Content
HSL
Educational magazine
2017-2018
Number 1, September 2017
Content • How does HSL prepare the students for their transition to (international) secondary schools in Singapore or elsewhere? • Information from the English department. • What are the secondary school options in Singapore?
HSL Educational magazine The HSL proudly presents this educational magazine about the transfer to secondary education. It aims to inform parents about this important step. We wish you happy reading! HSL Team
1 2
Educational magazine HSL
Edition 1, September 2016
The HSL is an excellent school with an international dimension. We are a school with a two folded mission. We want to prepare children for a smooth return to the Dutch or Belgian educational program. But also for a continuation of their academic career at an international school in or outside of Singapore.
Secondary education in Singapore There are a large and diverse number of international schools in Singapore. Several schools offer Dutch language in their program. At GESS (German European School) and UWCSEA (United World College South East Asia) this is an integrated part of the curriculum. At OFS (Overseas Family School) and at CIS (Canadian International School) the Dutch language program is offered after school hours. HSL usually advises parents and children to choose one of these schools, so that the foundation for Dutch language laid at HSL can be continued. Elsewhere in this magazine you can read special articles about GESS, OFS and UWCSEA. 2
Each year the HSL organizes a series of information sessions in cooperation with the earlier mentioned schools. During these information sessions the schools present themselves. Our groups 8 students also visit some of the schools to arrive at a better choice. Most secondary schools in Singapore request an educational report. This is provided by the HSL group teacher. Sometimes translated versions of the latest school reports are also required. Per student, the HSL provides the translation of one school report.
Educational magazine HSL
Preparing for an international education HSL's mission is twofold: HSL students should always be able to successfully transfer to a Dutch language or international school. This is why our school's curriculum is based on a strongly developed Dutch and English language program. In this magazine you'll find more information about how we prepare our students for the international context.
Edition 1, September 2016
Secondary education in the Netherlands Most students returning to the Netherlands after group 8 continue their academic career at a regular secondary school. An increasing number of secondary schools in the Netherlands offer a bilingual HAVO/VWO curriculum. These schools provide an excellent follow up to the HSL program. The students can actively use their knowledge of the English language. Most children returning to the Netherlands choose for this bilingual option. As most primary schools, HSL conducts the CITO year-end test. Each child is also given an official school advice form, containing the school type we advise for their secondary education. These documents help students make a smooth transition into the secondary education program in the Netherlands. When you are returning to the Netherlands making a list of schools suitable for your child is a good idea. If at all possible, visiting these schools of interest is an even better one. When trying to decide for a Dutch language or rather a bilingual school, or for a regular Dutch curriculum or rather an IB school or for any other questions you may have, please feel welcome to approach the group 8 teacher or SEN coordinator for their advice.
English, mathematics and science At the HSL children have 45 minutes of English class per day. In groups 7-8 this is 60 minutes. We think it is important to give the children the best possible preparation for an English language context in grade 7 (our 'brugklas'). In collaboration with the English teachers we also offer mathematics in English to our groups 8. Besides the essential vocabulary we also cover concepts that are important in international education in these classes. Additionally we started a collaboration with GESS in the school year 2015-2016 to offer science classes to our groups 8. This will familiarize the students with the laboratory, an important addition to the IPC science program. 3
Educational magazine HSL
Preparing students for international education One of the important aspects of English instruction at the HSL is preparing students for full-time studies in English in a Secondary School. A larger majority of our graduates are transferring to study in international schools in Singapore, the Netherlands, Belgium and elsewhere. Feedback received from international schools indicates that HSL students have a very advanced level of English. Last year the majority of our students who transitioned to international schools got into mainstream English. The rest who were in the ESL (English as a Second Language) bracket were quickly assimilated to mainstream within a short period of time. To prepare students we have expanded the English curriculum to insert more literacy training into the lessons. This means a focus on reading and writing, which are the areas we must focus on judging by the results of the InCAS assessments last year. Students are taught phonics, grammar, reading and writing starting in Group1 with sounds and spelling of high frequency words and gradually making their way up to the various genres of writing and literature studies in Group 8. As a part of the process, we communicate with other international schools on a consistent basis to evaluate how students who have graduated from the HSL are faring and what changes we can make to our curriculum and teaching to keep up with those demands.
