Language Learning at its Finest

The grand opening of the Kells Academy Language Centre in Westmount made for an extra exciting autumn at the school. The Centre was created in order to provide additional English language help for our international students who come from all over the world, including China, Ukraine, Vietnam, Syria, Korea, and Turkey.

Language Centre students study at the beautiful new centre full time and are taught by specialist teachers trained in ESL. They also study Math, History, and Science in order to stay up to date with the Kells mainstream curriculum. Students are tested every 2 months and as soon as their English level is strong enough for Kells classrooms, they are transferred to the high school campus. The first assessment week was October 30th to November 3rd. The majority of the Centre students advanced into higher levels of English, already! The first group of students to graduate from the Language Centre returned to the high school on November 6th and their integration into the classes at the main campus was a success.

At the Centre, the students work hard to improve their language skills, but also enjoy field trips, games, and special events. Many of the students participate in clubs and sports teams with their peers at the main high school. Kells is really proud to be able to offer this Language program and it is evident that it is helping create higher levels of accomplishment in its students.

To best serve the students who need to improve their language skills, the centre will remain open throughout the summer. This will allow students to continue to work on their English in the areas of speaking, listening, writing, and reading comprehension. In the mornings, they will have English instruction and in the afternoons, they will learn English through art, film, comics, and on tour of Montreal. Fridays will be field trip day, where students will continue to learn English in action.

The Kells Language Centre helps students improve their language skills before being immersed in the regular curriculum and gives them the confidence they need to be successful in school.

By Najma Ali-Secours