WELCOME! BIENVENIDO!BIENVENUE! BOA VINDA!

An Introduction About English Language Learners

by Leslie Atelus, Certified School Counselor

What you will learn today…

•What the ESOL Program is and what it is not

•How students are identified

•What the procedures and policies are

•What the program looks like at Welleby

•What resources are available to students and families

What is E.L.L.?

•English Language Learners

ALSO KNOWN AS

•E.S.O.L. - English for Speakers of Other Languages

• L.E.P. - Limited English Proficient

• E.S.L. - English as a Second Language

Who gets screened for E.L.L.?

Legal Requirements

All students classified as E.L.L. are required

by law to participate in the E.S.O.L. Program.

1. The No Child Left Behind Act - Title III2. Florida State Board of Education

Statutes3. League of United Latin American Citizens

(LULAC) et. al. v. State Board of Education Consent Decree

Title III Funding• Broward County receives additional funding for ELLs through Title III.

• These funds are used to supplement the instructional programs in schools to ensure students meet grade level academic content.

• You have the right to request your child not receive Title III services.

• Your child will participate in the ESOL program until they meet exit criteria.

• The right to comprehensible instruction cannot be waived.

Some Students’ Languages

at Welleby Elementary• Spanish• French• Urdu• Hebrew• Chinese• Portuguese• Thai

• Haitian-Creole

• Romanian• Patois• Laotiane• Arabic

Tests Used to Screenand Monitor Students

• I.P.T. - measures speaking & listening (K-5 - new students in the fall, and students (A1-B2) in the spring or upon anniversary of entry date); reading and writing for students in ESOL Program for 4+ years

• K.T.E.A. - measures reading and writing (3rd-5th in the fall, if necessary)

• C.E.L.L.A. - All grades in the spring

C.E.L.L.A.

• C.E.L.L.A. - Comprehensive English Language Learning Assessment

• Measures speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

• Kindergarten: individually assessed• 1st-5th Grade: speaking individually administered; listening, reading & writing group administered

• State-wide assessment.• Used as exit criteria from the E.S.O.L. program.

• March 2 – April 3, 2015

Active E.L.L. Students

Why does my child need E.L.L. services?

Two Distinct Sets of Skills

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) - Everyday conversational language, which research indicates it takes 2 to 3 years to develop.

Cognitive/Academic Language Proficiency - Research indicates that it takes 4 to 10 years to develop.

Misconception - If a student has BICS, then s/he can handle academic work with little or no assistance. This may lead to the student being prematurely exited from the E.L.L. Program and may impact academic success.

When do students exit E.L.L.?

• Kindergarten - 2nd: Proficient in listening, speaking, reading & writing on the CELLA

• 3rd - 5th Graders: Proficient in listening, speaking, reading & writing on the CELLA plus ELL Meeting

• We monitor for 2 years.

E.S.O.L. Program is not…

• A pull out program.• Separate classrooms for ESOL students.

• A label.• Instruction in a language other than English.

• Does not limit access to regular educational curriculum or activities.

• Special education.

E.S.O.L. Program is…

• Students are in a regular classroom.• Teachers provide extra assistance utilizing E.S.O.L. strategies and accommodations.

• Teachers adapt lessons for E.L.L. students.

• During teacher conferences, your child’s teacher can inform you of strategies and accommodations your child receives.

• Interims and Report cards will indicate your child is receiving E.S.O.L. services.

Examples of ELL Services

Communication Between Parents and School

Promotion

• Students in the E.L.L. program for less than 2 years MAY be promoted at the end of the school year to the next grade level.

• Students who are in the program for more than 2 years, must meet regular promotion criteria.

• An E.L.L. Committee will be convened if promotion criteria is not met.

E.L.L. and E.S.E.

• E.S.E. = Exceptional Student Education

• All students must be screened for E.S.O.L. regardless of disabilities. If they qualify based on testing, they are enrolled in the E.S.O.L. program.

• E.S.O.L. services are in addition to E.S.E. services.

• Each student’s educational plan will be discussed individually during I.E.P. meetings. If necessary, separate E.L.L. meetings may be convened to specifically discuss status in the E.S.O.L. program.

Resources for Parents• www.browardesolparents.com

• Developing Reading Skills Brochure

• Second Language Acquisition Brochure

• Follett Shelf - eBooks• inSync: www.insyncedu.com

• www.starfall.com• www.tumblebooks.com

ESOL Parent Leadership Council

2014• September 17, 6:30 pm - KCW

• September 23, 6:30 pm - Weston YMCA

• October 18, 8:30 am – 2:30 pm – Parent Leadership Development

• November 19, 6:30 pm – KCW

• November 19, 8:30 am – Weston YMCA

2015• January 21, 8:30 am – Weston YMCA

• January 21, 6:30 pm – KCW

• March 18, 8:30 am – Weston YMCA

• March 18, 6:30 pm – KCW

• May 20 - TBD

Take Home

• Insync Flyer• Language Classifications and Descriptors

• Parent Leadership Development Flyer

• ESOL Instructional Strategies Matrix

• Follett Shelf eBooks Flyer• FSA Website Bookmark• Website Resources

Sign E.L.L. Files

• Please sign and date highlighted area on file.

• Return file to me before leaving.

• Files remain at school and are inserted in the cumulative file when students exit ELL.

• They are transferred from school to school within Broward County.

Date _____________ Parent Signature ____________

Questions?Thank you for yourattendance today.

Leslie AtelusSchool Counselor andE.L.L. Contact754-322-8850