4
Edition 1, September 2016
HSL Alumni In this newsletter you can read contributions from HSL alumni. These are students that repatriated to the Netherlands and students who continued their education in Singapore.
Schools introduce themselves At UWCSEA and GESS Dutch language as a subject is an integrated part of the curriculum. In this magazine you can read contributions from the various schools.
1
Educational magazine HSL
Edition 1, September 2016
United World College South East Asia At the UWCSEA, Dutch language has been taught in secondary school (all the way through the International Baccalaureate) since the 1980's. The language program is provided by a specially hired teacher. Since 2011 the Dutch language teacher at UWCSEA is Hans Schellekens, who previously taught at the school from 1997 to 2005. The United World College is a large international school community with two locations in Singapore. Only the Dover Campus offers the NTC program (at least for now). As the name suggests, it is a school where high-flown ideas are taken seriously: students are not only expected to be prepared to work hard academically, but to also want to play an active role in the multicultural school environment and beyond. In spite of, or perhaps thanks to these high demands there are always more applications than places available at UWC each year. Now this doesn't mean that only students with high academic scores (with a 'HAVO/VWO' indication, based on their CITO scores) are admitted to UWC or that these types of student, once admitted, are the only ones with a chance of success; it is equally important for students to be motivated to put in an effort and to develop in different areas. A UWC student has to possess what their website calls: constructive energy. The UWCSEA has a special arrangement with both the Hollandse School and the Swiss school in Singapore, admitting a total of a maximum of 22 students to Grade 7 – the year following our Group 8, and the equivalent of our freshman year (the 'brugklas'). Since the start of this arrangement, nine to thirteen HSL students have been admitted to the UWCSEA each year. They are taught Dutch language classes on Wednesday and Friday afternoon between 3 and 4.30 pm. This is after regular school hours, during so called Activity Time. In Grades 7 and 8 the Dutch language classes are considered 'extra language lessons’; in Grade 8 these classes also take place after hours, on Mondays and Thursdays. As of Grade 9 the Dutch language lessons are fully integrated in the official curriculum. In Grade 10 the students take a Dutch language exam at IGCSE level, which stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. In Grades 11 and 12 students study for the International Baccalaureate, where Dutch can be selected as first language. The IB diploma gives access to any university in the Netherlands; students with a sufficient grade in Dutch language needn't pass a language exam for admission into university. •
The UWCSEA website offers a lot more information about the school: 5
1 2 3
Educational magazine HSL
•
• • •
Edition 1, September 2016
http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/. In a small section of this site, which is to be completely rebuilt shortly, you can find the digital version of the Dutch language school guide: http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/dutch. Should you have any general questions about UWC please revert to their Admissions department: [email protected]. For specific questions relating the Dutch language and culture curriculum, please contact Hans Schellekens: [email protected]. http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/
German European School GESS fully supports the importance of the development of the mother tongue and, in cooperation with LanguageOne offers a mother tongue curriculum that is fully integrated in the schedules of the grades 6 through 12 students. GESS requires no extra charge for this program. GESS is a school with an international and a European character. The school has a German and a European section, of which the latter holds the Dutch language program. In addition to Dutch and English, students are also offered German language classes. This will provide them with excellent academic possibilities in Europe in the future and will increase their chances in the labor market. In the Netherlands learning German is also increasingly popular, due to Germany's strong international economic relations. In 2016 the GESS graduates scored higher than the IBO average. The IB results for Dutch were good to excellent. In addition all partaking students passed their CNaVT exams with good results. At the GESS the curriculum follows the MYP principals from grade 6 (= group 8). This includes the Dutch curriculum, where we integrated the Dutch core objectives into the program. This way our students are not only prepared for an international curriculum, but also for a possible return to the Netherlands. Culture is important part of our secondary education program. We connect to Dutch and Flemish culture in all our units. We also celebrate cultural highlights like Sinterklaas and King's Day within the international context of our school. 6
The Dutch curriculum is run by Liane Bom, Saar de Beaufort (MYP) and Inge Jansen (DP). The GESS teaching staff includes a number of Dutch teachers, for mathematics and physics, for example.
