Secondary

Greetings from the EAL Secondary Department!

In order to facilitate linguistic creativity and development, focused and detailed written work was undertaken, on the topics of mathematical calculations, money and shopping, to boost accuracy, fluency, and syntax. The lexis learned was designed to correlate with that of the EAL learners' other school subjects, as we strive to deliver a holistic curriculum.

Persevering towards melding the four skills of language learning, opportunities were provided for speaking, listening and reading in addition to writing.

The students worked and collaborated on differentiated activities, based on their levels within the class, and reviewed their classmates' pieces of writing. The EAL learners were fortunate to have unexpected - yet welcomed - visitors from Year 10 who speak English as their first language. The latter carefully and kindly checked and discussed the work which had been done and this led to meaningful interaction and fresh perspectives on the subject matter.

--- This is what we fondly refer to as a "golden moment" in the field of education. ---

Learning can be mutual in such exchanges, wherein the classroom material serves as a review or extension for the students who have highly developed language skills; and, in turn, the EAL students can acquire synonyms or alternatives for the language they have been learning.

Examples included:

- The British English word trolley, as compared to the American shopping cart;

- Maths, for British people, as opposed to math for the Americans;

- Purchase being a synonym for get or buy, make for brand; and...

- The distinction between a receipt, a bill and an invoice.

It is edifying and enjoyable for students to share words and phrases in their own languages as well, be they Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, Japanese, Spanish, Turkish, French, or one of the many Ugandan languages, such as Luganda, Runyankole, or Luo...

Indeed, celebrating our 40+ languages is the what an international school is all about - even Welsh! (Ask me for more details.)

See you in the next instalment of EAL at KISU :)

 Mr. Xavier F. Fernandez

Head of EAL

As part of our learning journey in science, we explored how plants make their own food through photosynthesis; a vital process that supports nearly all life on Earth. To bring our learning to life, we took a closer look at leaves and their role in this process.  Students used microscopes to look closely at the structure of a leaf. They made their own slides to see the lower part of the leaf, which has many tiny holes called stomata. These holes allow carbon dioxide and oxygen move in and out of the leaf.

The highlight of the week was a hands-on experiment where students tested leaves for the presence of starch, an indicator that photosynthesis had occurred. They carefully followed each step of the experiment; boiling the leaf, removing its green colour with ethanol, and then staining it with iodine solution to test for starch. It was exciting to see the colour change; proof that the leaves had been had been busy making its own food!

Our budding scientists were full of curiosity and worked carefully to draw conclusions based on evidence. 

Ms. Nimwesiga Hilda 

Excitement and Innovation Shine at the 2025 KISU Science Fair

The 2025 KISU Science Fair was a spectacular showcase of curiosity, creativity, and scientific skill. Students from Years 7 to 9 presented a diverse range of projects, impressing both judges and peers with their innovation and enthusiasm.

In the Judge’s Choice Awards, Year 7’s top spot went to Lan WenXi and Himari Onigata for their captivating “Layered Liquids” experiment. Mariana Herazo secured second place with “Light Spectra,” while “Eruption Science” by Jovana Videnovic, Asmara Mohammed, and Kahaan Raval came in third. Year 8’s winning team—Tianna Ogbemudia, Gabriella Latigo, and Gabriella Muhonja—shone with their “Solar Oven.” The DNA-themed project by Renad Khidir Omer, Nouhaila Yassine, and Preta Balondemu earned second, and Daniella Latigo’s “Splitting Water” project placed third. In Year 9, first place went to Chaahat Goyal for “Hydraulic Lift,” followed by Calitz Theron’s “Truck Aerodynamics” and the team of Tiffany Kavere and Malak Nahdi with “Balloon Propulsion.”

Mr. Akweri .O. James 

During the Earth week, the Year 7 students went on an educational trip to the local recycling facility. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed and then divided into two smaller groups to make the experience more hands-on. One group began with a session on glass recycling, while the other explored how paper is recycled. It was a great way for everyone to get a closer look at both processes.

The students learnt a lot about why recycling matters in conserving the environment. In the glass section, they were amazed to find out that glass can be recycled over and over again without ever losing quality, saving tons of energy and resources. Over in the paper area, they discovered how recycling paper helps reduce deforestation and cuts down on pollution from paper production. It really opened their eyes to how small actions can make a big difference.

Overall, the day ended on a high note. Daniella closed the day by delivering a thoughtful vote of thanks, representing the group with appreciation. Special thanks to Ms. Margaret Mukobe and Mr. Nathan Ssekamatte who accompanied the students.

Mr. Sekatawa Muhammad 

The Department has had another exciting and eventful month, exploring diverse and creative ways to encourage students to apply their knowledge and discover the beauty of mathematics in the real world.

The Maths syllabuses for all candidate classes were completed at the beginning of the month. The learners have been equipped with the knowledge and skills to solve problems from various topics in Maths, and they have been taught to utilise technology to illustrate and solve complex problems more efficiently. We wish them the best of luck in their upcoming examinations.

We would also like to extend our appreciation to the ten students who represented the school in Mathemania for the first time at Galaxy International School Uganda. They challenged themselves with logical and complex problems through a written test and a Kahoot quiz. Our junior team secured second place in the team Kahoot, missing the top spot by just one question, while several of our students ranked in the top 20 of their individual categories. Overall, we proudly received an Excellence Award.

In celebration of Earth Day, learners engaged in Maths activities that simulated real-life problems, such as determining the magnitude and intensity of earthquakes, modelling weather patterns in different regions of the world, and using number bonds to shade representations of the Earth.

We are proud of the enthusiasm and resilience our students have demonstrated. Their success in academic competitions and creative applications of mathematics to global issues highlight the importance of learning beyond the classroom. 

Mr. Jude Kakuba