Student Support

Special Needs Department

Overview

At the American School of Douala, we believe every child has the potential to succeed when given the right support. Our Learning Support Department serves students from K2 through Grade 12, providing a nurturing, inclusive environment where diverse learning needs are met with compassion, expertise, and individualized care.
Our Special Needs Coordinator collaborates closely with classroom teachers, students, and families to identify and address academic, behavioral, and developmental challenges. Through early intervention, in-house assessments, and individualized support plans, we ensure that each student has the tools needed to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
We also develop and implement Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) when necessary and monitor student progress through regular reviews and communication with teachers and parents.

Areas of Support

ASD’s Learning Support team provides services for students with a wide range of learning needs, including:
Specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia.

  • Specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia

  • ADHD and executive functioning challenges

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Down syndrome

  • Speech and language delays

  • Social-emotional and behavioral challenges

  • General developmental delays

  • Twice-exceptional students (gifted with learning differences)

  • Other individualized learning needs on a case-by-case basis

All support services are provided in-house by our highly trained Special Needs Coordinator who tailors interventions and strategies to each student’s unique learning profile.

English Language Learners (ELL) Program

Overview

At the American School of Douala, we embrace our multicultural community and support students from all language backgrounds. Our English Language Learners (ELL) Program is designed to help students in Grades K2 through 12 develop the English language skills necessary to succeed academically and thrive socially in our English-speaking learning environment.
Our goal is to equip students with the tools they need to become confident, competent, and independent learners, while celebrating the richness that linguistic and cultural diversity brings to our school community.

Program Features

  • Initial Language Assessment: All non-native English speakers are assessed upon enrollment to determine English proficiency levels in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The placement and progress monitoring tool used for this purpose is the WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) Model, a suite of English language proficiency assessments for Grades K-12. The assessment items are crafted for 5 English Language Development Standards:Social and Instructional Language, Language of Language Arts, Language of Mathematics, Language of Science and Language of Social Studies. WIDA MODEL
  • Tiered Support: Students receive targeted instruction based on their proficiency level — from foundational English to academic language development.
  • Push-In & Pull-Out Support: Depending on individual needs, ELL specialists provide support within the classroom or in small-group sessions focused on language development.
  • Integrated Curriculum Support: ELL students receive help with understanding subject-area vocabulary and concepts across content areas such as science, math, and social studies.
  • Ongoing Monitoring: Student progress is tracked regularly through informal and formal assessments to guide instruction and determine readiness for full mainstream integration.
  • Collaboration with Teachers: Our ELL specialist works closely with classroom teachers to modify instruction and provide accommodations that support language development and academic growth. Ninety-percent of our ELL students are fully integrated into the classroom environment.

At ASD, we value every student’s language journey and are committed to ensuring that all learners feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Student Support

At ASD, we value every student’s language journey and are committed to ensuring that all learners feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Courier Address: American School of Douala, 771 Avenue de L’independence
B.P. 1909  Douala – Republic of Cameroon, Central Africa

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