2260.02 - ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) PROGRAM

Jennings County School Corporation

Bylaws & Policies

2260.02 - ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) PROGRAM
Mission

To help ESL students become proficient in English and to become successful at academic content and skills in the regular classroom through educational support and instructional modification.

ESL Program

The Corporation's ESL program is a language assistance program that provides support to students acquiring English as a new language. The ultimate goal of the program is to have ESL students become proficient academic learners; so the program is based on English acquisition through an academic content model. Instruction based on regular curricular content provides two (2) benefits. First, ESL instruction should target academic curricula and be content based so that the student can be successful in their regular classroom and will not fall behind their age peers on academic curricula. Second, English language instruction is used as a means to acquire the content and skills of the Indiana Academic Standards and the Corporation's curricula rather than as an end in itself.

Students are served by ESL staff based on an individual student's needs that are defined in a learning education plan (LEP). Generally, students receive ESL services at various times during the school day. During the remainder of the day, ESL students are served in the regular classroom with curricular and instructional modifications as appropriate to the students' needs and abilities.

Identification, Assessment, and Placement
Identification

Students may be identified for the ESL program using the following criteria:

	A.	A language other than English is spoken in the home. This may be determined through either a parent interview or a home language survey.
	B.	The Woodcock-Munoz Language Survey, English version, indicates that English proficiency is below Level 5.
	C.	Parents are interviewed concerning their student and are informed of the program curriculum.

Placement Procedures

When a student has been identified, the following procedures will be followed:

	A.	The parent permission form is placed in the student's permanent file.
	B.	The ESL program staff will develop a language acquisition plan for the student in conjunction with the building administrator and the student's general education teachers. This Learning Education Plan (LEP) includes the following:

		1.	instructional language level;
		2.	instructional goals and objectives;
		3.	services provided by ESL staff;
		4.	general education classroom modifications and adaptations for the student's standardized testing requirements or exemptions, if available.

	C.	Services are based on individual student needs based on the student's proficiency level and the academic language support required to be successful in the school's academic program.
	D.	The LEP is placed in the student's permanent file.
	E.	The LEP is reviewed annually with parents. As part of the transition process, the LEP should also be reviewed with the student's classroom teachers as s/he progresses from grade level to grade level.

Assessment

The student should be assessed annually using the following instruments:

	A.	State language proficiency test;
	B.	the Woodcock-Munoz Language Survey;
	C.	professional judgments made by the ESL staff and classroom teachers;
	D.	State language assessment system.

Care should be taken to distinguish between English language deficiency and special education needs. If a handicapping condition is suspected, further assessment should be done in the student's primary language as necessary. By law and in most cases an ESL student must be in the Corporation for one (1) year before being tested for special education needs.

Program Curriculum and Instruction

ESL learners come to school with a wide variety of experiences, abilities, and learning styles. Consequently, a LEP will be developed during the initial assessment process and should be monitored for progress in both English language and academic learning. Instructional modification should take place based on the student's LEP.

The ESL program's instructional language is English. If a resource is available, the student's primary language may be used by the instructor to clarify a concept. The student's oral language will be guided from his/her primary language to English. Materials in the student's primary language may be used to reinforce concepts, vocabulary, and initial learning of school curricula and State academic standards.

Commonalities among ESL student needs, however, do exist. Generally, curricular modification may be using the student's assessed language level and age (i.e., maturational level) as follows:

	A.	Newcomer (Level 1) - (Beginner, STI)
		A newcomer is a student who is making an adjustment to a new country, city, neighborhood, and school. The ESL program should provide a low risk environment to aide the student's adjustment.
		The student will learn to function in a new environment by:

		1.	becoming comfortable with his/her new surroundings;
		2.	developing school vocabulary;
		3.	learning phrases that enable the student to have his/her basic needs met;
		4.	learning basic concepts of American culture (e.g., holidays, traditions);
		5.	learning pre-reading skills (e.g., picture books).

	B.	Beginner (Level 2) - (Early Intermediate, STI)
		A beginner is comfortable with his/her new surroundings and has begun to develop a listening vocabulary in English. It is at this point that skill development begins with an emphasis on social language.
		The student will learn to develop skills by:

		1.	beginning reading skills;
		2.	writing from language experience stories to student generate simple stories;
		3.	developing social vocabulary;
		4.	beginning participation in activities associated with American culture;
		5.	introducing and developing grade level academic vocabulary;
		6.	beginning to learn Corporation curricula and State proficiencies.

	C.	Intermediate (Level 3)
		An intermediate student has a fairly well developed social language. The focus of the ESL program content change from social language to academic language. Through sheltered content lessons (i.e., academic content and skills lessons adapted to the student's ability to comprehend English), students acquire skills in grade level content and State proficiencies.
		The student will learn to develop skills by:

		1.	continuing understanding and participation in American culture;
		2.	continuing development of academic vocabulary;
		3.	continuing development of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills;
		4.	developing critical thinking skills and strategies.