1
Edition 1, September 2016
Educational magazine HSL
Overseas Family School The OFS is an international school with 73 different nationalities. The school offers educational programs from Pre-Kindergarten up to High School Grade 12. In August 2015 the OFS opened its doors at a new location in Pasir Ris. The school now offers more room for the four different school types and in addition created many new possibilities for offering various facilities. In our Kindergarten and Elementary programs the students follow the well-known IPC program; in Middle School we work with the MYP (Middle Years Program) Curriculum Model and in High School we offer the IBMYP an IGCSE for Grades 9 and 10. The Grades 11 and 12 students graduate from High School with an IB diploma that is globally accepted by universities. The OFS feels strongly about having students learn in a rich international setting. Our mission is: To maintain a happy, safe and effective school for overseas families living in Singapore. The Mother Tongue Program In August 2015 the OFS started offering 14 Mother tongue programs in Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle- and High School. The Mother tongue programs include an educational program of four hours per week and are an integrated part of the curriculum. No extra fees are charged for students following a Mother tongue program. Developing the mother tongue has many advantages. • Students with a solid foundation in their mother tongue develop stronger linguistic skills in the daily language of the school. • Multilingual children have greater adjustability and find it easier to comprehend or sense subtle nuances in languages. • In addition you learn more about your identity and the country of your origin when mastering your mother tongue. • It also eases the transition in case of a return to the Netherlands and admittance to a University. The Middle Years Program The MYP helps students learn by offering them Global Contexts. These contexts stimulate research and international – mindedness, cultural understanding and reflection. All subject content offered is built up around 1 of the 6 Global Contexts (like: Identity and relationship). The school year consists of four quarters and in each quarter we work on one of the six Global Contexts per Grade. Since our students gain insights in a Global Context for all these subject areas, they are able to make connections between everything that is happening in the 7
2
Educational magazine HSL
Edition 1, September 2016
world around them. The challenging writing-, reading-, listening- and presentation assignments in the Mother tongue programs are focused on these Global Contexts per Quarter. Educational content like spelling, grammar, vocabulary and culture are part of the assignments offered. Enrichment program Per August 2017 the OFS offers all 14 languages as Foreign Language in their extracurricular program. Buddy New students at the OFS are always appointed a buddy. A classmate that will help the new student find their way around the school, to quickly make them feel at home and at ease. Admissions policy Finally, the OFS admissions policy. Students are welcome to enroll at any time of the year. Students are placed in the Grade level congruent with the grade level in their previous school. After placement it is determined which level of education the student needs and in which group they will be placed for mathematics and English. In case the student's English proficiency needs more work, the OFS allows the option to follow the SPP (The Study Preparation Program). The SPP offers extensive support to help the students enter the mainstream program as soon as possible. For more information please contact the following OFS staff members: Academic information: Mr. Michael Lee [email protected]
Mother tongue program teacher OFS: Clara Oosting [email protected]
Extracurricular Secondary Education programs
Canadian International School (CIS) The CIS values the importance of mother tongue education. In 2013 LanguageOne started an extracurricular Secondary Education program. Besides CIS students, students enrolled at other schools can also partake in the program. As of this school year the IB diploma program Dutch A is offered in grade 11. And next year the IB diploma program will also be offered in grade 12.
