American International School of Lusaka

The counseling department at AISL aims to foster healthy self-esteem and self-awareness, as well as a sense of responsibility to self and others. The counseling program supports each student's personal, social, academic and career development through a comprehensive and developmental approach to guidance activities and personal counseling. This is a collaborative effort between home, school and community aimed at fostering personal responsibility, emotional intelligence, and flexibility in an ever-changing world as they work towards becoming confident, well-adjusted, and culturally sensitive global citizens. AISL's Inclusion Policy aligns with IB philosophy, providing a safe and supportive environment for diverse learners and supporting their academic, social, and personal growth. AISL emphasizes the whole-child approach, values every student's voice, and aims to ensure access to services and resources for all students within the school's capacity. There are three school counselors on staff (one Primary, two Secondary) to support students across grade levels.

Learning specialists collaborate with classroom teachers in both Primary and Secondary to remediate language-processing difficulties and provide instructional support for students with identified learning differences. Educational assessments determine a student's current level of academic performance and explore receptive as well as expressive languages, including reading, math and written language. When necessary, the Inclusion Team refers students to external specialists for Speech and Language, Psycho-Educational, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy assessments. Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and Student Accommodation Plans (SAPs) are created to ensure access to learning through remediation, differentiation and targeted technology use. In addition to academic support, teachers and the Inclusion Team address the social-emotional needs of all students. The Inclusion Model uses the RTI framework to promote student success and ensure access to the curriculum across all levels, with periodic communication between home and school. External auxiliary services are provided by specialists, arranged and paid for by families, with AISL facilitating referrals when possible.

As English is the language of instruction, developing competence in English is crucial to students' success in all sections of the school. The EAL program addresses the needs of students from non-English-speaking backgrounds who are developing interpersonal and academic English language skills. The goal is to equip students with English language skills necessary to operate independently within the general classroom at a level that reflects their age and ability. EAL students receive support and specialised instruction from qualified EAL staff on a regular basis. They also receive differentiated support within their grade level and subject area classes from their teachers, including EAL staff, and this service model is consistent in both the Primary and Secondary Schools.

The counseling department aims to foster healthy self-esteem and self-awareness, as well as a sense of responsibility to self and others. The counseling program facilitates each student's personal, social, academic and career development through a comprehensive and developmental approach to guidance activities and personal counseling. This collaboration between home, school and community fosters personal responsibility, emotional intelligence, and flexibility in an ever-changing world as students become confident, well-adjusted, and culturally sensitive global citizens. AISL's Inclusion Policy provides a safe and nurturing environment for diverse learners and supports their academic, social, and personal growth. The Student Services' vision emphasizes self-awareness and resilience so students can reach their individual potential and navigate life's challenges to thrive in society. AISL maintains a safe, supportive environment and access-to-services approach to support students' mental wellbeing, with multiple counselors available across the school.

AISL is committed to keeping children and young people safe from harm and abuse. Creating a safe learning environment, identifying children and young people who are suffering or at risk of harm, and then taking suitable action are vital to ensuring safety at school and home. The school addresses bullying, abuse, or other maltreatment even if it means embarrassment or upset for someone in power, with safety prioritized in activities, rules and policies. Crisis response protocols guide actions for emergencies and child protection, developed by the AISL Crisis Response Team (administration, counselors, security, and IT) and informed by research and documentation from the Association of International Schools in Africa, the American School Counselor Association's National Model and the International Model for School Counseling Programs. In Primary, prevention lessons use Kidpower to teach safety, confidence-building, boundary-setting, positive peer communication and de-escalation; in Secondary, safety and wellbeing are explored through IB MYP Health Education and an Advisory program four times weekly. AISL invites concerns and acts on them in a fair, balanced way in accordance with its policies.