At Sophio, we pride ourselves on providing a full service, value for money offering that helps students achieve their goals and graduate having received all of the knowledge, skills and guidance they need to succeed.
To this end we have prioritized the offering of English as a Second Language, or ESL, as a basic course for all of our students, giving students the world over the opportunity to improve their English skills and gain a better understanding of the Ontario High School Diploma coursework.
Our ESL course is offered in accordance with the Ontario Schools Policy Document Guidelines, and therefore is designed to promote inclusive education, equality and diversity.
Our teachers are trained to work with foreign language students and make themselves available or one-on-one question time at their discretion, and virtual classes including group-work give students the opportunity to interact with others and practice what they have learned.
The various levels of the ESL course include extending students with listening, reading, writing and speaking skills to improve their overall grasp of English and help promote its use in everyday life as well as for academic purposes.
Our ESL program is open to all students whose first language is not English. The program is designed to aid students have a smooth transition to learning in an English environment. A time criterion is set by the Ontario Ministry of Education, for example, a full-time student should complete 210 minutes or more of ESL classes per school cycle.
Students participating in our ESL course at any grade level may receive a maximum of three (3) ESL credits towards their required four (4) English credits required for graduation. The remaining credit(s) must be earned at the Grade 12 level.