	D.	Advanced (Level 4)
		An advanced student has learned academic language and content area thinking in English. The student, however, reads and writes two (2) years or so below his/her age peers.
		The student will continue to develop skills by:

		1.	continuing to develop academic vocabulary;
		2.	continuing to develop sophistication in reading and writing;
		3.	learning to express verbal analogies through grade level content;
		4.	continuing to develop critical thinking skills and strategies.

	E.	Proficient (Level 5) - (Fluent, STI)
		The proficient student has learned academic language and content area thinking in English at a level equal to or near his/her age peers. Proficient students are generally exited from the ESL program. There is, however, a need to monitor the student's proficiency in school curricula and State academic standards, to determine if continued ESL support is needed for two (2) years after exiting the program.

		1.	Placement in English language proficiency instrument.
		2.	Demonstration of ability to speak, read, write, and comprehend English to participate in regular program.
		3.	Performance on standardized academic assessment.
		4.	Classroom performance and teacher observation and assessment exiting must ensure:

			a.	former LEP students will have full access to the school curriculum;
			b.	monitoring of academic progress will occur for two (2) years after exiting;
			c.	perform on-par with native English speaking peers.

General Instructional Information

The language of instruction is English. A student's primary language may be used by the instructor to clarify a concept. Students' oral response will be guided from the primary language to English.

Instruction should be adapted to the student's learning style and developmental level. High interest/lower levels material or materials in the student's primary language may be used to reinforce academic concepts and vocabulary.

Language assistance will be provided through a regularly scheduled class. In addition, students can meet together for additional language and academic support. Students at the middle school and high school will participate in regular core classes including English with needed modifications.

Student Evaluation and Grading

An ESL student should be evaluated on his/her academic progress on goals established in the LEP as follows:

Beginner (Levels 1 & 2)

		1.	Acquisition of social language.
		2.	Notification of acquisition of school curricula and State academic standards without letter grades.
		3.	Provision of pass/fail grades and/or letter grades as deemed appropriate by the LEP.

Intermediate (Level 3)

		1.	Acquisition of advanced social language.
		2.	Development and beginning academic knowledge and skills.
		3.	Notification of acquisition of school curricula and State academic standards without letter grades.
		4.	Provision of pass/fail grades and/or letter grades as deemed appropriate by the LEP.

Advanced (Level 4)

		1.	Acquisition of academic knowledge and skills.
		2.	Notification of acquisition of school curricula and State academic standards with letter grades.
		3.	Provision of pass/fail grades and/or letter grades as deemed appropriate by the LEP.

Proficient (Level 5)

		1.	Acquisition of academic knowledge and skills.
		2.	Regular report card.

FEP (Fluent English Proficiency) Monitoring Process

FEP students or former LEP students will be monitored for two (2) years after leaving the ESL program. The monitoring process will include the collection of data and information and the recording of the data and information.

	A.	Identification of staff to conduct monitoring and record keeping.
	B.	Frequency of monitoring will be on a nine (9) week grading period by the designated monitor. Teachers of the FEP student will monitor on an ongoing basis and will report to the monitor if students' academic success is below expectations.
	C.	The designated monitor will review grades, teacher observational comments, and all formal State and National assessments.
	D.	Criteria to be considered if the students' grades and academic success is below the student average for that specific class or formal assessment instrument.
	E.	If it is determined that the FEP student is not meeting academic expectations, the FEP student will be re-evaluated on English language proficiency, and an LEP will be re-established to enhance the academic success of the FEP/LEP.
	F.	The parents of an FEP will be notified as is all students through the present established communication (i.e., report cards, meeting with counselors, etc.). If the FEP has to be re-tested and it is determined the FEP/LEP needs a new LEP, the parents will be contacted, and a meeting with the parents will be held to discuss the student's LEP.

Program Evaluation

The program will be evaluated using the following criteria: (For students who have been in the Corporation's ESL program for a minimum of one (1) year.)

	A.	Progress of individual student's progress in language proficiency levels as measured by the Woodcock-Munoz Language Survey, English version.
	B.	Progress of individual student's progress in acquisition of academic content skills based on:

		1.	teacher assessment;
		2.	ISTEP+ testing (when appropriate - i.e., level 5 proficiency, having been three (3) years in a school in the USA);
		3.	Woodcock-Munoz re-test;
		4.	new ESL State assessment when made available;
		5.	ISTAR.

General Program Assessment

Records will be kept on the following:

	A.	The number of students entering and exiting the program including reasons when possible (e.g., moving, entering high school, etc.).
	B.	Parental communication including student progress meetings, program acceptance, and/or parental denial of services.
	C.	Monitor and record the student's proficiency in school curricula and State academic standards to determine if continued ESL support is needed for two (2) years after exiting the program.

Adopted 9/13/10