There is a great deal of jargon* in the field of education, and a particular version of it is used at Frankfurt International School. All newcomers to FIS have initial problems with this jargon - even if they are ESL teachers! I, for example, had to be told what a homeroom is, what recess meant, who studies what in the study center, and so on. Among the acronyms to learn were IB, IDU, ATL, CAS, ToK, ISST and many more. I had come from a system where the staff were teachers, whereas at FIS the staff are all the employees of the school who are not teachers or administrators! The teachers are called the faculty.

For non-native speakers of English who are new to FIS the difficulties are worse for two reasons. Firstly, they have often come from an education system that is organized quite differently to the way we do things at FIS. So for instance there may be no equivalent of the homeroom or the CAS system. Secondly, it is usually pointless looking up the meanings of new school words in a dictionary. Either the definition will not apply or the word will not be there at all. In my dictionary, for example, none of the definitions for recess fits its meaning in this school and there are neither entries for homeroom and study center, nor for any of the numerous FIS acronyms.

To save newcomers from looking in vain in their dictionaries for the meanings of FIS jargon, I have written a short glossary of the most common and important terms you are likely to hear or read in the first few weeks at the school. Please let me know if you have any other words you think should be included in the list.

assessment	This word refers to the different methods that teachers use to find out how students are doing in their classes
ATL	Approaches to Learning. This terms covers several important aspects of student learning. It refers to the library, computer and study skills taught in different subjects. And it also refers to the student's profile as a learner, which is reported on by the teachers. For example, it answers questions like: Is the student always prepared for class? Can the student work well with others? Does the student always try her best?
CAS	Creativity, Action and Service. This is the name for the activities that all high school students must do outside of the classroom. For example, a creative activity could be writing for the school newspaper, action could be taking part in the mountain-bike club, and service may involve helping with local refugee children.
counselor	The advisory teacher that helps students who have personal, family or school problems In the high school the counselor also gives advice on careers and college entry.
elective	This is a subject that students can choose to do - as compared with math or English, that students are required to do. Elective courses in the high school include art, computing and drama.
ESL	English as a second language. This is the programme of studies for non-native speakers of English who need extra English help. An ESL student is a student who is in the ESL programme. There are however many non- native speakers of English at FIS who are not in the ESL programme; these students are not referred to as ESL students.
field trip	A class trip out of school; in high school for example each of the grades goes on a field trip to a different location in Germany for a week in September.
homeroom	In elementary school homeroom refers to the group of students who have most of their lessons together every day. In middle and high school homeroom is the name for the group of students who come together for a short time each day in order for the teacher to take attendance and give general information. (e.g. Who's in your homeroom?) The word also refers to the period of time when homeroom students meet. (e.g. What did you do in homeroom today?)
IB	International Baccalaureate. The two-year program of studies for 11th and 12th graders that leads to a set of final examinations.
IDU	Interdisciplinary unit. This is the name given to a topic that is studied for a number of lessons in two or more subjects. For example, in grade 7 the Renaissance is studied for several weeks in humanities, English, maths, science and art classes.
ISST	International Schools Sports Tournament.
late transportation	This is a reference to the busses that leave school (Waldlust campus) at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Students who do an after-school activity can take the late bus home.
Old Main	The old building near the main gate of the school (Waldlust campus) where the headmaster, business manager and other administrators have their offices.
PE	Physical education. PE is the name for the sports lessons at FIS that all students must do.
Primary school	This refers to the new building where the pre-primary, primary and first grade students have their lessons. Grades 2-5 are in elementary school and grades 6-12 in upper school.
recess	Play time for the younger children at the school.
study center	The name (in middle school) for the lessons given to students who have some kind of learning difficulty. In elementary school study center is called the learning center, whereas in high school it is referred to as the academic workshop!
ToK	Theory of Knowledge. This is the course in epistemology that must be taken by grade 11 and 12 students. Epistemology is the study of the nature of truth and knowledge.
Tuesday folder	The folder that your child brings home every Tuesday containing the pink weekly schedule, the Connections newsletter and other information sheets.

[* Jargon is the particular vocabulary used by groups of people when they are talking about their work or common interests. So, for example, the speech of internet addicts will be full of words like firewall, flame, browser, spam and spider; cricket fans will talk of run-out, point, over, slip, leg-break and silly mid on. For non-experts in these fields it is almost impossible to understand what is being talked about; especially as many of the words are common ones that have taken on a new meaning. To flame someone, for example, is to send them an angry and abusive e-mail; a leg-break is a way of throwing the cricket ball.]