English as a Second Language Overview

English as a Second Language (ESL) Programme
Click here for the ESL Course Guide
Saint Margaret's School has an excellent record of preparing international students for successful entrance to universities and colleges in Canada, the US, and countries around the world. Saint Margaret's goal is to help students complete British Columbia high school graduation requirements with sufficiently high marks to enter university while teaching them the skills needed to thrive in a post-secondary institution.

Saint Margaret's ensures that each student is provided an educational programme that matches her unique strengths and requirements. Once accepted by the School, international students participate in a variety of tests and observations, including standardized English language proficiency testing, to ensure proper placement in the ESL Programme.

This is usually done during the two week Orientation for International Students in August, but may happen at any time throughout the year. Progress through the ESL Programme is flexible and dependent on continued student achievement. Each stage of the student's ESL education supports the important long-term goal of successful graduation and entrance to university or the post-secondary institution of her choice.

There are three options for international students entering Saint Margaret's School:

Regular Classroom
An international student whose English is strong enough to succeed in the classroom without substantial ESL support will be placed in a regular class at an age-appropriate grade level. In the senior grades she may be required to take a writing course if she has weaknesses in that area.

Bridge Programme
An international student whose English ability is adequate for study in the regular classroom but needs ESL support will be placed in the Bridge Programme at an age-appropriate grade level. The Bridge Programme is designed to support the student in her regular classes at the Grade 8, 9 or 10 level through additional ESL classes that provide direct language instruction and background information that the student may lack.

New students with sufficient English may be placed directly into the Bridge Programme and returning students may be promoted into it from the Transition Programme.

Transition Programme
An ESL student whose English ability is insufficient for her to succeed in a regular classroom even with substantial ESL support is placed in the Transition Programme. All students in Transition classes are ESL students and the class size is smaller to allow more individualized attention to student needs. The Transition Programme consists of several levels depending upon English expertise and is designed to prepare students for entrance to the Bridge Programme.

The amount of time each student remains in the Transition Programme varies dependant upon the student's progress in acquiring English. Some students may be in Transition classes for several years while others may progress through a Transition level in less than a year. The placement of each student is reviewed in October and again in February. Students may be moved to another level within the Transition Programme at either of these times based on their demonstrated ability. A student who completes a Transition level may be promoted to a higher level within the Transition Programme or to the Bridge Programme, depending on her achievement and language proficiency.

Criteria for Placement
Each student is placed in an appropriate level of the ESL Programme based on her English proficiency, which is determined by:

1. Standardized test: Secondary Level English Proficiency (SLEP)
2. Standardized test: Comprehensive English Language Test (CELT)
3. An oral interview
4. Written work
5. For a returning student or for a student who has had some schooling in Canada, the professional recommendation of core subject teachers as to the student's ability to handle the academic expectations of St. Margaret's School.

Additional Support for International Students in the Regular Programme
The following courses are available to international and Canadian Grade 10 to 12 students. Saint Margaret's strongly recommends these programmes for international students who do not require the support of the Bridge Programme, but continue to need to work on their language skills.

- Communications 11
- Writing 12
- Senior English Tutorial for Grades 11 and 12 up the recommendation of their teachers