8
Edition 1, September 2016
Educational magazine HSL
Websites •
United World College o www.uwcsea.edu.org
•
Overseas Family School o www.ofs.edu.sg
•
German European School o www.gess.sg
•
Canadian International School o www.cis.edu.sg
•
Nederlands onderwijs in Singapore o www.nederlandsonderwijsinsingapore.com
Experiences from HSL alumni My transition to GESS A year ago I started at the GESS in Grade 7. When I arrived at school on the first day I didn't know where to go, but then I asked a teacher where my homeroom was. Your homeroom is the classroom where you start with your class each day so the teacher can take attendance and discuss all kinds of things. This teacher is your homeroom teacher. He/she will help you throughout the year, will go on camp with you and will do all kinds of class activities with you. You will also have a buddy, someone in your class to help you and show you where to go. Your buddy will stay with you until you know your way around and have made some friends. If you just talk to everybody you will be fine. Classes at the GESS are all in a different classroom. Your buddy will explain where everything is. At the GESS the Dutch classes are part of the program so you don't have to stay on after school for your Dutch lessons. Besides Dutch there will also be German and English lessons. After a week or two you will have found some people you get along with. My tip is to not only hang out with your old Dutch HSL friends, because this will not help you learn English fast enough. The transition seems like a bigger deal than it actually is, especially when you quickly make new friends everything will be fine. I am now in Grade 8 and everything about this school is just as familiar to me as things were at the HSL. Jan van Diepen, GESS grade 8 (HSL group 8 2015-2016) 9
Educational magazine HSL
My transition to the UWCSEA
My transition to the Canadian
It was already a year ago that I had my first day of school at UWC. I felt pretty small when I walked through that big school on that first day. It was kind of intimidating because everyone looks at you when you're new. But happily I wasn't the only new student in my class. I remember having to introduce myself all the rime those first days and answering a lot of questions about me. This really worked because this helped me get to know so many people. It was a little bit strange to speak English all day long but after a few weeks/months you'll find it gets easier.
I went from group 8 at the HSL to grade 7 (VO 1) at the CIS (Canadian International School). That was a very big change.
On the first day you will be assigned a ‘buddy’. He or she will help you find your way in school, makes sure you get to class on time, introduces you to other people and you sit with them at recess in the first weeks. After a little while you usually find your own friends to hang out with all the time. I always enjoy the Dutch language lessons after school, you meet up with former group 8 classmates and sometimes it feels just like the HSL again. Grade 7 was so much fun; I just started in Grade 8 with a lot of new kids in my class. I miss my old class. But I think this class will be just as close as we were in Grade 7. Meike van Diepen, Grade 8 UWCSEA Dover (HSL group 8 2015-2106)
10
Edition 1, September 2016
Instead of having one teacher I suddenly had 10 teachers: one mentor and nine regular teachers. I had to go from class to class and got lost, since the school had four wings (of five floors each). In total the CIS has 3000 students spread out over two campuses. Initially I had to get used to climbing four floors, of not having a school bag to place on my chair (like you did at the Hollandse School) so my backpack got really heavy. Now, one year later, I know the school inside and out (including all the shortcuts), I made lots of new friends and feel right at home here. Sem van Elst, CIS grade 8 (HSL group 8 2015-2016)
Translation of HSL report cards When transferring to an international school it is possible to have the HSL school progress report cards translated into English by our regular translator. The HSL will cover the expenses for translation of 1 complete HSL progress report. In case you need more than 1 HSL report translated, we will charge SGD 15 per report page. If you wish to have the HSL report cards translated, but are not transferring to an international school, you may also use our translation service. In this case, however, the expenses will be charged. If it turns out the student is remaining at the HSL after all and therefore is not transitioning to an international school, the expenses for the translation will also be charged. The procedure is as follows: • •
Parents complete the exit form and the document 'request for translation of HSL school report(s)' and send both documents to [email protected]. The translated report card is checked by the principal, signed and sent to you in PDF format.
In peak periods, when many reports need to be translated, the turn-around for Nummer 1,time September 2014 translations can be up to 3-4 weeks. Please keep this in mind if you need the translated report cards by a specific date. You may find the forms on our website.
