English as a Second Language

English as a Second Language (ESL) services are offered to students who come from non-native English speaking homes. The goal of ESL instruction is to develop the skills needed to integrate into an age appropriate grade.

To receive ESL services, a student must first be registered as a non-native speaker and then are tested under the W-APT within the four domains of language: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing. If a student does not score as proficient enough to acquire the language within the general education classroom, he/she/they may be classified as a Multilingual Learner A student may then begin receiving ESL services.

The ESL teacher(s) assesses the English language skills of newcomers to help determine programming.The ESL teacher will schedule a pull-out time with the general education teacher. Pull-out times vary, and the amount of support given to each ELL is dependent on the student’s level of English proficiency. During the time scheduled, students will work on their academic language throughout the different domains. Students will also have a chance to work on social language as they are usually grouped with peers of similar proficiency levels. In some cases the teacher may push in during literacy to help the student access the curriculum within the classroom.

The MLE Department has aligned our curriculum with the ELA Department. ELA uses the CKLA curriculum, which has a “section” geared towards Multilingual Learners called Language Studio. Language Studio focuses on the same units and lessons as CKLA, but with a grammar, vocabulary, and linguistic component. Keep going

The MLE department has designed its own curriculum, and is based upon the language required for students to succeed within the classroom. Each unit incorporates different vocabulary, language, and grammar necessary to succeed within that unit. Additionally, each unit incorporates the Common Core State Standards as they apply to the unit of study. The ESL teacher then uses the CCSS, unit of study, and knowledge of the child’s language skills to design a lesson. The lesson is also differentiated based on student and on need.

The ACCESS test, administered in January and February, assesses the students’ progress with the language. All students who are classified as MLE are required to take the ACCESS test. The ACCESS test assesses the four domains, each in its own section. Results are available at the end of the school year. A student must receive an overall score of 4.2 to be considered “proficient” within the English language and exit from ESL services in June of that school year.