XCL World Academy seeks to appoint a Head of EAL (English as an Additional Language) commencing from 1 August 2024.
The successful incumbent is responsible for coordinating and leading the curriculum and teaching staff. This role reports directly to the Head of School and Principals.
Strategic Direction and Development
- Having an enthusiasm for the subject(s) which motivates and supports other staff and encourages a shared understanding of the contribution the subject can make to all aspects of pupils’ lives.
- Leading the development, reviewing and adaption of the written, taught and assessed subject curriculum (both vertical and horizontal articulation).
- Developing improvement plans to respond to recommendations of CIS/WASC Accreditations and IB Authorisation.
- Define and develop assessment process, including implementation of WIDA, and correlate with other benchmark data to profile student learning.
- Implement a professional development plan, including Teaching English in Multilingual Classrooms, to ensure common understanding and approaches to language diversity in the school.
Teaching and Learning
- Ensuring continuity and progression for students in EAL and Home (Mother Tongue) Languages by supporting colleagues in choosing the appropriate sequence of teaching and teaching methods and set clear learning objectives through an agreed scheme of work, developed in line with the school development / improvement plan;
- Ensuring appropriate records are kept of student issues that may arise.
- Where necessary, giving induction sessions and information sessions for parents and/or students.
- Continuing to develop the use of IT associated with recording and communicating student issues.
- Participating in ongoing professional learning and the process of professional review.
Leading, Managing and Communication
- Leading meetings (collaborative planning, curriculum planning, moderation curriculum review and reflection).
- Developing teacher expertise in planning for and teaching their subjects through example and support.
- Ensuring that the PYP/MYP & DP Coordinators are kept informed about areas of progress or concern within a particular subject area.
- Acting as the point of contact for subject area teachers to pass on suggestions, requests, concerns to the PYP/MYP and DP coordinators and Principals.
- Working with other subject coordinators looking for opportunities for IDU’s and other means of creating horizontal articulation.
Roles and Responsibilities – Home (Mother Tongue) Languages
Work in collaboration with the IB Coordinators (PYP, MYP and DP) and external teachers (where available) will:
- Assist students and IB Coordinators in locating appropriate external teachers or tutors.
- Direct each student towards appropriate resources; ensure that the student has regular access to and is familiar with the assessment criteria and corresponding descriptors for all assessed components.
- Liaise with any external tutors and ensure that they have access to all relevant information concerning course structure, content and assessment; ensure that they have access to past examination papers and mark schemes and any other relevant materials or resources; meet periodically with external tutors to discuss progress.
- Advise students on choosing a course of study which conforms to IB regulations and where possible has world literature elements in common with English and other Languages A; ensure that students have access to the books and materials chosen/required before starting the course of study.
- Meet with students to monitor progress; advise the IB Coordinator of students’ progress, including reporting.
- Organize and oversee the conduct of assessments and recording of any oral assessment/examinations in collaboration with the IB Coordinators.
- Liaise with EAL teachers (who supervises students in mainstream classes), tutors, students and parents where there are concerns raised with regards to study/learning behaviour.
- Assist tutors in preparing course documentation for the IBMYP and IBDP.
- Monitor, in conjunction with the IB Coordinators, the eligibility of students for the IBMYP and IBDP Home (Mother Tongue) option in accordance with IB developments.
- Provide a course structure showing which texts are to be studied at what time in what order, in tandem with the Language A SL course; liaise with the IBDP Coordinator to ensure that the timing and structure of the course meets the IBDP Coordinator’s deadline requirements.
- Supervise the work required for the World Literature component and ensure submission of world literature assignments to the IBDP Coordinator in keeping with school deadlines; where possible, arrange for attendance of students at World Literature classes in English A where common texts are studied and liaise with teachers of other Languages A and the Languages A Head of Department to develop a World Literature course with IBDP with a common “core”.
Roles and Responsibilities – English as an Additional Language
- To advise and assist the Admissions Department to interview, test and make recommendations on the enrolment of new students.
- To create class lists and data of the number of months in the EAL programme for each student and to monitor individual student progress on a regular basis.
- To be familiar with all school and department procedures as appropriate.
- To hold whole school departmental meetings as appropriate.
- To arrange and participate in professional development and in-service activities particularly as related to EAL, including peer coaching, mentor teaching and the English in a Multilingual Classroom.
- To assist in the deployment of staff in the case of staff absence, if necessary.
- To test, evaluate and monitor students’ effort and achievement in accordance with the EAL assessment and grading procedures, adjust teaching strategies accordingly and to recommend exiting of students from the EAL programme.
- To ensure that the nature and scope of curriculum is understood by all staff.
- To ensure that the curriculum as laid down is being taught to the students along agreed timelines, accordingly to specific planning outlines and timeframes.
- To oversee and co-ordinate progressive curriculum development in the school in general in line with requirements of IB and CIS/WASC.
- To oversee the effective and regular assessment of students work in line with the school’s policy, including achievement and placement testing as appropriate.
- To oversee the recording of student assessment and evaluate curriculum and teaching strategies accordingly.
- To assist with the placement of new students and liaise with Principals as necessary.
- To keep up to date with educational developments in their specific subject areas.
- To prepare, plan and carry out the individualized education plan for each EAL student and to adjust regular classroom strategies as necessary.
- To be involved in the pastoral (social/behaviour) care of EAL students when necessary.
- To assist subject teachers to develop strategies regarding how best to teach EAL students in the regular classroom.
- To test, evaluate and monitor students’ effort and achievement in accordance with the EAL assessment and grading procedures and to adjust teaching strategies accordingly.
- To contact parents on a regular basis to report progress, changes and/or difficulties based on the individual lesson plans.
- To collaborate with subject teachers in the development of EAL appropriate materials and methodologies.
School Organization/Administration:
Work together with the administration to enable the school to achieve its stated philosophy and its specific goals.
- To assist in the preparation and implementation of a faculty teaching timetable.
- To advise on the selection of new staff in the faculty.
- To assist in the redeployment of staff in the case of staff absence.
- To attend meetings, when required, with the Head of School, Principals, IB Coordinators, Heads of Department and Heads of Grade.
- To assist in planning for improvement to existing facilities.
- To attend to any other duties, as requested by the Head of School.
School Community:
The Head of Faculty is expected to promote a positive view of the role of parents in the learning process. Whenever possible good parent school relationships should be fostered.
- To assist, support and advise teachers regarding effective communication with parents (e.g. report writing).
- To update all relevant subject material in school publications.
- To liaise and consult with parents on faculty and schoolwide matters.
- To assist and support in the organisation of Parent Information Events/Evenings, including Back to School Nights, Open Days and Parent Teacher Conference Days.
Other responsibilities:
- Under faculty leadership to assist in the orientation of new staff, especially regarding curriculum issues.
Person Specifications
- Undergraduate degree from a recognized university or college
- Teacher and/or professional certification specific to the position
- Minimum of 6 years experience working as a EAL Teacher with 2 years as Head of EAL and experience managing Mother Tongue Language Department.
- Evidence of continued relevant professional development.
- Demonstrates the ability to think strategically and creatively and is able to communicate ideas clearly.
- Effective relationship, team building and communication skills with the ability to be motivational, adaptable, inclusive and resilient.
- Experience in teaching learners with diverse needs, especially EAL.
- Management and leadership experience in a curriculum or similar role, including experience in curriculum coordination, instructional and assessment planning, and general teaching competencies.
Application
Qualified candidates are welcome to apply for the position by 8 April 2024.
About us
XCL World Academy is an international school in Singapore for students aged 2 to 18, fully committed to the academic, emotional and social development of its students. We are immensely proud to be the first and only international school in Singapore authorized to offer all four International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes.
We aspire to recruit employees that share and understand our commitment to empowering an international community of happy learners who aspire to positively impact others.We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to Safer Recruitment processes such as interviews, employment reference checks, identity and criminal record checks.