Educational magazine
2017-2018
Number 1, September 2017
Content • How does HSL prepare the students for their transition to (international) secondary schools in Singapore or elsewhere? • Information from the English department. • What are the secondary school options in Singapore?
HSL Educational magazine The HSL proudly presents this educational magazine about the transfer to secondary education. It aims to inform parents about this important step. We wish you happy reading! HSL Team
1 2
Educational magazine HSL
Edition 1, September 2016
The HSL is an excellent school with an international dimension. We are a school with a two folded mission. We want to prepare children for a smooth return to the Dutch or Belgian educational program. But also for a continuation of their academic career at an international school in or outside of Singapore.
Secondary education in Singapore There are a large and diverse number of international schools in Singapore. Several schools offer Dutch language in their program. At GESS (German European School) and UWCSEA (United World College South East Asia) this is an integrated part of the curriculum. At OFS (Overseas Family School) and at CIS (Canadian International School) the Dutch language program is offered after school hours. HSL usually advises parents and children to choose one of these schools, so that the foundation for Dutch language laid at HSL can be continued. Elsewhere in this magazine you can read special articles about GESS, OFS and UWCSEA. 2
Each year the HSL organizes a series of information sessions in cooperation with the earlier mentioned schools. During these information sessions the schools present themselves. Our groups 8 students also visit some of the schools to arrive at a better choice. Most secondary schools in Singapore request an educational report. This is provided by the HSL group teacher. Sometimes translated versions of the latest school reports are also required. Per student, the HSL provides the translation of one school report.
Educational magazine HSL
Preparing for an international education HSL's mission is twofold: HSL students should always be able to successfully transfer to a Dutch language or international school. This is why our school's curriculum is based on a strongly developed Dutch and English language program. In this magazine you'll find more information about how we prepare our students for the international context.
Edition 1, September 2016
Secondary education in the Netherlands Most students returning to the Netherlands after group 8 continue their academic career at a regular secondary school. An increasing number of secondary schools in the Netherlands offer a bilingual HAVO/VWO curriculum. These schools provide an excellent follow up to the HSL program. The students can actively use their knowledge of the English language. Most children returning to the Netherlands choose for this bilingual option. As most primary schools, HSL conducts the CITO year-end test. Each child is also given an official school advice form, containing the school type we advise for their secondary education. These documents help students make a smooth transition into the secondary education program in the Netherlands. When you are returning to the Netherlands making a list of schools suitable for your child is a good idea. If at all possible, visiting these schools of interest is an even better one. When trying to decide for a Dutch language or rather a bilingual school, or for a regular Dutch curriculum or rather an IB school or for any other questions you may have, please feel welcome to approach the group 8 teacher or SEN coordinator for their advice.
English, mathematics and science At the HSL children have 45 minutes of English class per day. In groups 7-8 this is 60 minutes. We think it is important to give the children the best possible preparation for an English language context in grade 7 (our 'brugklas'). In collaboration with the English teachers we also offer mathematics in English to our groups 8. Besides the essential vocabulary we also cover concepts that are important in international education in these classes. Additionally we started a collaboration with GESS in the school year 2015-2016 to offer science classes to our groups 8. This will familiarize the students with the laboratory, an important addition to the IPC science program. 3
Educational magazine HSL
Preparing students for international education One of the important aspects of English instruction at the HSL is preparing students for full-time studies in English in a Secondary School. A larger majority of our graduates are transferring to study in international schools in Singapore, the Netherlands, Belgium and elsewhere. Feedback received from international schools indicates that HSL students have a very advanced level of English. Last year the majority of our students who transitioned to international schools got into mainstream English. The rest who were in the ESL (English as a Second Language) bracket were quickly assimilated to mainstream within a short period of time. To prepare students we have expanded the English curriculum to insert more literacy training into the lessons. This means a focus on reading and writing, which are the areas we must focus on judging by the results of the InCAS assessments last year. Students are taught phonics, grammar, reading and writing starting in Group1 with sounds and spelling of high frequency words and gradually making their way up to the various genres of writing and literature studies in Group 8. As a part of the process, we communicate with other international schools on a consistent basis to evaluate how students who have graduated from the HSL are faring and what changes we can make to our curriculum and teaching to keep up with those demands.
