25/04/2019Form 3 cooks
As a closure activity of the unit on “Instructions”, Form 3 kids had fun preparing brownies.
We share some photos of their gourmet celebration of Easter holidays.
25/04/2019NEWS English
25/04/2019
EREBB Global Classroom Project
MORE English
Form 3 Penpal Exchange
MORE English
Stella Maris MUN Club and DER helping to strengthen EREBB bonds
MORE English
Form 6 visits Los Tréboles
MORE English
Spread the news and not the virus:
MORE English
Form 6 kids have just finished their CPC English exam papers
MORE English
Debate in the east
MORE English
2nd year secondary students reflect: can you find a link between coronavirus and globalisation?
MORE EnglishA BILINGUAL SCHOOL
Stella Maris College offers students from the age of 3 to 18 the opportunity of experiencing education in English. Thus, students learn both English and ‘in English’ (Literature, History, Geography, Science, Business Studies,etc.).
Our programmes (University of Cambridge Primary Checkpoint, IGCSE and International Baccalaureate Diploma) not only pave the way towards bilingual certification, but also allow us to make the most of the latest developments and research in the field of international education.
OUR CURRICULUM AND THE INCLUSION OF DIFFERENT ABILITIES:
We firmly believe that every child has the potential to learn one or more languages. In our experience, students’ learning difficulties in English and those in their first language are related, and it is possible to overcome them through more personalised teaching.
Within our demanding academic framework, Stella Maris remains committed to inclusion and we have taken specific steps towards it:
• One-to-one support of students with learning difficulties
• Optional international examinations; despite this, more than 80% of our students choose to sit them.
• We value effort and a positive attitude very highly both throughout the year as well as in final assessments.
Secondary School English Coordinator: rtessore@stellamaris.edu.uy
Secondary School English Secretary: Extension 1022
E-mail: fteysera@stellamaris.edu.uy
Primary School English Coordinator: mfigueras@stellamaris.edu.uy
Primary School English Secretary: Extension 1022
E-mail: fteysera@stellamaris.edu.uy
Our students’ first contact with the English language is through stories, songs, poems, games and multimedia resources and through training in daily routines both in and outside the classroom. In order to develop communication skills in a second language, children must be offered a wide range of learning opportunities to experience a rich linguistic environment, to develop self-confidence and the competences required to grasp and express themselves in diverse situations.
We implement Jolly Phonics, a programme designed to favour the early acquisition of reading and writing skills through phonological awareness (association of sounds and letters).
In Primary school we follow Cambridge Primary, University of Cambridge international education programme for learners aged 5 to 11 years.
This programme is completed in the 6th year of Primary education (Year 6) with the following international examinations:
* English as a First Language
* Science
* Mathematics.
Our students’ first contact with the English language is through stories, songs, poems, games and multimedia resources.
We also apply Jolly Phonics, a programme which favours the early acquisition of reading and writing skills.
As part of our English Language syllabus, each student will watch, listen to, speak, read and write the following range of texts:
FICTION:
• Stories
• Myths
• Legends
• Poems
• Scripts
NON-FICTION: • Letters
• E-mails
• Reports
• Speeches and talks
• Advertisements
• Instructions, manuals, etc..
The Science syllabus is inquiry-based and it includes the study of:
• Biology
• Physics
• Chemistry
We coordinate our Maths syllabus with the Maths syllabus in Spanish, aiming to familiarise the student with the language of Maths in English, as both syllabi share most of the contents.
To complement the University of Cambridge’s programme, we also offer Social Sciences in English:
• History
• Geography
And Performing Arts in English:
• Drama
• Singing
• Irish dance Spoken English Certificate
To complement the written assessments of CPC, in the 5th year of Primary school (Year 5) all students complete an internal oral assessment with a native English speaking examiner.
Weekly teaching hours
The weekly teaching hours in English comprise around 50% of the total teaching hours.
Learning Support
The English Department has a team of specialised teachers who provide in-class and out-of-class support to students with Special Educational Needs.
Our curriculum is a continuation of the Primary school programme completed with Cambridge Primary Checkpoint. At the beginning of Secondary school, our students are already capable of communicating fluently in English. Thus, the challenge for the next stage is to take their competence in English to an advanced academic level. In Secondary school, knowledge becomes more specific and it is organised around different subjects with different teachers.
