via parents and students.

References:

Making the PYP happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education
mtpyph_doc.pdf
- Guidelines for developing a school language policy.
- Learning and teaching
To be reviewed annually by the admission committee
Approved by: