ELL English Strategies courses in Level 1 & 2 (Developing and Expanding) are intended to prepare ELL students for successful participation in mainstream English courses.

In these courses, students will explore:

• who we are and our connections to a wider world through the study of fiction and nonfiction texts

• concrete themes and connections to family and communities, then extending to abstract concepts that apply in both local and global communities

Emphasis is placed on:

• building language to support critical thinking

• developing an understanding of how authors use language to communicate effectively with their intended audience

Students will study a wide range of literary and factual genres including:

• short stories, novels, poems and plays, biographies and expository writing

Topics of study may include, but not limited to:

• identity and diversity

• relationships

• self and community

• change and conflict

ELL English Strategies for Social Studies courses in Level 1 & 2 are intended to prepare ELL students for successful participation in mainstream Social Studies courses.

In these courses, students will explore:

• interaction of students and their communities

• concrete environments of family and communities, then extending to less familiar topics in national and international communities

Emphasis is placed on:

• building language to support critical thinking

• developing an understanding of how current events connect newcomer students to their community

Students will study the major themes of society, politics and law, economy and technology and environment by examining the following 5 essential questions:

• What makes a good citizen?

• How does physical location affect what you can and cannot do?

• How do we get power?

• What is a culture?

• How do new ideas change the world?

ELL English Strategies for Science courses in Level 1 & 2 are intended to prepare ELL students for successful participation in mainstream Science courses.

Level 1 (Developing) - Science

In these courses, students will explore:

• concrete and familiar topics, then extending to more abstract and theoretical concepts

Emphasis is placed on:

• building language to support critical thinking

Students will study the major streams of life science, physical science, earth and space science by examining the following 6 essential questions:

• What is science?

• What is life and how is it sustained?

• What is energy and how it is transferred?

• What is matter and how does it behave?

• How are landforms created and how do they change?

• What is Earth's relationship to the universe?

Level 2 (Expanding) - Science

In these courses, students will be:

• currently enrolled in a mainstream science course

• continuing to develop literacy skills relating to science language and content

ELL English Strategies for Career Life courses in Level 1 are intended to prepare ELL students for successful participation in elective courses in secondary school.

In these courses, students will explore langauges and topics around these courses:

• physical education (PE)

• home economics (home ec)

• technology education

• career life connection (CLC)

Emphasis is placed on:

• students acquiring the cultural and linguistic knowledge necessary to insure peresonal safety

Topics of study may include, but not limited to:

• personal awareness

• safety

• health

• workplace

• financial awareness

ELL Entry courses are intended to support newly arrived students to integrate into a school setting.

In these courses, students work on all basic and essential languages skills.

Emphasis is placed on:

• creating a sense of belonging in their new home

• getting familiar with school routines and our school community

ELL Numeracy courses are intended to prepare ELL students for successful participation in mainstream Math courses.

In these courses, students work on both language and numeracy skills.

Emphasis is placed on the core competencies that:

• working on math problems take patience and attention to details

• math thinking can be expressed through various forms verbally, visually and in writing

ELL PAWS courses are intended to support late-to-literacy youth with essential skills development and in building social-emotional awareness.

PAWS stands for Pave A Way to Success. It is a specialized ELL program exclusive to Byrne Creek.

In these courses, students work with a head teacher, alongside a Youth and Family Immigrant worker, to co-create curricular modules that build pathways for success during high school and post-secondary.

Emphasis is placed on:

• building self-advocacy

• knowledge around job applications, job security and workers' rights

• building self-regulation tools

Curriculum methods:

• speaker series

• inquiry projects

• regular one-on-one check in's

• personalized learning to equip students with the tools they need