Assessment of Learning at ISNS

ISNS students engage in a variety of assessments each year.  These assessments are both externally and internally administered.  Overall, assessment data shows that ISNS students achieve a significant level of success in relation to their peers around the world.

ISNS analyzes assessment data to inform teaching and learning.

These formal assessments have a 3-fold purpose:

• To provide data on student progress for students and parents

• To indicate appropriate next steps for differentiated instruction

• To track data from grade to grade and year to year 

PYP Assessments for 2023-24

MYP Assessments for 2023-24

Resources

• Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System

• Next Step Guided Reading Assessment (formative)

• ISNS Report Card Standards for Independent Reading Levels © 2016

• ISNS reading and writing standards and exemplars

• 6 Traits Writing rubrics 

• Fountas and Pinnell High Frequency Word List

• Letter/Sound Inventory

• Words Their Way Spelling Inventory 

ISNS provides support services to student through our Counselling, EAL and Learning Support (SEN) departments.  You may visit their individual pages for more information.

Student Support Policies, Procedures and Levels of Support

Adapted from Nanjing International School’s Learning Support Handbook, September 2018  

The Student Support Team (SST) at ISNS works to help students reach their full potential as successful, empowered learners within an inclusive educational environment. 

The ISNS Student Support Team (SST) includes: 

• Head of Student Support

• Learning Support Teachers

• PYP Literacy Coordinator

• PYP Math/Numeracy Coordinator 

• Counsellors

• EAL Team  

Admission of Students with Exceptionalities 

Information Required for Admission 

• A current school report, plus the final school reports from the previous two school years 

• An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or similar Learning Support Plan from the previous school (if applicable) 

• A psycho-educational assessment (if applicable) 

• Standardized test scores 

All student information contained in admissions files is confidential and will be shared with discretion and professionalism. 

Parental disclosure: In order for us to understand each student’s learning profile and to plan appropriate educational opportunities, we require that parents disclose essential information related to their child’s learning at the time of their application. We appreciate open and transparent dialogue that occurs between home and school.  

The Admissions Process 

• The Admissions Office collects and compiles complete application documents from the family, previous schools, and any other related organizations or professionals.

• If there is an indication that the student has special needs, the file is sent to the Principal and the relevant Student Support Team members for review and discussion.

• After collection of additional information and/or further discussion, the Principal makes a recommendation regarding admission to ISNS.

• The Head of School makes the final admission decision. 

In order to maintain an effective student-teacher ratio and ensure service of high quality, we offer a limited amount of space for students with special needs. 

Students with significant intellectual, physical, behavioral, emotional and/or psychological challenges requiring intensive one-on-one support (Tier 3) cannot be supported by ISNS. ISNS only accepts students with mild to moderate learning needs (i.e. learning disabilities, ADHD, mild autism, etc.).  

Referral Process 

“The referral process is undertaken when there is a recognition that there may be issues surrounding a child’s learning that require the collective attention of a group of educators (specialists and generalists alike). It is not “a transfer of responsibility from the classroom teacher to the Learning Support teacher”.  (A Practical Guide for School Leaders: K. Pelletier, K. Bartlett, W. Powell, O. Kusuma-Powell). 

• When a classroom teacher has ongoing concerns about a student’s learning, language, literacy, math, or social-emotional needs, they begin by following the pre-referral process specific to their division.  The SST and the teacher will review the case.

• The SST will meet with the teacher.  Together they will set up in-class interventions and documentation. This step will be documented through ManageBac to inform parents. 

• After four to six weeks, the SST and classroom teacher will examine the data and either continue the intervention if there has been progress or try a new intervention. The Managebac notes will be updated and a meeting with parents is required to let them know of concerns. 

• After six to eight weeks of Tier 2 intervention, the SST and teacher meet again to review progress. If progress has been made, the child will begin a new round oof Tier 2 interventions or return to receiving classroom interventions. If little or no progress has been made, the SST will meet to discuss the need for external expertise to gauge whether the child needs learning support for a diagnosed condition. The team will review the data and request that the parents seek support from external expertise if necessary. 

• A request for external testing will be made via a formal letter of referral on school letterhead for the parent to take to the external agency. The letter should be signed by the Head of Student Support, principal or administrator, and the parent(s). A copy of the letter of referral is placed in the student’s file. Only members of the Student Support Team can recommend external testing.

The decision for a student to receive support is made in collaboration with and consent from the parents. 

