WAB Support

High School Counseling

WAB has a comprehensive counseling model; counselors meet the academic, social and emotional needs of High School students. The counselors offer support services for students and families as they manage issues of studying and living in an international environment. The goal is to promote personal wellbeing, healthy relationships and the successful balance of academic, extracurricular, and community involvement for WAB students. Our philosophy is to help each High School student be successful and plan for a meaningful post WAB experience. 

Students may receive individual assistance from their counselor in dealing with a wide range of personal, academic and social issues common to this age group. Typical issues may involve: 

  • Social relationships/friendships
  • Emotional regulation
  • Academic planning and decision-making
  • Problem solving and life skills development
  • Crisis intervention

The formal component of the counseling program occurs during PSE (Personal and Social Education) blocks and differs for each grade level. 

Students in high school are introduced to the VIA (Values in Action) Character Strengths. This is an important time for positive self-awareness than when growing up. VIA is an engaging way to learn more about the best parts of themselves and how to use their strengths to reach their greatest potential. 

In Grade 9, the counselors support students as they make the transition from Middle to High School, and how to be a successful student and young adult. This includes individual meetings as well as guidance lessons during PSE time. 

In Grade 10, the focus is on enabling students to assess and evaluate their own achievements, interests, skills, abilities, values, and personal characteristics. Students are guided to begin thinking about these interests and skills in terms of choices for university and/or post high school work. 

In Grade 11, students continue planning for life after high school in addition to learning time management skills to support the increased level of rigor of Grade 11 and 12 classes. Students complete the “Post-WAB” to begin the formal program of college/university and career counseling. The focus is on providing information on college/career awareness and assistance in researching those options in several countries around the world. 

The formal post-high school planning process throughout Grade 12 begins with the preparation of official documents and online applications for future educational choices. As students prepare for graduation, the emphasis is again on transition, this time from High School to university or the world of work.

Learning Support Center (LSC)

The role of the HS LSC is to provide support and accommodations for students to help them access the curriculum more productively. Learning Support teachers work with students, parents and teachers to develop the program most suitable for each student. This may involve differentiating using a variety of approaches in order to meet each student’s needs at an optimal level.

Learning Support services can take the following forms:

  • In-Class Support 
    An LSC teacher will support students within certain subject classrooms. Typically one LSC teacher will support students in grades 9 and 10 in Math and Science, while another LSC teacher will support them in Language and Literature and Individuals and Societies classes. This provides continuity over the final two years of the MYP.

    One LSC teacher will support students in grades 11 and12, usually with meetings during free blocks but occasionally with in-class support. A major emphasis during these DP years is helping students keep organized and on top of their numerous assessments.

  • Learning Support Class
    Identified students in grades 9 and 10 will attend the Learning Support class where they can get 1:1 or small group support for their subject work as well as improving their executive functioning skills to help them access the curriculum. The LS class usually takes the place of a foreign language class.

  • Assessment Accommodations 
    Students from grades 9 to12 who require special assessment accommodations will follow the guidelines for accommodations based on the IBO document “Candidates with assessment access requirements” (2017). These accommodations can range from extra time to writing the assessments in a separate room. Any accommodation authorized will be available for the student to use, including during final DP exams.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

The High School EAL Department supports non-native English speakers in Grades 9 through12. Non-native speakers receive help in all areas of language acquisition in order to reach a high level of English language proficiency and achieve full participation in the WAB curriculum.

The High School EAL Department provides the following support programs:

  • In-Class Language Support (ICLS)
    This program is designed to support non-native English speakers in different classes by co-teaching with the subject teacher.
  • Academic Reading and Writing
    (Grade 11 and 12)
    The aim of this class is to develop academic reading and writing skills and to support student learning in Grade 11 and 12 courses. This class does not replace an English course.
  • Individual Support
    Individual Support is available to all non-native speakers in Grades 9-12, regardless of language proficiency level, to assist students with classroom work in all subject areas. Sessions for work revision, editing, as well as skill focus are offered during every Day 9.

  • In-Class Language Support (ICLS)
    This program is designed to support non-native English speakers in different classes by co-teaching with the subject teacher.
  • Academic Reading and Writing
    (Grade 11 and 12)
    The aim of this class is to develop academic reading and writing skills and to support student learning in Grade 11 and 12 courses. This class does not replace an English course.
  • Individual Support
    Individual Support is available to all non-native speakers in Grades 9-12, regardless of language proficiency level, to assist students with classroom work in all subject areas. Sessions for work revision, editing, as well as skill focus are offered during every Day 9.

Assessment

Students will be assessed on a number of in class activities related to specific academic reading and writing skills. Students will be given individual feedback on their work. A report comment on student progress in this class is provided at the end of each semester. In Class Language Support (ICLS) takes the form of EAL teachers working within the classroom, alongside specialist teachers to differentiate instruction for EAL learners. Support is given from Grades 9-12. Ad-Hoc Support is available to all non-native English speakers from Grades 9-12. It is designed to help students develop strategies to assist them in managing specialist classroom work, as well as to support students on a pastoral care level.

Green Sky Studio (HS Library)

The Qin Tian Ge or Green Sky Studio (HS Library) is a student-centered facility designed to provide access to a variety of quality, inclusive, and unbiased resources that underpin strategic IB pedagogy. These resources support the intellectual, educational, recreational and cultural life of the school. As such, the aim of the library is to build upon the excellent collaboration that characterizes the Middle Years and Grade 11/12 programs while assisting students to further develop their information literacy skills and appreciation of literature. The HS library and its programming is an integrated extension of classroom work and assignments that encourages learners to productively and ethically use resources, skills and tools to inquire, think critically and gain knowledge. This enables students to draw conclusions, make informed decisions, and apply knowledge to new situations in a rapidly changing world of information. In addition, the library staff supports students in researching and completing their IB MYP Grade 10 Personal Project and the IB DP Extended Essay.