Academics

English Language Learning Program

The English Language Learning (ELL) program provides students with an opportunity to learn and improve their English through a variety of activities both in and out of the classroom.
In class, students will develop conversation skills and improve pronunciation by participating in class and group discussions. They will practice writing sentences, paragraphs and essays in order to improve their written expression. The classes also focus on improving students' grammar and vocabulary through a wide range of lessons and assignments. The classes are divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

Our ELL Summer Camp

In the Summer
Along with intensive ELL courses, our program offers numerous activities and excursions when students can use their English. In the summer program we offer activities such as whale watching, camping, kayaking, hiking, bowling and horseback riding. Students live in a well-supervised dormitory on our campus, and eat meals in our spacious and modern cafeteria. The King's-Edgehill ELL Summer Camp is an exciting and challenging way to learn English.

List of 3 items.

  • In the Classroom

    Classes run Monday to Friday from 9:00-12:00 pm. ELL classes will help students improve their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. We have a 1:12 teacher to student ratio. In the afternoon, students will either have supplementary classes from 1:00-4:00 pm or an afternoon activity.

  • Activities and Excursions

    Students will have the opportunity to learn and play a variety of sports during our organized sports seminars. Other days we will take day trips to museums, parks, beaches, lakes, walking trails, shopping malls, and numerous other attractions. The activities will be in the afternoons, some evenings and on weekends.

  • End of Camp Trip

    After the ELL classes have concluded, we will take a short trip for two or three days. We usually go camping or stay in a hotel near a lake or beach in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or Prince Edward Island. All meals will be provided, a variety of activities will be planned, and students will be well supervised for the entire trip. We can be contacted at any time. A cell phone number will be posted on our website during the camp and all camp activities will be posted on the camp blog.

2025 Dates

ELL Throughout the Year

In the Classroom
King's-Edgehill is a junior and senior high school that offers ELL support to international students who are enrolled in secondary school. International students who study at a junior or senior high school work towards their secondary education while learning English. Canadian and international students attend all classes together, except for one ELL class, which is offered to meet the academic and linguistic needs of international students.
 
The Senior School ELL classes are cross-referenced as academic English classes, which means units on media, novels, short stories, poetry, etc, will be covered, as well as regular ELL centred lessons. Some Grade 10, 11 and 12 students will write English proficiency exams, such as TOEFL or IELTS, when they apply to university. In addition to the instruction and practice time in class, students must dedicate a portion of their free time towards preparing for these exams. Staff will help students book their official tests, submit additional score reports, and help students arrange transportation to and from the test centre.
 
In the Junior School, students will attend regular English classes and may be given the option to attend additional ELL centred classes if required. The junior ELL classes will help students improve their English proficiency, and assistance with preparation of projects (for example, the annual Science Fair) in other subject areas will be given.

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  • ELL Program Details

    It is our goal to provide as much English support and guidance as possible to your children. One way of measuring students’ language development is through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Junior language assessment. This test, combined with regular class assessments, helps English as a Learned Language (ELL) teachers to identify those who are most in need of support. The TOEFL Junior test records students’ language abilities on a proficiency scale, A1 (Beginner) - B2 (Upper Intermediate). Once a student has reached the B2 level, they may take the official International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) or the official TOEFL test at one of the registered test centres around the world. Students may contact our ELL Coordinator for information on when and how to book and prepare for the tests. A 6.5 on the IELTS or 85 on the TOEFL IBT (Internet Based Testing) is equivalent to a C1-2 (mastery) on the CEFR (Common European Frame of Reference) scale.    
     
    As we continue to work with our ELL learners, please be advised of our policy:
     
    To help students develop their English skills and succeed in their classes, students learning English as a second (or additional) language may receive extra support. Students who have achieved a B1 or lower on any section of the TOEFL Junior assessment (A1: Beginner, A2: Elementary, B1: Lower Intermediate), may be scheduled to receive additional English support during select spare periods or evening sessions. Once students earn a B2 (Upper Intermediate) or higher on all test sections, as well as approval from their class teachers, they will no longer be required to attend support sessions during spare periods or evenings.
     
