Student support services

Learning in a diverse environment is beneficial for all learners, teachers, and our community. Our Learning Support teams are certified and experienced special needs educators, English language educators and Counselors, who help integrate all of our students' different learning needs.

At Lincoln we provide support for students at all grade levels in a manner determined on a case by case basis. This takes into account how best to meet the students’ individual needs and the number of students in that grade level currently receiving support. Great care is taken to determine the type of services requested/required for the student to be successful and the manner in which these services will be provided. Admissions decisions are based on a careful assessment of each student’s strengths and needs. An offer of admittance is made when the Admissions Committee has reviewed all of the information requested, and it is determined that Lincoln can meet the student’s needs with the services we provide and/or are accessible locally. Full disclosure and open communication are critical in ensuring an appropriate placement decision is made. Failure to disclose information related to learning needs may result in the withdrawal of an offer of admission.

LEARNING SUPPORT PROGRAM

We believe that students with learning needs excel when expectations set for them are high but attainable. Every student who enters our Learning Support program is serviced through an Individualized Learning Plan, that is custom and thorough. Once a student is admitted to our school, we work diligently to collaborate and provide the best services possible for students to reach their full potential. We differentiate and scaffold instruction with accommodations in the regular classroom setting. Some students may receive additional support with Learning Support staff and best efforts are always made to provide the least restrictive setting possible given the structure of our school. Our Learning Support staff collaborate with teachers on a regular basis to aid with small group instruction, assessments, lesson planning and co-teaching where appropriate.

LANGUAGE PROGRAMS

Students whose first language is not English, ELL (English Language Learners) receive instructional support within the curriculum and through a structured English language academic support program until English Language Proficiency is acquired. In addition, due to Lincoln being a bilingual school, all students enrolled are also enrolled in a Spanish class determined by placement evaluations.

The overarching goal is that students who are enrolled for the long term will eventually reach Native Level Proficiency in both English and Spanish. Lincoln’s Language Support is different for each grade level and specific to ensure students have the best possible chances to succeed. Students are not admitted with no or very low proficiency levels of English from grade 6 upwards (more details on levels for admittance is found below). Students who arrive from abroad with no Spanish proficiency in Grade 12 may require additional support in Spanish, beyond the school year in order to receive the Argentine bachillerato diploma.

Elementary

Elementary School services follow a sheltered immersion model. Through that model, identified students are provided with full and equitable access to the mainstream English and Spanish curriculum while learning English and/or Spanish. ELL and SLL classes are set up with the following goals in mind:

Learn second-language acquisition skills and strategies
Develop basic interpersonal communication skills (social language)
Acquire English and Spanish through the study of subject-specific content and skills in mainstream classes (academic language)

ELL and SLL specialists and classroom teachers work together to create a language rich environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and where individual needs are accommodated. Students are continually assessed by both teachers, move through levels and are exited from the program as their skills develop. This development is individual for each student, and there are set guidelines for exiting the program as determined by the Language Specialist Teams at each division.

The ELL and SLL programs provide:

A flexible and responsive program to suit individual needs in the context of the mainstream curriculum
Academic and social language support in the mainstream classrooms
Additional pullout classes for more focused language instruction for students who require that level support

Middle

Students in Middle School who are considered to be learners of English spend their English and Social Studies block, if considered beginners to low intermediate level learners, or English block only, if considered upper intermediate to advanced, in a sheltered class where the focus is on rapidly acquiring Academic English Language Skills. For the rest of their classes, students are immersed in classes with their peers that are conducted in either the English or Spanish language.

High

High School English Language support is provided as a separate elective class in addition to specialist consultation with subject area teachers. Students who are acquiring academic English language skills in grades 9 & 10 spend their English block in a sheltered class with greatly reduced numbers where students have more opportunities for differentiated and individualized instruction as they engage in English 9 & 10 subject matter. The curriculum for this class mirrors that of the Native Level English classes at that grade level. Students identified as English Language Learners are assessed utilizing WIDA MODEL for scoring proficiency levels in all four language domains.

Sientania McNeil

Director of Student Support Services

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