From kindergarten through fourth grade, ISL’s program provides a nurturing, stimulating environment for cultivating enthusiastic students. Language arts, social studies, science and math are taught in the target language in self-contained classes. English language arts are taught in grades 2-4 and enrichment teachers present music, art and physical education in a target language whenever possible. Subjects are thoughtfully sequenced and carefully integrated, to better reinforce the connections made and lessons learned.

From kindergarten on, students are encouraged to appreciate and respect the special qualities they and their classmates, teachers and families contribute to the ISL community.

These are years of emerging self-confidence and the opportunity for self-expression, performance and presentation abound. ISL incorporates technology into the classroom at a very early age. Every lower school classroom has computers with age-appropriate Internet access and a state-of-the-art computer lab supports emerging technical skills.

Homework

Grades K-2

In grades K-2, homework, when assigned, is intended to help your child develop responsibility for completing a task and returning it on time.  Daily reading to a child (in any language), having a child read to family members or read independently is also a part of lower school homework.  Reading is an important component of having a student become a competent reader and writer.

The time allotted toward homework should increase gradually from grade to grade.  In K-2 the approximate daily time allotment for homework is 30 minutes.

Grades 3-5

In grades 3-5 homework assignments become more structured with required time increasing from third through fourth grades.  Skill practice, projects and extended reading may require additional time. Homework is an outgrowth of lessons taught in class.  Occasionally, additional work may be brought home as the result of the student not completing an assignment in class.  It is the student’s responsibility to use class time wisely.

In grades 3-5 the approximate daily time allotment for homework is 60 minutes.

In all grades, weekend time should be reserved for family activities, but on occasion may be used to complete long-range assignments such as projects, reports and supplementary reading.  Students may choose to follow up on classroom experiences on their own initiative.