    We would like to provide additional support during some spare periods or evenings.

  • Extra Support Sessions

    ELL Classes

    Language Labs Senior Academic Building

    Students will be using the Pathways program and a variety of online resources during lab time to help practice and improve their English skills.
    • Grade 6-9 students will have lab time in scheduled ELL classes.
    • Grade 10-12 students should refer to the list in Ms. Folker’s room to identify when they have lab time.
    Students are also expected to use the program and practice on their own time as well.

    Grade10-11 Afternoon Tutorial Sessions

    Students receive English help in all subjects (projects, paper writing, homework, and activities in math, geography, science, history, etc.)

    Grade 10: Days 1/3/6
    Grade 11: Days 2/5/7
    Time: 2:30-3:30 pm

    Grade 6-12 Evening Tutorial Sessions 

    Students receive English help in all subjects (projects, paper writing, homework, and activities in math, geography, science, history, etc.)

    Days 3 and 6
    Time: 6:30-8:30 pm

    Grade 12 IELTS and/or TOEFL Tuesdays 2:30-4:30 pm

    Ms. Folker will work with students to prepare for the IELTS and/or TOEFL tests.

ELL Programs

The ELL department at KES offers three programs to enhance the life and learning of our international students. We are confident that these language practice opportunities, along with class instruction and support, will help your child to become more confident and proficient when using English. 

List of 3 items.

  • Language Lab Support

    We are pleased to offer additional support for our English language learners. Besides course instruction and tutorial support groups, students will have the opportunity to develop and strengthen their English skills through language lab exercises. The software required for language lab tutorials is Rosetta Stone, an interactive program that provides opportunities to practice reading, writing, comprehension, vocabulary and grammar skills. These sessions will occur several times a cycle during students’ spare periods. Students will work independently during language lab. ELL staff will be able to track their progress, and meet with students each cycle to review and practice language concepts. Students will write a proficiency test upon arrival in August or September and based on the results, students may be required to enroll in the lab program. Students testing below a B2 level on the CEFR will require additional support in English and will be enrolled in the ELL program and its additional support systems.

  • TOEFL Junior Testing

    Student progress will be assessed throughout the year with the TOEFL Junior testing system. This is another great addition to the King’s-Edgehill ELL program being implemented. Students will be tested at the start of the school, the end of November, early March and at the end of May. The TOEFL Junior system is scaled with the TOEFL and IELTS scoring systems and the CEFR, all of which can be used to indicate student language ability and progress as they work towards preparing for university entrance.

  • ELL Drop-in Support

    Additional ELL drop-in support tutorials will be offered after classes and two evenings each week. Students will be encouraged to go to the ELL lab/drop-in centre for extra help with homework and proofreading of assignments. This will provide the opportunity to ask for extra clarification of materials covered in the core subjects and to have written assignments proofread before they submit the final drafts.

Extras

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  • Tutorial Time

    Students in the Senior School can seek extra help every school day from 2:30-3:00 pm during tutorial time. Teachers will be waiting happily in their classrooms, ready to answer any questions you may have. Students in the Junior School can seek extra help in ELL class, during arranged tutorial time and at advisor meetings.

  • International Food Days

    International food is often prepared for lunch in the School cafeteria. On Wednesdays, the School nutritionist will choose a country and prepare a variety of dishes for the School to enjoy.

  • Celebrating Cultural Events

    Students can ask about arranging additional excursions to celebrate national holidays or special occasions. Quite often we go to Halifax by bus and enjoy a delicious feast of authentic cuisine! Students laugh, eat, talk, and sing for hours. It's fun to be living and studying in Canada, but celebrating other cultures is important, too.

  • Cooking in the Classroom

    Whether it be French, German or ELL class, we love to cook with our students once in a while as a treat to celebrate holidays or special occasions.