4
Edition 1, September 2016
HSL Alumni In this newsletter you can read contributions from HSL alumni. These are students that repatriated to the Netherlands and students who continued their education in Singapore.
Schools introduce themselves At UWCSEA and GESS Dutch language as a subject is an integrated part of the curriculum. In this magazine you can read contributions from the various schools.
1
Educational magazine HSL
Edition 1, September 2016
United World College South East Asia At the UWCSEA, Dutch language has been taught in secondary school (all the way through the International Baccalaureate) since the 1980's. The language program is provided by a specially hired teacher. Since 2011 the Dutch language teacher at UWCSEA is Hans Schellekens, who previously taught at the school from 1997 to 2005. The United World College is a large international school community with two locations in Singapore. Only the Dover Campus offers the NTC program (at least for now). As the name suggests, it is a school where high-flown ideas are taken seriously: students are not only expected to be prepared to work hard academically, but to also want to play an active role in the multicultural school environment and beyond. In spite of, or perhaps thanks to these high demands there are always more applications than places available at UWC each year. Now this doesn't mean that only students with high academic scores (with a 'HAVO/VWO' indication, based on their CITO scores) are admitted to UWC or that these types of student, once admitted, are the only ones with a chance of success; it is equally important for students to be motivated to put in an effort and to develop in different areas. A UWC student has to possess what their website calls: constructive energy. The UWCSEA has a special arrangement with both the Hollandse School and the Swiss school in Singapore, admitting a total of a maximum of 22 students to Grade 7 – the year following our Group 8, and the equivalent of our freshman year (the 'brugklas'). Since the start of this arrangement, nine to thirteen HSL students have been admitted to the UWCSEA each year. They are taught Dutch language classes on Wednesday and Friday afternoon between 3 and 4.30 pm. This is after regular school hours, during so called Activity Time. In Grades 7 and 8 the Dutch language classes are considered 'extra language lessons’; in Grade 8 these classes also take place after hours, on Mondays and Thursdays. As of Grade 9 the Dutch language lessons are fully integrated in the official curriculum. In Grade 10 the students take a Dutch language exam at IGCSE level, which stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. In Grades 11 and 12 students study for the International Baccalaureate, where Dutch can be selected as first language. The IB diploma gives access to any university in the Netherlands; students with a sufficient grade in Dutch language needn't pass a language exam for admission into university. •
The UWCSEA website offers a lot more information about the school: 5
1 2 3
Educational magazine HSL
•
• • •
Edition 1, September 2016
http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/. In a small section of this site, which is to be completely rebuilt shortly, you can find the digital version of the Dutch language school guide: http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/dutch. Should you have any general questions about UWC please revert to their Admissions department: [email protected]. For specific questions relating the Dutch language and culture curriculum, please contact Hans Schellekens: [email protected]. http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/
German European School GESS fully supports the importance of the development of the mother tongue and, in cooperation with LanguageOne offers a mother tongue curriculum that is fully integrated in the schedules of the grades 6 through 12 students. GESS requires no extra charge for this program. GESS is a school with an international and a European character. The school has a German and a European section, of which the latter holds the Dutch language program. In addition to Dutch and English, students are also offered German language classes. This will provide them with excellent academic possibilities in Europe in the future and will increase their chances in the labor market. In the Netherlands learning German is also increasingly popular, due to Germany's strong international economic relations. In 2016 the GESS graduates scored higher than the IBO average. The IB results for Dutch were good to excellent. In addition all partaking students passed their CNaVT exams with good results. At the GESS the curriculum follows the MYP principals from grade 6 (= group 8). This includes the Dutch curriculum, where we integrated the Dutch core objectives into the program. This way our students are not only prepared for an international curriculum, but also for a possible return to the Netherlands. Culture is important part of our secondary education program. We connect to Dutch and Flemish culture in all our units. We also celebrate cultural highlights like Sinterklaas and King's Day within the international context of our school. 6
The Dutch curriculum is run by Liane Bom, Saar de Beaufort (MYP) and Inge Jansen (DP). The GESS teaching staff includes a number of Dutch teachers, for mathematics and physics, for example.