Discussions concerning medication should only occur based upon recommendations from a professional, for example, a clinical psychologist in an evaluation recommends that the family consider pharmaceutical intervention. Only relevant specialists such as medical practitioners or psychiatrists can recommend medication. 

Levels of Support 

Factors considered when assigning a level of support include: 

• Student’s academic progress, in relation to grade level expectations 

• Amount of time student requires Learning Support 

• Psycho-educational evaluation results 

• Type of support needed 

• Other services needed (i.e. OT, PT, SLP, EAL, counseling, etc.) 

Types of external support accessible in Shenzhen or Hong Kong that parents pursue outside of ISNS: 

• Educational psychologists (various languages) 

• Speech & Language Therapists (SLP) 

• Applied Behavioral Therapists (ABT) 

• Physical Therapists (PT) 

The Learning Support Team primarily provides two tiers of support to students with a diagnosis: 

Tier 1 - Consultant 

Students participate in the same curriculum content as their peers with the same learning outcomes and they benefit from instruction in the classroom but may need accommodations to access and to demonstrate understanding of the curriculum. 

Students may receive support in the following ways: 

• Informal in-house screenings and assessments  

• Consultative support from an SST member with classroom teachers 

• Monitoring and class observations by an SST member 

• Assistance with technology in class and/or for assessment purposes 

• A Classroom Accommodation Plan (CAP) or Behavior Plan or Counseling support as needed 

• External services like ABT, PT, SLP, or tutorial services outside of the regular ISNS school day 

Typically, these students may have a range of achievement on or below grade level but not exceeding one to two years in the Primary Years Program (PYP), and 2-3 years in the Middle Years Program (MYP) in any given learning area. 

Exit criteria: Students are working with an expected level of independence at grade level standards for a sustained period based on common assessments. 

Tier 2 – Targeted Intervention 

Students participate in the same curriculum content as their peers with mostly the same learning outcomes but require accommodations to access and demonstrate understanding of the curriculum. 

Students may receive support in the following ways: 

• Informal in-house screenings and assessments 

• Monitoring and class observations by an SST member

• Consultative support from an SST member with classroom teachers 

• Assistance with technology in class and/or for assessment purposes 

• Interventions and/or small group instruction (requiring an Individual Learning Plan (ILP)) 

• The SST member creates and implements an ILP with the classroom teacher 

• A Classroom Accommodation Plan (CAP) or Behavior Plan and Counseling support as needed

• Counseling services as needed 

• External services like ABT, PT, SLP, or tutorial services outside of the regular ISNS school day 

Typically, these students may have a range of achievement on or below grade level but not exceeding two to three years below grade level in any given learning area. 

Exit criteria: Students who have moved to one to two years below level in the PYP, and 2-3 years grade level standards in the MYP for a sustained period based on common assessments will move to Tier 1 support. If students are working with an expected level of independence at grade level standards for a sustained period based on common assessments, they will exit the support system. 

Definitions 

Accommodations 

Universal accommodations are those strategies, technologies or adjustments that enable a student to reach prescribed outcomes and can be used as needed. Universal accommodations do not necessitate an ILP. Justifiable accommodations are documented strategies, technologies or adjustments without which the student would not be able to access the curriculum. These accommodations are documented within an ILP or CAP.

Universal and justified accommodations can be classified under the following domains

• Presentation

• Response

• Setting 

• Timing/scheduling 

  
  

Accommodations may include: 

• Reading directions aloud

• Preferred seating

• Individual or small group testing environment 

• Extended time for assignments and exams 

• Extended breaks

• Use of assistive technology such as a speech-to-text device

• Use of a scribe

• Alternative format for demonstrating understanding of material 

• Instructions broken down into sequential steps 

• Use of graphic organizers/scaffolds 

Modifications 

A modification is a change made to instruction and or assessment that may adjust the grade level learning or assessment expectations.  Most often, the resulting product is not the same as the student product without modification.  Modifications will be documented in an ILP and on the student's report card. 

Classroom Accommodation Plan: (CAP) 

A document which identifies recommended accommodations for a student to have access to the grade level expected outcomes.  

Individual Learning Plan: (ILP) 

A document which identifies areas in the school setting in which specific goals are to be worked towards by the student.  This will outline supports provided by the teaching team and family that will support the student in reaching grade level outcomes, including academic goals, social/emotional goals and or behavioral goals. This plan will identify recommended accommodations and modifications and is based on class performance, teaching team input, family input and often a diagnosed disability. Any modifications made will be noted in an ILP and in the student's report cards. This plan will be revisited at a minimum of every school year. 

