Student Support Services
The KIS Seoul Campus Student Support Services department meets each student as they are, empowering learning and social emotional growth. KIS accommodates a student’s learning support plan (LSP). Student support faculty partner with parents, caregivers, and students to ensure optimal learning for all children under our care.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
KIS values the diversity of linguistic, cultural and social assets that each student brings to the classroom. Our English as an Additional Language (EAL) program provides English language support for students to achieve the goal of academic multilingualism. Using a range of support structures, the program seeks to foster a love of, and an academic competency in, both English and the students’ home language.
The program supports the academic skills, vocabulary and concepts that students are learning in the classroom, as well as stand-alone English language skills. Listening, speaking, reading and writing activities, as well as stories and games, all play a role in helping students to develop their linguistic skills, and an instrinsic desire to use English for both academic and social purposes.
All KIS teachers have extensive experience with working with multilingual learners. Additionally, our full-time EAL Specialist and EAL Teaching Assistant work with children from Kindergarten to Grade 5 within their classrooms, and in small group instruction. Students’ progress in each skill area is carefully monitored using a range of standards based assessment tools to ensure that they are making the expected progress, and supported effectively in their journey towards academic multilingualism.
Learning Support and Learning Extension
At KIS, we offer a multi-tier system of support (MTSS), providing universal, targeted, and intensive support. Universal support at the classroom level is important for all learners as teachers recognize and differentiate for all student’s learning needs. Targeted intervention addresses an individual student’s specific need through scaffolding. Intensive intervention considers the value of a student receiving a learning support plan (LSP) to support their learning journey.
Our learning support teacher collaborates with teachers, co-teaches in the classroom, and leads small group targeted instruction. The learning support program offers scaffolding for learners who benefit from specialized focus for their learning goals, as well as those children who require additional challenge and extension on their learning journey (gifted and talented instruction). Essential to all learning support is helping students to find joy as they learn. This program is offered to all children in PK-Grade 5.
Counseling
KIS Seoul Campus employs a full-time school counselor who works with families, children and teachers. Our counseling program centers on the concept of wellbeing for our elementary students. KIS Seoul Campus is a true international school with a transient student population. The vital role of our school counselor therefore includes a pastoral care role, helping students to transition into and out of our school community. The counselor offers regular, proactive counseling lessons for each homeroom from PK-Grade 5. They also help educate students on peer relationships, conflict resolution strategies, growth mindset, positive self-talk, and calm-down strategies. Our counseling program helps students to respond to situations more often than reacting to stimuli, with a keen attention on each child’s social-emotional learning.
Elementary counseling centers on relationships and commits to helping all children understand their social emotional growth as they navigate elementary school learning, activities, and friendships. The elementary counseling program follows a relational approach to counseling and creates a safe, healthy avenue for students to seek support. We bring social emotional learning to life through morning meetings, classroom lessons, co-teaching, small groups, and individualized support.
KIS Seoul Campus benefits from a unique student population, hosting many families from around the world, making cultural competency a central component of the elementary counseling program. We emphasize establishing healthy school relationships as students positively manage transitions into and out of our school community. Self-regulation is an essential skill for all children. We partner with parents, teachers, and school leaders to ensure that each student receives the support and care they need. Our counseling program fosters a community of support, inclusion, and joy for students and teachers.
Additional Support
KIS Seoul Campus partners with local services providers for the following services:
- Educational psychology (diagnostic testing)
- Speech and language therapy
- Occupational therapy
Responsive Classroom
KIS faculty utilize the Responsive Classroom framework to help children develop social-emotional skills through daily practices including Morning Meeting, reflection time, questioning, and Closing Circle.
Community Support
KIS employs specialized faculty to support each and every child's learning. Our community approach means that your child is known, valued, supported and challenged in a warm and inclusive setting.
Teachers Who Care
Our caring teachers provide a high quality learning opportunities that enable students to build on personal strengths and interests. Ample resources, and challenging and engaging units of study all help to ensure a quality learning environment.