English

Our Belief

Vision

To nurture discerning, curious and empathetic learners who think critically, communicate confidently, and engage thoughtfully with diverse perspectives.

Mission

The English Language Department is committed to fostering rich and purposeful engagement with language and literature. Grounded in the school’s values, we provide meaningful learning experiences that develop students’ critical thinking, effective communication, and appreciation of diverse voices and perspectives.

Our Approach

Future-ready contexts

The EL curriculum is designed around structured progression of themes and language skills that enable students to apply language in meaningful, future-ready contexts. Teachers  emphasise collaborative and inquiry-based learning to nurture curiosity and develop  a love for life-long  learning. Students engage in authentic, real-world tasks where they explore and express personal perspectives on global and local issues, while developing a strong sense of identity, voice, and purpose in a digital age. 

e-Pedagogy as an enabler for Differentiated Instruction 

To support the diverse needs of learners, differentiated instruction is enhanced through the use of e-pedagogy enabling more personalised learning pathways, deepening analysis, reflection, and critical thinking.Students are also explicitly guided in the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence, equipping them with the competencies needed to navigate an evolving technological landscape. 

Extensive Reading as a cornerstone of language acquisition

Through a structured English Reading Programme (ERP), comprising school-wide morning reading and dedicated reading periods within the curriculum, we aim to foster consistent reading habits and a shared reading culture. Reading is purposefully integrated with classroom instruction, enabling students to engage meaningfully with curated selection of magazines tailored to students’ varying language competencies and interests to support their language development. Through this coherent approach, the department nurtures confident, thoughtful, and independent readers, while strengthening language skills and deepening students’ engagement with texts.

Visible Thinking Routines

Discussions in the English Language classroom are enriched through the deliberate use of Visible Thinking Routines and De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats to develop students’ critical and reflective thinking. These structured approaches provide clear scaffolds for students to organise their thoughts, explore ideas from multiple perspectives, and articulate their responses with greater depth and clarity. This is further strengthened by our department’s PARTS annotation framework, which equips students with a clear and consistent structure to analyse texts, organise their thinking, and articulate deeper interpretations with precision. Together, these strategies promote active participation, deepen understanding, and cultivate disciplined, independent thinkers who can communicate their ideas with confidence. 

Our Stretch Opportunities

Beyond the classroom, the English Language Department curates purposeful stretch experiences that ignite students’ voices, sharpen their thinking, and broaden their perspectives. 

Creative Writing Programme

Through our Creative Writing Programme, students experiment with form and style, crafting poetry, narratives and personal pieces that reflect both imagination and insight. Their work finds authentic purpose through platforms such as the Commonwealth Essay Competition, where they respond to global themes with originality and conviction. Selected students are further stretched through the Creative Arts Programme (CAP) and immersive creative writing camps, where workshops led by local writers invite them to write with greater nuance, courage and craft. Organised by MOE’s Gifted Education Branch, CAP nurtures talented young writers in Singapore and AISS is proud to have students identified for this opportunity annually.

Public Speaking Workshops

We also place strong emphasis on oracy as a powerful life skill. Through our Public Speaking Workshops, students are identified and mentored to become confident communicators who can think on their feet and speak with clarity and impact. They represent the school at key platforms, and compete in national platforms such as the Plain English Speaking Award. 

Partnerships as a Capability Multiplier

Our creative writing camps, held in collaboration with schools such as Tampines Secondary School, Orchid Park Secondary School and Naval Base Secondary School, provide authentic opportunities for students to learn alongside peers, participate in workshops by local writers and refine their craft in a dynamic, collaborative environment. These shared spaces push them to question assumptions, deepen their thinking and grow in empathy. 

EL Festival 

The annual LitHE Festival reflects the importance of learning language in authentic contexts through meaningful collaboration with the Humanities. It is a platform where students get to develop awareness of global and contemporary issues and present their learning through debates, posters, and poetry. Through these experiences, students deepen their understanding of the world while using language purposefully to communicate, reflect, and respond thoughtfully. In a given year, students can present a sustainable costume catwalk, dramatic monologues, and debates on social and global issues.

ContemplAtIons

Showcasing the Voices and Creativity of Our Student Writers” at the end of English department site. Click here ↗ (opens in new tab) to view the write up.

Our Team