1
Edition 1, September 2016
Educational magazine HSL
Overseas Family School The OFS is an international school with 73 different nationalities. The school offers educational programs from Pre-Kindergarten up to High School Grade 12. In August 2015 the OFS opened its doors at a new location in Pasir Ris. The school now offers more room for the four different school types and in addition created many new possibilities for offering various facilities. In our Kindergarten and Elementary programs the students follow the well-known IPC program; in Middle School we work with the MYP (Middle Years Program) Curriculum Model and in High School we offer the IBMYP an IGCSE for Grades 9 and 10. The Grades 11 and 12 students graduate from High School with an IB diploma that is globally accepted by universities. The OFS feels strongly about having students learn in a rich international setting. Our mission is: To maintain a happy, safe and effective school for overseas families living in Singapore. The Mother Tongue Program In August 2015 the OFS started offering 14 Mother tongue programs in Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle- and High School. The Mother tongue programs include an educational program of four hours per week and are an integrated part of the curriculum. No extra fees are charged for students following a Mother tongue program. Developing the mother tongue has many advantages. • Students with a solid foundation in their mother tongue develop stronger linguistic skills in the daily language of the school. • Multilingual children have greater adjustability and find it easier to comprehend or sense subtle nuances in languages. • In addition you learn more about your identity and the country of your origin when mastering your mother tongue. • It also eases the transition in case of a return to the Netherlands and admittance to a University. The Middle Years Program The MYP helps students learn by offering them Global Contexts. These contexts stimulate research and international – mindedness, cultural understanding and reflection. All subject content offered is built up around 1 of the 6 Global Contexts (like: Identity and relationship). The school year consists of four quarters and in each quarter we work on one of the six Global Contexts per Grade. Since our students gain insights in a Global Context for all these subject areas, they are able to make connections between everything that is happening in the 7
2
Educational magazine HSL
Edition 1, September 2016
world around them. The challenging writing-, reading-, listening- and presentation assignments in the Mother tongue programs are focused on these Global Contexts per Quarter. Educational content like spelling, grammar, vocabulary and culture are part of the assignments offered. Enrichment program Per August 2017 the OFS offers all 14 languages as Foreign Language in their extracurricular program. Buddy New students at the OFS are always appointed a buddy. A classmate that will help the new student find their way around the school, to quickly make them feel at home and at ease. Admissions policy Finally, the OFS admissions policy. Students are welcome to enroll at any time of the year. Students are placed in the Grade level congruent with the grade level in their previous school. After placement it is determined which level of education the student needs and in which group they will be placed for mathematics and English. In case the student's English proficiency needs more work, the OFS allows the option to follow the SPP (The Study Preparation Program). The SPP offers extensive support to help the students enter the mainstream program as soon as possible. For more information please contact the following OFS staff members: Academic information: Mr. Michael Lee [email protected]
Mother tongue program teacher OFS: Clara Oosting [email protected]
Extracurricular Secondary Education programs
Canadian International School (CIS) The CIS values the importance of mother tongue education. In 2013 LanguageOne started an extracurricular Secondary Education program. Besides CIS students, students enrolled at other schools can also partake in the program. As of this school year the IB diploma program Dutch A is offered in grade 11. And next year the IB diploma program will also be offered in grade 12.