In the Diploma Program (DP), all documentation regarding accommodations required will be forwarded to the IBO, College Board, or ACT. The external agency will ultimately approve or not any accommodations for external tests and exams. IBO published documents such as “Candidates with assessment access requirements” (2013) along with recommendations in external psycho-educational evaluation inform accommodations in a student’s CAP or IEP in the MS and US. 

Transition Between Grade levels or divisions (Lower PYP, Upper PYP, MYP or DP) 

At ISNS, divisions work collaboratively to ensure that student needs are communicated and planned for in a way that facilitates a successful transition to the next division. 

Steps to Transition 

• The designated SST member compiles detailed information about students receiving support, including CAPs, ILPs, evaluations/reports, strategies, and other relevant data. 

• If moving to a new grade level, the SST member notifies the new classroom teacher about the case and the new teacher sets up a meeting to review the case with parents, a designated SST member, and administration if needed. If moving to the MYP/DP program, the SST member notifies the relevant MYP/DP SST member and Coordinator about the cases and provides them the necessary documents. 

• The Student Support team meets with the relevant teachers and administrator to share information about students at the beginning of the school year. 

Confidentiality 

Confidential information is frequently shared among a student’s team of professionals. The purpose of sharing confidential and sensitive information is to better understand how a student learns.  It is a professional obligation of all ISNS faculty members to protect confidential information. 

Guidelines related to students receiving support: 

• It is expected that all SST members will remind faculty about the confidentiality of student information.

• Confidential conversations will take place in secure locations. 

• Confidential information will not be left in public areas. 

• Portions of psycho-educational evaluations may be shared only with those teachers currently working with a student and will be maintained in the student’s file.

ISNS will not forward confidential records to other schools or outside agencies without the written consent of the student’s parent/guardian.   

The University and Careers Counsellors facilitate learning about career and university options for both students and families. From assessing personality traits and career interests, compiling transcripts and letters of recommendation, aiding in completing and submitting applications to universities, to helping students apply for residence and learn how to navigate course selections, the Counsellors play an important role in helping students and families make choices about their future.

During high school (G9-12), students are asked to consult with their Counsellor to determine an individualized path through the New Brunswick High School and/or IB Diploma Programme and into their best-fit university. The Counsellors’ goal is for each student to gain acceptance to a school that matches their interest and personality. Admissions worldwide can be a complicated, demanding, and time-consuming process. The ISNS university counsellors provide every available resource to educate families on how to productively and ethically complete the admission process. 

ISNS uses UniFrog software as a way for stakeholders to gather information for university applications. Students can search for universities, apply and the counsellor can upload their official documents to support their university applications. Any outside testing scores can be stored on the student’s UniFrog individual research file.

The counsellor encourages students to assess their ambitions and pursue their dreams. ISNS families are encouraged to allow their children to pursue their interests. The MYP and DP programs are rigorous academic programs that are attractive to admissions offices at any university/college worldwide, and a student that prepares well will have their choice of desirable places to study beyond ISNS. 

University acceptances and DP results from previous classes highlight the strength of the ISNS approach.

What to expect from your Career/University Counsellor:

• Tailored lessons from Grade 6 to Grade 12 helping students identify their interests, strengths, goals, and potential career paths.

• Guidance on course selection from Grade 10 onward in preparation for selecting subjects in the IB Diploma Programme

• Comprehensive counselling that supports students throughout the university selection and application process

• Presentations to high school students and parents detailing all aspects of the university application process

• Individual meetings with students and parents from Grade 11 on to remain on the same page about each student’s journey towards independent living.

• Consultations about differing academic systems, the selection of schools, university courses and/or majors in countries worldwide

• Supplying resources such as university brochures, catalogs, guides, to help students increase their university awareness

• Advice on standardized testing, including the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude/Assessment Test), the ACT (American College Test), the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), and the IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

• Targeting schools that are a good fit depending on the student’s interests, academic strengths, athletic and/or artistic skills, and other factors relevant to the student.

• Assistance and guidance in preparation of applications including personal statements, essays, mock interviews, and contact with university representatives.

• Counsellor letters of recommendation that strongly support student’s candidature to appropriate universities.

• Requesting Teacher References.

• Workshops on conducting university research and selection as well as preparing applications, essays, interviews, extracurricular and summer activities.

• Guidance on financial aid

• Maintaining relationships with universities and introducing ISNS to universities from all over the world

• Organization of college visits from university representatives worldwide.