The six years of Secondary Education in English are structured in 3 stages of two years each, as follows:
1st and 2nd (Years 7 and 8)
In these first two years we lay a solid foundation in view of the coming international examinations (see 3rd and 4th years). The weekly teaching hours and the subjects are the same for both years.
|
Subjects |
Weekly teaching hours |
|
English Language |
5 |
|
English Literature |
2 |
|
History |
2 |
|
Science |
2 |
|
Geography |
2 |
3rd and 4th (Years 9 and 10) – IGCSE Courses
|
Subjects |
Weekly teaching hours |
|
|
3rd |
4th |
|
|
English as a First Language |
4 |
4 |
|
English Literature |
3 |
4 |
|
History |
3 |
4 |
|
Business Studies |
4 |
4 |
- Supplementary subjects to obtain the ICE ( Cambridge International Certificate of Education)
Students who wish to obtain the ICE (a global certificate of education) will need to add the following subjects to the four curricular ones listed above:
|
Subjects |
Weekly teaching hours |
|
Physics or Biology or Chemistry |
3 |
|
Mathematics |
3 |
|
Spanish First Language |
No extra lessons required |
The first three subjects are taught once a week after school from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm.
* Teaching hours are 40 minutes long.
5th and 6th Year – Baccalaureate (Years 11 and 12)
At the end of the 4th year, students must choose between the International Baccalaureate Diploma or the National Baccalaureate.
The International Baccalaureate programme for English is as follows:
(Applicable to both 5th and 6th Year)
|
Specialism |
Subjects taught in english |
Weekly teaching hours |
|
Economics |
English Language and Literature HL |
6 |
|
Economics SL |
4 |
|
|
History HL |
7 |
|
|
Law |
English Language and Literature HL |
6 |
|
History HL |
7 |
|
|
Medicine Architecture Engineering Agronomy |
English Language and Literature HL |
6 |
|
Either:History SL Or:Business SL Or:Economics SL |
4 |
HL: High level SL: Standard Level
National Baccalaureate follow the IB programme with individual course taught in English.
5th year (Year 10)
|
Specialism |
Subjects taught in English |
Weekly teaching hours |
|
Humanities
|
English Language IB |
3 |
|
Literature IB |
3 |
|
|
Biology
|
English Language IB |
3 |
|
Literature IB |
3 |
|
|
Science
|
English Language IB |
3 |
|
Literature IB |
3 |
|
|
One elective |
History IB |
4 |
|
Economics IB |
4 |
|
|
Biology IB |
4 |
6th year
|
Specialism |
Subjects taught in english |
Weekly teaching hours |
|
Humanities Economics/ Humanities Law |
Business English Certificate (BEC) Higher |
4 |
|
Literature IB |
3 |
|
|
Biological Sciences/ Agronomic Sciences |
Business English Certificate (BEC) Higher |
4 |
|
Literature IB |
3 |
|
|
Mathematics and Design/Physics - Mathematics |
Business English Certificate (BEC) Higher |
4 |
|
Literature IB |
3 |
|
|
Elective
|
History IB |
4 |
|
Biology IB |
||
|
Economics IB |
IMPORTANT:
All the syllabi listed above have been approved by the national education authority for Secondary schools (Consejo de Educación Secundaria) and are curricular and official.
PERFORMING ARTS IN ENGLISH
Since 2005, ‘Makebelieve’ – a theatre company composed of students and members of staff – has performed plays written by English speaking authors, in both English and Spanish, to great acclaim.
OUR TEACHING STAFF:
Our teaching staff hold degrees both in Language Teaching as well as in the specific subjects that they teach.
Our staff take part in Continuous Professional Development courses and workshops led by foreign specialist lecturers and experts.
In october of the 6th year in Primary the students sit three exams in three different subjects ending the Cambridge Primary Programme.
• English First Language
• Science
• Mathematics
They receive a certificate of performance and a thorough report of their strengths and weaknesses. The examinations are marked in Cambridge and the reports are extremely valuable as they allow the College to continue to monitor, test and plan our student’s individual progress well into Secondary school.
I.G.C.S.E. - INTERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATES OF SECONDARY EDUCATION (Cambridge University, UK)
Administered by the University of Cambridge, these examinations have been developed for secondary schools. Their preparation courses take two years and lead to internationally recognised certificate of secondary education comparable to the British General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSE).
The IGCSE curriculum has been adopted by international schools worldwide and it lays a solid foundation for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and courses.
At the same time, these courses and examinations allow a smooth transition of students to and from local and international schools.
ICE- INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION
ICE is a group award for IGCSE that recognises students who pass 7 IGCSE examinations. Students who wish to obtain the award must sit a combination of IGCSE subjects, as follows:
- Group I: Languages
- Group II: Humanities and Social Sciences
- Group III: Sciences
- Group IV: Mathematics
- Group V: Professional and Creative
The ICE can be issued in the following grades:
- Distinction – When grade A or above is obtained in 5 subjects and C or above in 2.
- Merit - Grade C or above in 5 subjects and F or above in 2.
- Pass- Grade G or above in 7 subjects.