8
Edition 1, September 2016
Educational magazine HSL
Websites •
United World College o www.uwcsea.edu.org
•
Overseas Family School o www.ofs.edu.sg
•
German European School o www.gess.sg
•
Canadian International School o www.cis.edu.sg
•
Nederlands onderwijs in Singapore o www.nederlandsonderwijsinsingapore.com
Experiences from HSL alumni My transition to GESS A year ago I started at the GESS in Grade 7. When I arrived at school on the first day I didn't know where to go, but then I asked a teacher where my homeroom was. Your homeroom is the classroom where you start with your class each day so the teacher can take attendance and discuss all kinds of things. This teacher is your homeroom teacher. He/she will help you throughout the year, will go on camp with you and will do all kinds of class activities with you. You will also have a buddy, someone in your class to help you and show you where to go. Your buddy will stay with you until you know your way around and have made some friends. If you just talk to everybody you will be fine. Classes at the GESS are all in a different classroom. Your buddy will explain where everything is. At the GESS the Dutch classes are part of the program so you don't have to stay on after school for your Dutch lessons. Besides Dutch there will also be German and English lessons. After a week or two you will have found some people you get along with. My tip is to not only hang out with your old Dutch HSL friends, because this will not help you learn English fast enough. The transition seems like a bigger deal than it actually is, especially when you quickly make new friends everything will be fine. I am now in Grade 8 and everything about this school is just as familiar to me as things were at the HSL. Jan van Diepen, GESS grade 8 (HSL group 8 2015-2016) 9
Educational magazine HSL
My transition to the UWCSEA
My transition to the Canadian
It was already a year ago that I had my first day of school at UWC. I felt pretty small when I walked through that big school on that first day. It was kind of intimidating because everyone looks at you when you're new. But happily I wasn't the only new student in my class. I remember having to introduce myself all the rime those first days and answering a lot of questions about me. This really worked because this helped me get to know so many people. It was a little bit strange to speak English all day long but after a few weeks/months you'll find it gets easier.
I went from group 8 at the HSL to grade 7 (VO 1) at the CIS (Canadian International School). That was a very big change.
On the first day you will be assigned a ‘buddy’. He or she will help you find your way in school, makes sure you get to class on time, introduces you to other people and you sit with them at recess in the first weeks. After a little while you usually find your own friends to hang out with all the time. I always enjoy the Dutch language lessons after school, you meet up with former group 8 classmates and sometimes it feels just like the HSL again. Grade 7 was so much fun; I just started in Grade 8 with a lot of new kids in my class. I miss my old class. But I think this class will be just as close as we were in Grade 7. Meike van Diepen, Grade 8 UWCSEA Dover (HSL group 8 2015-2106)
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Edition 1, September 2016
Instead of having one teacher I suddenly had 10 teachers: one mentor and nine regular teachers. I had to go from class to class and got lost, since the school had four wings (of five floors each). In total the CIS has 3000 students spread out over two campuses. Initially I had to get used to climbing four floors, of not having a school bag to place on my chair (like you did at the Hollandse School) so my backpack got really heavy. Now, one year later, I know the school inside and out (including all the shortcuts), I made lots of new friends and feel right at home here. Sem van Elst, CIS grade 8 (HSL group 8 2015-2016)
Translation of HSL report cards When transferring to an international school it is possible to have the HSL school progress report cards translated into English by our regular translator. The HSL will cover the expenses for translation of 1 complete HSL progress report. In case you need more than 1 HSL report translated, we will charge SGD 15 per report page. If you wish to have the HSL report cards translated, but are not transferring to an international school, you may also use our translation service. In this case, however, the expenses will be charged. If it turns out the student is remaining at the HSL after all and therefore is not transitioning to an international school, the expenses for the translation will also be charged. The procedure is as follows: • •
Parents complete the exit form and the document 'request for translation of HSL school report(s)' and send both documents to [email protected]. The translated report card is checked by the principal, signed and sent to you in PDF format.
In peak periods, when many reports need to be translated, the turn-around for Nummer 1,time September 2014 translations can be up to 3-4 weeks. Please keep this in mind if you need the translated report cards by a specific date. You may find the forms on our website.
