English Language Learners (ELL) Parent Handbook

Prepared by the ELL Department of the Arlington Public Schools December 2008

Table of Contents 1.

Welcome from the Director

page 3

2.

What is ELL?

page 4

3.

ELL Calendar

page 7

4.

ELL Contact Information

page 8

(and other frequently asked questions)

2

Dear ELL Parents: Welcome to Arlington’s linguistically and culturally diverse school community! This handbook offers an explanation of the program and regulations for ELL students. The handbook may also serve as a reference in case you ever wish to look up a frequently asked question or a commonly used ELL term or phrase. If you have any questions that are not addressed in this handbook, please do not hesitate to contact the ELL department at 781-316-3000 ex 2339 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Sincerely, Jill McCarthy ELL Program Director Arlington Public Schools

p.s. Another useful resource for ELL families is the International Parent Handbook. It provides general schooling information. There will be copies available in English and Japanese at the Open House (and in the ELL Office).

3

What is ELL? The acronym “ELL” refers to English Language Learners. An ELL student is defined as a child whose home language is not English and who is not currently able to perform ordinary classroom work in English. The ELL Department is responsible for providing English language instruction to ELL students. The current laws in the United States (and in Massachusetts) require that ELL students receive special English instruction until they are proficient in English. These laws also influence all other features of ELL services:





Teacher certification requirements Testing Curriculum Classroom facilities

How do we identify children who can benefit from the ELL program? School districts are required by law to identify children who can benefit from ELL services. Children come from many different language, cultural and schooling backgrounds when the come into the district. We need to identify the children that require ELL instruction. The first step involves screening to assess the child’s English proficiency. After the initial English language assessment, specialized instruction in English may be recommended for your child. Depending on the assessment results, and with parent approval, the child will be enrolled in the ELL program. Tests are then administered to determine the appropriate level of ELL instruction. The tests are administered during the first two months of the school year. The tests examine the child’s English proficiency in four areas: (1) speaking, (2) listening, (3) reading and (4) writing. There are four levels of English language instruction: (1) Beginning, (2) Early Intermediate, (3) Intermediate and (4) Transitioning.

4

Once the child is placed in the appropriate level of instruction, he/she will receive a special instructional program designed to help improve English proficiency. The content of this program is carefully coordinated with the mainstream classroom, district and state standards for content (i.e. math, science, social studies) and literacy development.

Are there any additional fees for ELL services? No. All ELL services are part of the regular school program. They are provided to residents of the Town of Arlington.

How can I help my child improve his/her English? If you would like to work with your child at home, please start by helping him/her with the regular classroom homework. Reading aloud is another way you can help your child. Reading in both the home language as well as English will help with his/her ability to learn English. If you are not comfortable reading in English, you can borrow audio tapes and books from the local libraries. You can also visit storytelling and other programs for children at the local libraries. Children learn language in natural settings and in a context when they want to communicate with other children. Therefore, arranging play dates and taking advantage of any opportunities to socialize with English speaking children are great ways to help your child learn English. Here is a link to the Book Nook, a list of books recommended by the Robbins library for various grade levels: http://www.robbinslibrary.org/kids/book-nook. There are several lists of resources on-line at the Arlington Schools website. See http://www.hardyschool.com/Links/Kids for a list of fun and educational websites. Another useful link is: http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/stratton/literacylinks.htm. You may also review the district curriculum website for information on grade level expectations for other content areas such as math, science, etc. The website is located at: www.arlington.k12.ma.us. Go to “Teaching and Learning” and then select “Curriculum.” Here is a shortcut: http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/tl/curr/ela/

5

How do you decide when a child is ready to exit the ELL program? There is a specific set of criteria used to determine if an ELL student is still limited English proficient. The set of criteria is reviewed by a school-based team including teachers and other staff. The review basically involves the child’s performance in the four areas: (1) speaking, (2) listening, (3) reading and (4) writing. In addition, the child’s classroom performance and test results are included in the review. Children that have exited the program can return at a later date if necessary.

What is my child’s ELL schedule? Each proficiency group follows requirements for ELL instruction. In Arlington, ELL students in grades K-5 leave their classrooms for the required ELL instructional time, most often during the literacy times in the mainstream classroom. Please see your child’s ELL teacher for the exact days and times. At the secondary or middle schools, beginning ELL students participate in ELL for their English credits (aligned/”bridged” to standards for ELA, English Language Arts) as well as additional time for learning academic content vocabulary, reading and writing for academic purposes, and ELL strategies. In addition to taking regular education English, intermediate and transitioning level ELL students participate in ELL to strengthen academic vocabulary across the content areas, access or build background knowledge, read for comprehension, and write for different purposes, among other priorities.

How long does it take the average child to successfully complete the ELL program? This is a difficult question to answer. All children are different and they come from a variety of backgrounds and previous school experiences. In the ELL program, there is a distinction between “social” language and “academic” language. Social language is acquired more quickly than academic language in which it may take several years to become proficient. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s ELL teacher if at any time you would like to discuss his/her progress.

6

ELL Calendar September:

School begins; new ELL students are identified for enrollment; ELL instruction begins (for MS and HS)

October:

State testing period (MELA-O1 and MEPA-R/W2)

Nov. – March:

ELL instructional period continues (follows district school calendar)

December:

Parent-Teacher conferences

February/March/April:

Second State testing period (MELA-O and MEPA)

May:

MCAS3 testing period

June:

End of school year

Please note: high school students in grades 9 through 12 may have additional test periods that are not listed on this schedule. Notes: 1. MELA-O refers to the Massachusetts English Language Assessment-Oral. This test assesses proficiency in listening (comprehension) and speaking (production). 2. MEPA refers to the Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment-Reading and Writing. This test assesses proficiency in reading and writing in English. This test does not apply to kindergarten students. 3. MCAS refers to the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. This test is for all students in grades 3 and above. It is a statewide standards-based system which serves to evaluate student, school and district performance. The results are also used to inform and improve curriculum and instruction.

7

Arlington ELL Contact Information Program Director: Jill McCarthy [email protected] 781-316-3000 x2339 Elementary ELL Teachers: Kathy Feinmann (Brackett & Hardy) - [email protected] Nicole Fraktman (Thompson) - [email protected] Laura Goldstein (Dallin & Peirce) - [email protected] Teresa McDermott (Stratton and Thompson) - [email protected] Ann Monticone (Bishop & Hardy) - [email protected] Ottoson Middle School: Sandra Flanagan - [email protected] High School: Pam Monahan - [email protected] Laura Bergan - [email protected] Additional ELL Program Staff: Maria Boyle, Teaching Assistant ([email protected]) Marjorie Bluestein, Teaching Assistant ([email protected]) Miho Machida, Bilingual Teaching Assistant ([email protected]) Heather Smith, ELL Community & Family Liaison ([email protected])

8