International School: International SAT Educational System

2.5.1 Leaping the World Stage

Hayden (2011) suggested two main streams of growing school internationalization

in education are:

1. the transfer of national school systems in education to the internationalization of education,

2. the growth in vast numbers of international schools worldwide.

The second point was the main focus of the study, which looked into the factors

taken into consideration in the development of international schools and followed a

discussion of the changing nature between national and international schools.

Furthermore, Hayden (2011) mentioned that international education is proving to be

increasingly attractive to both globally mobile expatriates and parents searching for ways

to give their children a competitive edge in a globalized educational market.

Islamic Education College (IEC) has always been highly praised by the outside

world and is competing to implement the school role model in Jordan. As the director of

the American AdvancED (2016) said after a visit to the Islamic Education College: The courses and scales like Islamic Educational College are second to none, and no one can

imitate it, it is not easy to do. Indeed, this comment reflects the consistent commitment of the Islamic Educational College. Every year, the Islamic Educational College host many guests and friends from educational institutions, universities and high schools around the world. They affirm and applause Islamic Educational College efforts in

successfully implementing the International SAT Educational System.

2.5.2 Foreign Language Environment

According to the view of Huang (2005), the earlier college student began to read

online news, the more likely he/she became a regular online newsreader. In general, the

early adoption of a given communication channel is a significant predictor of regular use

of that channel. Huang (2005) found the results matched Rogers' traditional predictions:

college innovators and early adopters read more online news and had more cosmopolitan

experience than later adopters and laggards. And it concluded that gender was not only a

strong predictor of adopter categories but was also an antecedent factor to the relationship

between online news adoption and online news reading. Diffusion theory works in an

Internet environment.

The Islamic Educational College has an English-only SAT program presented “in

line with international standards” related activities. From brilliant text narratives and

vivid captions, one travels to cities around the world. “You are entering the English Zone.”

It’s a welcome message posted on the gate that takes people into this “English Only”

environment, an area which includes a full row of extensions -- 43 foreign language

classrooms throughout the floor, plus ample space for a large integrated activity

classroom, gives the best start to the learning mood.

2.5.3 Excellent Foreign Teacher Series

Bunnell (2016) examined an educational development that has been ignored which

is the dramatic increase in the number of 'international schools' worldwide. In 2014, it

involved almost 350,000 teachers in over 7000 English-medium schools in

non-English-speaking countries. A projection to 2022 shows that this number is predicted to rise to

500,000 educators, mainly of American and British origins, in 10,000 schools globally.

Substantial evidence based on social media and real-life comments showed “the growth of international schools” becoming increasingly precarious for teachers. This hazardous situation was as the field remains “uninspected, unmonitored and unregulated”.

The main features of the English-language group of the international department are the foreign teachers, who have a wealth of experience in English teaching, who have an English teaching certification or who have a qualified teacher's license in the country, and be able to create English teaching plans.

Blatti et al. (2019) to determine the presence of collective teacher efficacy (CTE)

and provide clarity in an international school in Shanghai, the study applied a

mixed-method approached by design involving two phases: survey data collection and

semi-structured interviews. It concluded the presence of CTE, identified themes and

dimensions to explain the CTE nature in an international school in Shanghai. And it

results revealed that CTE not only exists among expatriate foreign teachers, but it is also

high in this context due to the exponential growth in the number of international schools

in China.

2.5.4 Small Class Fit Teaching Systematically and Continuously Developing

Keller (2014) used a two-stage framework to understand the complex issues of

“duality” which leaders of international schools confront when operating within a

“loosely defined”, yet dramatically rising, speciality niche of education, filled with

ambiguity and complex tensions. And, he proposes a two-stage framework in critically

analyzing the dualities of international schools: 1. spatial dualities, and 2. temporal

dualities. Keller concludes that the challenge of school leaders is to make sense of

opposite perspectives of space and time within their school and lead its community to do

similarly.

In the language “listening” and “speaking” ability training, the first focus is on

individual dialogue practice. The English course in the international department, also

known as the English group course, means that the original class of students is divided

into three groups according to their level of English. Each group is of 15 students in the

small class system, which is for suitable teaching. This small class system encourages

individual interaction between teachers and students and practice opportunities to achieve practical exercise results. The grouping arrangement provides the most suitable learning environment for students so that the more basic students do not generate too

much pressure, and that the higher-level students have more room to learn and grow. To

be precise, as long as a class has an English group course, there will be three foreign

teachers in their respective classrooms using different syllabus of teaching materials, and

various teaching method, to achieve the best learning results. And, the whole school from

the middle to high school grades fully implements this course, showing that the school is

promoting English education at a comprehensive level.

2.5.5 Systematic and Continuous Development of New Courses

Hayden et al. (2000) understood what being “international” means to students

whose parents are posted to different parts of the world, and whose children are enrolled

in an international school that promotes international education. Hayden’s intention is to

understand the perspectives of 200 teachers and more than 1200 18 year-old students

who study in these schools across the globe. And it compares the views of teachers and

students about characteristics such as international- mindedness, open-mindedness,

second language proficiency, thinking skills, tolerance and respect for others in terms of

how important these features are to both groups.

The foreign language curriculum of the Islamic Educational College systematically developed from kindergarten, primary school, national secondary school to high school established thematic unit-type curriculum giving students the best contextual learning.

Students learn about language use in different situations. Although it is a conversational course, it also focuses on the study of students' character, grammar and sentence scribes.

In addition to the established conversational courses, the “fiction guide” is implemented in the course. In the “Fiction Guide”, teachers lead students through a weekly course to read and discuss the work. This course trains students to use their imagination, and the English they have learned to express themselves in a more organized and systematic way, often using an image as a prompt. Besides, the monthly Holiday Activities, which lasts a whole year, is even more carefully planned. These teaching activities included students learning about Chinese and foreign festivals in the classroom. Two bulletin boards located at the front and rear of the corridor are painstakingly planned and connect each international teacher with a celebration to present special teaching activities in a more

meta-model.

2.5.6 New Courses International Curriculum Study

Every year the school receives the warm support of parents and students, and self-expectation among them is improving. In order to provide the best curriculum for students, the screening and examination process of partner schools is exceptionally

rigorous. International curriculum study is an extension of the foreign language course of the Islamic Academy.

Preparations for every new academic year begins at the end of the previous year with planning the goals and objectives, etc. of the international curriculum. Being in a native English environment, allow students to use what they have learned, experience first-hand, enrich life experiences, and then expand their international perspective. A well-run university is an essential consideration for IEC's choice of cooperative schools.

Partner schools such as the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Edinburgh, the University of London, the University of Boston and the University of British Columbia are among the leading international universities, and their academic standards and professional teaching attitude are indisputable. The rich historical background, vibrant artistic and cultural atmosphere and unique customs in the area of the university are the focus of the curriculum. The curriculum is designed by the schools to promote theme-based diversity. According to the level of English, each week, students attend cultural theme courses, access social activities, group session exercises and music culture courses.

The visit to the tourist attractions on weekends is even more eye-opening for the students.

Compact classes and lively teaching methods allow students to apply English in the shortest possible time by leaps and bounds.