Kindergarten
The Middle East International School Kindergarten focuses on promoting independent and social development through a holistic approach to language learning, confidence building, and literary skills. Our kindergarten follows the California State Common Core Standards where students are expected to learn specific skills (standards) as they advance from kindergarten to higher grades. The standards are designed to reflect the knowledge and skills that our young students need for success in college and careers. These standards are designed to provide a quality education and will help identify students who may need additional support.
English
Learning new language skills is a hallmark of kindergarten. English language arts are organized into the following four groups: (1) Reading, (2) Writing (3) Speaking and Listening, and (4) Language.
Students in kindergarten will learn about the alphabet and its role in reading, they will practice rhyming, matching words with beginning sounds, and blending sounds into words. Practice with these types of activities is a powerful step toward learning to read and spell correctly. The size of student’s vocabulary is another key factor in his or her ability to read and comprehend. Students will begin to experiment with writing and will be encouraged to use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing letters to share information, ideas, and feelings.
Math
Kindergarten students learn to count to 100 and write numbers to 20.Attention is given to numbers 11 to 20 where emphasis is placed on tens and ones, building a foundation for place value understanding. Beginning addition and subtraction starts in kindergarten. Students sort and classify groups of objects and identify basic shapes.
Social Studies
Students in kindergarten are introduced to basic spatial, temporal, and causal relationships, emphasizing the geographic and historical connections between the world today and the world long ago. The stories of ordinary and extraordinary people help describe the range and continuity of human experience and introduce the concepts of courage, self-control, justice, heroism, leadership, deliberation, and individual responsibility. Historical empathy for how people lived and worked long ago reinforces the concept of civic behavior: how we interact respectfully with each other, following rules, and respecting the rights of others.
Science
The kindergarten science standards call for early introduction of science facts and support students in mastering the standards in physical science, life science, Earth science, investigation and experimentation which allows students to make a concrete association between science and the study of nature as well as provide them with many opportunities to take measurements and use their basic mathematical skills.
Arabic
Arabic is offered in KG1 and KG2. We feel it is important that students have the basic alphabet and sight words to begin learning Arabic. Arabic is taught five hours per week. Like English instruction, a focus on beginning sounds and blending sounds into words will prepare students for Grade 1 where Arabic is mandatory for all students who hold a passport from the 24 identified Arabic speaking countries.