Learning

OUR CURRICULUM

DIS offers a holistic education experience to every student. Students study more than ten subjects at a time. Units of learning are designed with the awareness that knowledge and wisdom cross disciplines, so that students can understand that knowledge and wisdom are acquired throughout our life experiences with subject content blended in those experiences. From K-8 students will explore academic topics in Humanities, Sciences, Math, Languages, Religion, Arts, Health, Physical Education, Design, Engineering, and Technology.

The curriculum will be delivered primarily through an inquiry-based approach to learning. Students will develop questioning, investigation, analysis, and synthesis skills from K-12. Units will be planned using Understanding by Design (UbD www.jaymctighe.com) templates and strategies to assure, beyond knowledge and skills, that Big Ideas or Concepts will be considered. Summative assessments will often be performance-based allowing the student to demonstrate the transfer of knowledge from the curriculum to real-life applications or real-life scenarios.

The academic knowledge and skills standards will provide a robust and rigorous educational experience overall designed for each student. These standards will be primarily from the Common Core Standards in the USA; however, standards will be included from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Thailand. The academic program will be backward planned from 12-K, so that the school can guarantee students appropriate curricular exposure and preparation for each subsequent year of study at DIS. During grades 9-12 students will select certain areas to explore in greater depth and may obtain USA university and college credits for some exemplary work produced at DIS.

Multilingual education will be delivered successfully K-12 to all students at DIS. Support of the mother-tongue of the students will be viewed as a key area of learning. The language of instruction is English except in Thai and Chinese language classes and in their Thai History, Culture, and (for native Thai speakers) World Religion class. Support in gaining academic knowledge of English will be of highest priority.

The Middle School Program at DIS

DIS provides a western-style middle school experience to children in grades 5-8 in Thailand, or invites them to join us in Thailand through our Boarding Care Program. Within the DIS Middle School Program, students engage in a highest-quality international school education. DIS is an English-speaking school built on American (USA) and international course standards

DIS provides a holistic education focusing on the mind, body, and spirit of each student. The academic program is broad in Middle School providing opportunities to learn and explore in many different subject areas, topics, and build self-awareness and others-awareness throughout the process.

CO-CURRICULAR

DIS provides a rich activities program for students of all ages. Opportunities are available for physical activity, faith and spiritual development, academic club involvement, student government, intramural and interscholastic athletics, competition and collaboration, the contribution of service hours rendered to the local community, Thailand, and internationally, and wide potential for investment in the arts. DIS offers a broad range of opportunities for children to have meaningful, real, educational, and academic experiences outside of their classrooms and formal academic curricula.

STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, MATHEMATICS) PROGRAM

In the DIS Elementary School program, students are introduced to basic analytical thinking and fun, hands-on applications like block coding and robotics. Beginning in grade 6, students start to focus on learning the tools necessary to develop and create.

From grades 5-8, students gain broad exposure to graphic design, 3D design & fabrication, 2D & 3D animation, web coding, robotics, and programming. Electives, clubs, and competitions provide opportunities for students to gain additional practical study in these areas. This combination of integrated STEM and Arts (STEAM), together with the rest of the comprehensive curriculum, creates young people who are prepared for the future.

By the time students reach grade 8, they are in a good position to choose to further their studies in Design & Technology in the High School Program in grades 9 & 10 that will lead them to the advanced STEM and Arts courses for honing their skills and building impressive portfolio work in their grade 11 & 12 years. They have the opportunity to choose a focused path to develop themselves for their desired course of study at university.

The ESL “Learn English” Program* at DIS
Beginner English to Academic Ready
Providing South Thailand’s best in ELL Education

DIS offers South Thailand’s best international school English Language Learning program for students with limited or no English-language ability. The “Learn English” Program provides access to world-class international school education – teaching foundational English-language skills while preparing students to study rigorous middle and high school instruction in English. Successful students at the end of the DIS High School Program will earn a “bi-lingual diploma” and many will access the DIS Advanced Placement Program (AP) earning academic credits at USA universities for high school studies and achievement.

The goal is to prepare Thai- and other language-speaking English Language Learners to enter the DIS academic studies program without support within three (3) years. This is a first step to offer access to the AP at DIS by Grade 12.

WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?

The program is designed for Grade 5, 6, 7, and 8 grade Thai-speaking and other language- speaking students who are solid achievers in their first-language schooling. Students who have shown high academic ability in their first language will proceed through the language program while continuing their subject learning. To enter the Learn English Program, students must meet the following criteria:

Students must be in Grade 5, 6, 7, or 8 to proceed at a pace to enter into the AP program.
Students must show a solid performance (a minimum GPA of 3.0) in their first-language schooling.
If, a non-Thai student, they must meet the eligibility requirements to attend a foreign school in Thailand

BOARDING STUDENTS WELCOME

This program also collaborates with our Boarding Care Program to welcome students from outside of Surat Thani and Thailand. Our boarding students may come to us from all over the world; however, we are especially equipped to welcome Thai-speaking and other language-speaking visitors from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Vietnam, and other locations in Thailand, and around the world. Be sure to ask us how we can accommodate your family.

* Subject to availability – Regardless of eligibility, this program represents a very small number of students in our school, and space is limited.