Learning is a lifelong, holistic process that builds and shapes skills, abilities, attitudes, behaviors, and critical thinking through life lessons, observations, and experiences in order to become a competent and active global citizen. El aprendizaje es un proceso holístico de toda la vida que construye y da forma a destrezas, habilidades, actitudes, comportamientos, y pensamiento crítico a través de lecciones de vida, observaciones y experiencias para convertirse en un ciudadano global competente y activo.
Developing English and Spanish writing skills is an essential part of our academic program. Antigua International School utilized a Balanced Literacy approach to teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in English and in Spanish. Developed by Teachers College at Columbia University and implemented at leading international schools around the world, Balanced Literacy promotes critical engagement in a bilingual setting.
Balanced Literacy relies on an intimate, personal relationship between the teacher and the student. Reading and writing partnerships, as well as small group work, are integral parts of the workshops. Students regularly share their writing and reading achievements with the school community through "Publishing Parties." Assessment for learning is at the heart of this framework. Teachers confer with students daily to identify what students know and what the next steps in learning are.Antigua International School utilized a Balanced Literacy approach to teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in English and in Spanish. Developed by Teachers College at Columbia University and implemented at leading international schools around the world, Balanced Literacy promotes critical engagement in a bilingual setting.
A variety of assessments - including informal, formal, and standardized measurements - give our educators a clear picture of how individual students are progressing through our academic program. Furthermore, we value assessments that provide us with programmatic insights into our areas of strength as well as opportunities for further growth.
The most important assessment of each child is rooted in the rich relationships they have with their teachers. Teachers provide meaningful feedback through both narrative and quantitative means. Our teams create class assignments, homework, quizzes/tests, papers, projects (both group and individual), presentations and many other types of diagnostic, formative and summative assessments to support student growth and a love of learning.
The school's most important standardized test is the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress). These computer-based, prescriptive tests in math and reading help us to judge the performance of students versus international norms. In addition to individual reports, we analyze trend data for specific topics and grade levels. AIS students perform strongly compared to international norms.
Antigua International School students all start here, but they can go anywhere! Doors at colleges and universities worldwide are opened through dual accreditations with the New England Association of School and Colleges (NEASC) and the Guatemalan Ministry of Education. To learn more about what NEASC accreditation means for international schools such as AIS please see HERE.