  • A Day in the Life at KES

    Students have numerous occasions to meet and interact with people from Canada and all over the world both in and out of the classroom. There are so many wonderful opportunities to learn about new cultures and to speak in English during sports and clubs, in residence, while on a homestay, in art class, in theatre, in band, or while out on a School trip. In addition, we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner together in our spacious cafeteria.

FAQ

List of 15 frequently asked questions.

  • Do I need to bring my own sheets and pillows?

    No. We will provide sheets and pillows during the ELL camp. You may bring sheets and pillows for the regular school year; however, we will go shopping for school supplies during the camp and necessities can be picked up then.

  • How can I order a uniform?

    You can book a uniform fitting appointment through our School Store by emailing store@kes.ns.ca or we can help your child order their uniform during the ELL camp. The uniform can be billed to your account.

  • How do I set up a school account?

    You can contact our Director of Finance (1-902-798-2278) to set up a School account. If you come to the school on the first two days of the camp, we can meet and set up your School account.

  • Should I open a bank account in Canada?

    Many people have bank cards from home that work in Canada; however, students have had some difficulty using them in a few locations. If you would like, we can open a bank account for your child at the local Scotia Bank. You will be able to deposit money directly into their Scotia account and students will be able to access money easily with their debit cards.

  • Will the room my child has during the camp be the same room my child stays in all year?

    Not usually. We place students in certain rooms and dorms for the ELL camp. Once all the other students arrive in September, everyone will move to their permanent rooms.

  • Will all meals be provided during the camp?

    All meals will be provided during the camp. We have a wonderful cafeteria on campus, and we will enjoy a variety of meals at different venues while on excursions.

  • Do we need to buy a comforter or winter clothes right away?

    No. It usually doesn’t start to get colder until October, and students will have many opportunities to get warmer bedding and clothing before the cold weather arrives.

  • Will the dorm be supervised at all times?

    Yes. We have house parents, teachers, activity supervisors, a nurse and our ELL Coordinator on staff. Students will have staff with them at all times.

  • What if my child wants to go off campus?

    Students will not be allowed to go off campus unsupervised by staff for the first week of the camp. After we have given the students a tour of the town and they have settled in, they can sign out with the duty supervisor and walk into town with a friend. They must return to campus and sign back in after an hour and a half. Sign outs during the camp will be between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm.

  • What will my child do during the long weekend (Labour Day weekend) before regular classes begin?

    After the ELL classes have concluded, we will take a short trip for two or three days. We usually go camping or stay in a hotel near a beach in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or Prince Edward Island.

  • Will my child be able to call me during the camp?

    Students are asked to keep all cell phones in their rooms during class time. This encourages students to make friends at the camp, practice their English and take in their new surroundings. There are also phones in the duty offices if students need to call home.

  • Is there a nurse on call?

    Yes. Our nurse lives close to campus and is on call 24/7.

  • Who do I contact if I have questions during the ELL camp?

    You can contact our ELL Coordinator, Angela Folker by cell phone at 1-902-306-0940, or email her at afolker@kes.ns.ca or you can call the office at 1-902-798-2278.

  • What else will my child need or want for the camp?

    You should have a beach towel, swimsuit, indoor sports shoes, shorts, t-shirts, warm pants, a few warm shirts, a waterproof jacket, binder, paper, pens, toiletries, hat, water bottle, outdoor shoes, laundry detergent, socks, underwear, and low heeled black dress shoes. You can pack and bring these items from home, or wait to purchase them here.

  • Will there be an English proficiency test?

    Yes. During the first few days of classes we will have English and Math proficiency tests. This will help us gauge needs, expectations and learning accommodations.

ELL Coordinator

List of 1 members.

  • Photo of Angela Folker

    Angela Folker 

    ELL Coordinator/Teacher
    902-798-2278 ext 2266

Become a Highlander

King’s-Edgehill School is located in Mi'kma'ki, the unceded ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq People.