ISNS maintains supportive and structured codes of behavior for the college admission process. Our policy allows for an appropriate number of schools and helps ensure that students are submitting accurate and authentic information for their applications.

University Counsellors: Lisa Hackett and Eleanor Rao

At ISNS, Technology Integration is embedded in the curriculum to enhance teaching so learning can be more meaningful, impactful, and fun. The aim of Technology Integration is to guide our students to develop necessary technology skills and values, expose them to current and emerging technologies within their learning experiences, and prepare our students to thrive in their future personal lives and workplace.

All classrooms have high speed wireless connectivity along with other technical resources. The PYP and lower MYP classrooms are equipped with Apple devices, either iPads or MacBooks, for each student. Older students bring their own devices.

In the early years, students use iPads to share their learning and learn through creativity and play. As students move through the years, they progress to using more sophisticated technical devices and software. Thereby becoming both consumers and digital content creators. Seesaw, MS Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud are three of our staple software programs. All PYP and MYP students are taught Digital Citizenship to promote safe, legal, and ethical online behaviour. This is done collaboratively through counsellors, integration technology coaches, and teachers.

Extra-curricular activities provide our students with opportunities to further explore personal interests. Makerspace, coding, robotics, app creation, video game design, VR, 3D printing, drones and other multi-media devices and projects foster personal engagement with creative technology endeavours. 

As an International Baccalaureate school, the International School of Nanshan Shenzhen is a learning community that is committed to providing an inquiry-driven education for all students.  ISNS therefore views the cultural and linguistic diversity of its student population as a valued characteristic of our school and as a rich resource.

ISNS recognizes that language proficiency is vital to the success of our students. Furthermore, the ability to thrive in a multilingual, multicultural world is greatly enhanced by the acquisition of languages in addition to the mother tongue. We view the on-going language development of ISNS students as the responsibility of all teachers, parents and students. Through language, our students acquire the ability to think and to learn, to develop social skills and values, and to acquire knowledge. Since bilingual and multilingual students benefit cognitively, socially and health-wise, ISNS strives to support the development of mother tongue and additional languages.  All ISNS students will therefore have the knowledge of and the ability to use two or more languages, but we recognize that our students come to our school with different language backgrounds and aptitude and will all progress at different paces.

Language Needs

The language needs of students at ISNS can be divided into five areas: English, English as an Additional Language, Mother Tongue, Mandarin and World Languages.

Languages used in the school:

• English (as language of instruction); English as an Additional Language, Language A and Language B

• Mandarin as host country language, Language and Literature, and Language Acquisition

• French as Language B option

• Other languages spoken in the school - Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Farsi, Dutch, Hindi, Urdu, Norwegian, Romanian, Italian, German, Malay and more

Practices relating to teaching and learning languages:

All teachers, in every subject area, support students in their language development at ISNS.

Information relating to language proficiency and previous language learning experience is collected at enrollment through the Home Language Survey. 

Students are encouraged to use their mother tongue to seek clarification in non-mother tongue lessons. Students are encouraged to use their languages to include others in conversations and discussions by switching to a common language or translating according to the situation. The playground, library, and social areas in the school are multilingual and inclusive.

Support for student learning in the language of instruction (English) is the result of collaboration between mainstream and EAL teachers. The nature of the support (individual or small group instruction; in class or sheltered support) is dependent on the needs of the student and the academic demands.

The acquisition of additional languages is a necessity in our ever changing, fast-paced world. The development of one additional language can help to develop intercultural awareness and tolerance and thus plays a key role in the holistic development of the student. The acquisition of an additional language can develop language skills that can assist students in acquiring further additional languages.

Languages in the Primary Years Programme (PYP)

English as the Language of Instruction

Teachers will work to provide a caring and accepting language community and opportunities will be structured to ensure the success of all learners.  Students are expected and encouraged to speak English in the classroom and this is reinforced in positive ways, not in a punitive manner.  Teachers collaborate with specialists and acknowledge that they “play an important role in reinforcing, supporting and extending the classroom work” (Making the PYP Happen, IBO. Peterson, 2009). The PYP Language Scope and Sequence documents are used to guide teachers at every stage of the language teaching and learning process.  

English as an Additional Language Support

EAL support complements the Programme of Inquiry to the fullest extent possible. Grade level teams and the PYP coordinator involve the specialist language teachers when planning units of inquiry.

