The International School of Beijing (ISB) is committed to delivering evidence-based, high-quality educational programs tailored to its community’s diverse needs. Established 45 years ago, ISB honors traditions while embracing modernity, fostering a vibrant learning community. With over 1,800 students from more than 50 nationalities, ISB values each student’s unique linguistic and cultural background.
Recognizing students’ multiple language resources and cultural understanding, ISB provides equitable educational opportunities aligned with the latest research and practices, ensuring it remains at the forefront of educational innovation. The mission of the school is We are an inspiring international community in Beijing, where thinkers and leaders find their place in the world and serve others. So that our learning is at its best, we build strong relationships and set high expectations together. We are committed to challenging and joyful learning with the freedom to explore.
ISB is committed to challenging and joyful learning for all students. ISB offers high-quality academic programs, including the Dual Language (English and Chinese) Program and the English Language Plus (EL+) Program in the elementary school, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program in the high school, and a research-based curriculum throughout. ISB was the first international school in Beijing to launch a Dual Language Program, now entering its 10th year in 2025–2026.
Guided by a philosophy of high expectations and high support, teaching and learning at ISB is further strengthened by a dedicated Student Support Services department and a committed EAL team. As part of its ongoing commitment to evidence-based educational practices, ISB has been engaged with the Multilingual Learning Research Center (MLRC) for the past two years.
Over the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 school years, two teams of ISB educators have participated in MLRC action research projects. One project brought together educators from three specializations – EAL, Learning Support, and Speech and Language Pathology – to study how collaboration could lead to a more holistic understanding of multilingual learners with exceptionalities. In their effort to address the intersectionality of student needs and promote a more integrated approach to student support, the team trialed a collaborative support plan with more clear and relevant goals.
The second project, carried out by ISB’s Dual Language teaching team under the leadership of Dr. Ying Chu, ISB’s Director of Chinese and Dual Language Learning, who also currently serves as an MLRC Action Research Coach, focused on optimizing instructional time through translanguaging practices. Beginning at the 2023 MLRC Research Symposium, the team reviewed research literature, identified eight evidence-based translanguaging strategies, and implemented them across classrooms. Using observations, document analysis, focus groups, and surveys, the team collected data to evaluate the impact of these practices on student learning. Their action research addressed a significant gap in Chinese-English dual language programming and fostered a strong community of practice within the team. In March 2025, ISB hosted the English Language Learning Specialists in Asia (ELLSA) conference, welcoming over 250 educators from 70 schools.
One of the keynote addresses, delivered by Jon Nordmeyer, representing the MLRC, and Dr. Ying Chu, highlighted the importance of teacher-led action research. This message strongly resonated with ISB’s vision for professional learning.
ISB is working to build a culture that bridges research and practice, empowering educators to engage in disciplined inquiry. When research is not directly applicable to the school’s unique context, teachers are supported to generate their own research to inform practice and share their findings to multiply expertise across the community. With its well-established leadership in multilingual education, ISB has become a hub for multilingual learning and programming in the region. By bringing the MLRC Research Symposium to Beijing, ISB aims to provide a platform for powerful professional learning, amplify teacher-led action research stories, and strengthen connections across schools in the region that serve multilingual learners.
Since the launch of the Multilingual Learning Research Center (MLRC), ISB has been a member of the MLRC School Network. The MLRC’s mission – to advance educational outcomes for multilingual learners through innovative and socially just research and research–practice partnerships – aligns closely with ISB’s commitment to evidence-based, high-impact practices. MLRC School Network membership provides educators with access to the most current and relevant research in multilingual education, along with a collaborative platform that connects educators and researchers. ISB educators have benefited from practical, ready-to-use tools such as research summaries on translanguaging, collaboration, and the intersectionality of multilingualism and neurodiversity. These resources have been helpful to anchor and enrich professional learning activities for ISB teams. Through the MLRC, ISB teachers have also participated in collaborative action research, exploring challenges and co-creating solutions. So far, this seems like a great platform that can help international schools build the capacity of all teachers to serve multilingual learners.
