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Core 5. It accelerates reading skills’ development, phonological awareness, vocabulary through rhyming, letter blending and segmenting, with sequential thinking and categorising in the first levels. As pupils’ reading levels increase, the programme incorporates more activities consistent with the key language strands in the curriculum. This helps students with learning difficulties such as Dyslexia and Spatial Apraxia, and gives immediate corrective feedback, multiple levels of scaffolding and explicit instruction both online and through direct interaction with the teacher. Pupils also use LEXIA at home to support their learning.
• Our Knowledge Centre also offers SEN students a programme to learn and enjoy transferable and functional skills. Staff create classroom experiences to help students prepare for real-life scenarios such as setting up a grocery store and selling food based on healthy eating. These life skills sessions promote adaptive, positive behaviour, enabling students to deal effectively with the demands of everyday life. This semester, the students enjoyed trips in the community such as an Art trip to Villagio Mall with creative canvas painting workshops. Another field trip centred on healthy eating with exercise sessions in the park playing badminton and football. After the activities, we ate a healthy picnic prepared by students themselves.
Deputy Head( Academic) Samira Rokadia oversees the Secondary Gifted and Talented programmes at the school.
According to her,‘ The World Scholars’ Cup provides varied‘ stretch and challenge’ opportunities for students on our Gifted and Talented register, including collaborative writing, team debates and mental agility tests. 130 Al Jazeera students participated in the 2016 competition with 12 students qualifying for the Global round in Bangkok. This world dimension is significant for our pupils in terms of their likely future career destinations.’
In the area of STEM, the talented students are invited to participate in the STEM initiative FAME( Future A & M Engineers) at Texas A & M University at Education City, Qatar Foundation.
The programme is tailored to introduce students to world-class engineering. It is a platform that fosters interaction and active participation in a variety of activities and workshops aimed at encouraging interest in STEM education. It particularly focuses on the national priority of increasing girls’ participation in tertiary STEM learning.
Extracurricular activities also play an important role in helping to accomplish balance in students’ academic journeys, as well as fostering in them a healthy sense of collaboration, creativity and friendly competition.
At AJA, the staff is committed to broadening students’ horizons. Their vision is for a broad, balanced, enriching and holistic educational experience for all students.
Head of Humanities, Doug Jackson and his departmental team have been instrumental in creating a significant range of regular extra curricular opportunities to promote student engagement.
Activities at AJA such as the Model United Nations and Qatar Debates promote public speaking and engagement with critical world issues.
A plethora of leadership opportunities are available to students including the Qatar Leadership Conference,‘ Reach Out to Asia’ programme and charity fundraising, most notably‘ Pink October’ for Breast Cancer Awareness. This is a school wide annual event.
Some of the school’ s success stories include that of Upper School student, Buthayna Al Mulla who was successful at representing the Qatar National team. Another is of former pupil, Dana Al Anzhy, who has achieved impressive success becoming a United Nations Youth ambassador. She has been a powerful role model for the students.
Sean Dennis, Head of Physical Education, has worked meticulously to connect the school with the wider Qatar national sporting network opportunities. Links to the Aspire centre, extensive involvement in the Olympic Sports programme and a focus on healthy living to combat obesity concerns have all been on the agenda.
Al Jazeera students sports participation has grown exponentially with several achieving national sporting recognition including; Hamad Arbarbi who played for the National Water Polo team, Mohammed Nabina and Shahd Al Sulaiti, who were selected for the Qatar Soccer team, Dima Tawfik who won 2 nd place in the Qatar Swimming Championships, and Adnan Al Rashid who was selected for the Qatar National Basketball squad.
Al Jazeera Academy – Secondary School has made significant strides as an outstanding school in Qatar. It is obvious that the school believes in celebrating the talented team of teachers, as well as the many accomplishments of their students. We anticipate that they will continue to progress positively in fulfilling their goal of offering a quality education to all their students.
Ms. Sheila Thompson celebrates with students at the Cake Decorating Contest.
A male student caught reading in the library.