Mother Tongue

ISNS acknowledges that the development of mother-tongue language is essential to cognition and preserving personal and cultural identity. Efforts are made to connect new learning to prior learning in each student’s mother tongue language.

Mandarin as Host Country Language

As the host country language and the mother tongue of the majority students, Mandarin holds a special status at ISNS. Students studying this language are grouped according to proficiency, thus ensuring support for both mother tongue Mandarin speakers and learners of Mandarin as an additional language.

Languages in the Middle Years Programme (MYP)

English as the Language of Instruction

In the MYP, students have the opportunity to take English as Language and Literature (Language A) or as Language Acquisition (Language B). Students who achieve Phase 5 on the IB continuum of language acquisition, may transition to the Language and Literature course.  The student’s achievement will be reviewed by the language team to access readiness.

The school analyzes assessment data to inform teaching and learning in addition to tracking individual student progress. In recognition of the fact that all teachers are teachers of language, literacy outcomes such as, reading comprehension strategies, the acquisition of academic vocabulary, and communication skills, are incorporated into units of inquiry as appropriate.

English Immersion:  Achieving advanced command of English requires day-to-day immersion in the language. ISNS emphasizes an English-only approach in MYP classes (with the exception of Mandarin and French classes) to ensure that students are constantly exposed to English and have a thoroughly immersive experience while at school.

English as an Additional Language Support

We are well aware of the research stating that it may take up to seven years for learners who are using a language other than their mother tongue to attain the same levels in academic language proficiency as those expected for learners learning in a mother tongue environment (Learning in language other than mother tongue in IB programmes, IBO. Peterson. 2008). Every effort will be made to provide students who enter the MYP without command of the language of instruction the necessary support in preparation for the challenges of the Diploma Programme.

Students who develop foundational skills in Language Acquisition, achieve advanced proficiency in English, and who are approved by leadership following an evaluation, may transition to the Language & Literature course at the start of the next school year.

Mother Tongue

To the extent possible, options will be provided for students to pursue study of their mother tongue.

Mandarin as Host Country Language

In the MYP, Mandarin continues to be a focus at ISNS.  The proficiency groupings of the primary years are formalized into Language and Literature (Language A) and Language Acquisition (Language B) courses. Standardized tests are used to monitor language proficiency in Mandarin. 

Additional Languages

Mandarin and French Language Acquisition courses are offered in the MYP at ISNS.  Students’ commencing with French as their Language Acquisition course may not switch to Mandarin.  Students will be permitted to switch from Mandarin to French Language Acquisition in Grade 9.  

If a student is not capable of taking either English or Mandarin at a Language and Literature level by the beginning of Grade 9, the student will be required to commence studying their mother tongue language, at their own cost.  One Language and Literature course at a minimum is required for the full Diploma Programme.

MYP to DP Language Courses Flowchart

For students planning on completing the full DP:

Languages in the Diploma Programme (DP)

The languages on offer at ISNS in Grades 11 and 12 aim to provide students with the opportunity to study their mother tongue continue to learn additional languages or start learning a new language from the beginning. Students entering ISNS in Grade 11 must be reading and writing in English at grade level.

In Grades 11 and 12, ISNS currently offers two programmes:

The full IB Diploma Programme, which requires students to include a Language A: Language and Literature course, as well as an additional language (at either Language B or ab initio Language level) in their subject selection. Where appropriate in terms of the student’s future professional ambitions, the school actively encourages the study of three languages. Students attempting the full IB Diploma Programme will also have the option to complete two Language A: Language and Literature courses in lieu of one Language A and one Language B/ab initio course.  Successful students will then be able to graduate with a bilingual diploma;

The IB Programme with a New Brunswick Diploma, aimed at those students who do not require a full IB Diploma or who might be too challenged by it. Within the IB Programme, students will always select a minimum of two languages: one Language A: Language and Literature, and the other at either Language B or ab initio level. The school reviews the range of languages on offer in Grades 11 & 12 on an annual basis.

English as an Additional Language (EAL) Program

Additional support for students who are beginning English learners is provided through our EAL program.  The EAL program is primarily for students in Grades 1 to 5.  Details on how the EAL program operates can be obtained through the Admissions Office or our Director of Language Acquisition.

Students in Grade 6 and above are expected to have a high level of English language skills in order to be successful in the rigorous academic program offered at ISNS.

This policy will be reviewed annually by the Heads of Departments for Languages and IB Coordinators with input from teaching leads and other staff. Revised: March 3, 2021.