Seeking an innovative and truly international education for your child?
CoIS is a newly formed (2005) multicultural school born out of the experiences of many families who seek an innovative way of educating their children in a multinational and multilingual school environment without having to adhere rigidly to the different national curriculums of diverse countries. Instead, CoIS offers an American international curriculum. The school is in the process of applying for accreditation with the International Baccalaureate Organization. CoIS hopes to incorporate curriculum from the Primary Years Program and the Middle Years Program for students ages 3 to 14, with the goal of expanding into the high school years as its students grow and develop. Programs such as those offered by IBO are highly effective in delivering extraordinary academic standards while developing a world perspective in all of its students. Colorado International School also incorporates the standards of learning outlined by the Colorado State Department of Education, thereby ensuring all of our students high achievement in examinations and standardized tests.
CoIS offers more than your average school
CoIS is unique in that it meets the needs of a very diverse student population with its offerings of a full day program and before/after school enrichment sessions that serve an even wider school community. The school's operating hours are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and school hours are 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Before and after school enrichment classes are offered all year long between the hours of 8 and 9 a.m. and 4 and 6 p.m. New classes are added regulary.
Immersion - the only way to fully learn a language
The day program offers at present three main language streams where students are fully immersed in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese and French from ages three to six. (New language streams will be added in the future.) These early years are the "critical periods for language development" as described by many child development psychologists and linguists. This means that children can absorb any set of sounds associated with languages in a natural and contextual way, without limitations, and without significant effort. Students can develop any number of languages easily during these formative years, and will speak them with perfect native pronunciation. This "window for language development" is relatively short, and so CoIS takes full advantage of its nature by offering full immersion programs for students as young as age three. CoIS limits the use of English in the classroom, since English is already the dominant language in the child's environment.
English at CoIS
In first grade, the world language being studied is offered 80% of the time, with English language skills being offered 20%. Each year, English language instruction increases until students spend an equal amount of time in both languages by middle school. These percentages of time spent in immersion in the world language are based on research and outlined by the American Council on Immersion Education (ACIE). Students who begin at an early age with CoIS and continue in the program will be completely bilingual and biliterate, ready for advanced studies in either language by the time they are ready for high school or university studies nationally or abroad. And since programs such as those available through the IBO are highly acclaimed and recognized world-wide, students have the freedom to eventually study in many countries in a network of international and national schools.
More about our unique enrichment classes
Comprehensive enrichment programs are offered before and after school hours. Students at CoIS, private or public schools, or home schooled students, attend the enrichment programs. The language clubs are offered in Spanish, Mandarin, French, Japanese and Russian. Language clubs include both the language and the cultural aspects of the countries that speak these languages. Students learn folkloric dances & music, learn to cook ethnic dishes, read standard children's fables, enjoy games, martial arts techniques and sports typical of other countries and cultures. This is a fun way for students to learn or reinforce world language skills while developing cultural understanding that leads to world citizenship. These classes are still language intensive, but with a great deal of cultural fun activities. CoIS also offers language-based enrichment classes that fulfill already proficient world language speakers' needs to maintain, improve and enhance their language skills. Enrichment classes are ideal for students who want to begin acquiring a second language, or for students who want to maintain and improve language skills, or who want to begin acquisition of a third language. It is important to note that CoIS provides as much focus on its enrichment programs as it does on its day program, thereby ensuring the best and most comprehensive language-based enrichment programs in Denver. Click on the sidebar button "Academic Programs" to view our current Enrichment offerings, which include many other exciting classes beyond our language clubs.
Don't hesistate to contact us for even more information about our programs. We're waiting to hear from you! |
