Chapter Two: Instructional Programs

Evergreen School District utilizes various pedagogical approaches in the delivery of  instruction to ELs:  Structured English Immersion (SEI), sheltered instruction  including Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) and mainstream English, and Integrated and Designated ELD instruction. Evergreen School District currently provides the following basic instructional services to students identified as English Learners.

Structured English Immersion: K-8 students who have been assessed on the ELPAC and found to be at “less than reasonable levels of fluency in English” (ELPAC levels 1 - 3) receive daily Designated ELD and access to core content subjects through SDAIE instruction in the regular mainstream classroom. English learners at levels 1 and 2 receive additional language support from EL Assistants. These students are identified in conjunction with site administrators and teachers.

1. Clearly defined language and content objectives:
   Lesson plan objectives reflect high content and ELD standards.
   Teachers intentionally integrate English language development into content instruction, e.g., science, social studies, math. Language objectives reflect a sequential pattern for language learning that builds on and reinforces students’ emerging knowledge of English.  Example: Students record observations of science experiments using short phrases and pictures before writing sentences and paragraphs for lab reports.  Key vocabulary is introduced, written, repeated, and highlighted for students to see.
    

2. Supplementary materials:
   Lessons are made clear and meaningful by using supplementary materials such as graphs, models, hands-on materials and visual aids. Staff utilize Ellevation Education Services instructional strategies/modules to support students’ learning at their proficiency level. This online platform has been purchased for districtwide use. Content of materials are adapted to students’ level of English proficiency.
   Texts and assignments are adapted through a variety of means to make the information accessible to EL students.  Example: Challenging text is graphically depicted, outlined, or rewritten in more comprehensible language. Passages are read aloud and paragraphed. As students’ English proficiency improves, they work in pairs or in small groups to interact, discuss and understand content area text.
    

3. Scaffolding:
   Begin instruction at a level that encourages student success and provides support to move students from their current level of understanding to higher levels of understanding. This can be verbal prompting e.g., asking questions, elaborating on students’ responses, providing students with an outline of materials. Scaffolding is removed as students’ progress and function independently.
    

4. Interaction:
   Provide frequent opportunities for interaction and discussion between the teacher and students as well as students to students.
   Provide sufficient wait time for students to respond.
   Students are taught and given opportunities to practice skills for clarifying or negotiating meaning, confirming information, persuading, and disagreeing.
    

5. Meaningful activities:
   Structured English Immersion (SEI) lessons provide students with hands-on experiences that correspond to the subject area and grade level curriculum.  Example: In biology students learn to do experiments, applying and practicing  the new content knowledge in a way they understand.
   SEI activities integrate lesson knowledge and concepts with extensive opportunities for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

   English Mainstream (EM) Regular Classroom:
   K - 8th grade students who have been assessed on the ELPAC and are found to be at “reasonable levels of fluency in English” (Expanding and Bridging) receive grade-level instruction in the core content areas with ongoing attention paid to the language demands of the instruction.  SDAIE strategies may be used in the classroom.  Teachers who work with EL students possess appropriate state authorizations.  ELs receive Integrated and Designated ELD from their classroom teachers, and additional appropriate support services until formal reclassification to fluent English proficiency.

   Integrated and Designated ELD Instruction:
   ELD instruction, which focuses on listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English, is targeted to students’ levels of proficiency in English, and is based on the ELD standards. Core content instruction is based on state grade level standards, and teachers utilize appropriate strategies to ensure comprehensibility of instruction.  Integrated and Designated ELD is taught by classroom teachers.

EL instructional materials must address the stages of English language development at each  grade level:

• Emerging: Students at this level typically progress very quickly, learning to use English for immediate needs as well as beginning to understand and use academic vocabulary and other features of academic language.
• Expanding: Students at this level are challenged to increase their English skills in more contexts and learn a greater variety of vocabulary and linguistic structures, applying their growing language skills in more sophisticated ways that are appropriate to their age and grade level.
• Bridging: Students at this level continue to learn and apply a range of high level English language skills in a wide variety of contexts, including comprehension and production of highly technical texts. The “bridge” alluded to is the transition to full engagement in grade-level academic tasks and activities in a variety of content areas without the need for specialized ELD instruction. However, ELs at all levels of English language proficiency fully participate in grade-level tasks in all content areas with varying degrees of scaffolding in order to develop both content knowledge and English.

Statement:  All EL students (K-8) receive differentiated instruction to enhance the development of academic language and movement toward oral language proficiency.  Depending on the grade level, student instruction can be exemplified through the following areas:

• phonemic awareness/phonics
• oral reading fluency
• word recognition/ spelling
• vocabulary/morphology
• grammar/usage
• sentence structure
• speaking/writing

The above mentioned areas of instruction can be integrated into content areas (Social Studies/Science) with designated strategies.

INSTRUCTION MUST:

• Develop proficiency in English
• Address Common Core State Standards
• Be delivered at appropriate proficiency level (Emerging, Bridging, Expanding)
• Include time for Designated and Integrated ELD
• Target the needs of students

Components of Language Development

Language Forms & Functions:
A language function refers to what students do with language as they engage with content and interact with others. Functions represent the active use of language for a specific purpose. Students use language functions in order to express ideas, communicate with others, and show understanding of content in an academic setting.        

Forms

The grammatical structure of words and phrases, word usage & vocabulary
They are building blocks for discourse.

Parts of Speech:  Verb tenses, subject verb agreement, nouns, pronouns, conjunctions
Sentence Structure:  Complex, compound, embedded, and word order

• Total Physical Response (TPR)
• Cooperative Learning
• Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD)
• Structured English Immersion (SEI)
• Differentiated Instruction
• Frontloading
• Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE)
• Balanced Literacy Instruction:
  • Shared Reading
  • Guided Writing
  • Reader’s/Writer’s Workshop

Integrated ELD/SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) focuses on teaching English as part of academic content (such as in Social Studies or Science classes). In most cases, instruction is designed so that students are able to receive support in their primary language as they access English in their academics.  

As an umbrella shelters pedestrians in a rainstorm, SDAIE instruction offers EL students some protection from the storm of concepts, contexts, and language, thus giving them the opportunity to progress academically as they acquire English language proficiency.

English language learners have access to Special Education services just as all other students in EESD.  Careful review by the Student Study Team (SST) of all referrals takes place first which includes second language surveys, SST referral forms, modifications and interventions, review of student records, verification of current hearing and vision testing, and parent review.  Instructional decisions related to the student’s language acquisition status must be described in the Individual Education Plan (IEP).  When students qualify for Special Education, linguistically and developmentally appropriate goals and objectives are written based on the student’s needs.  The IEP will include goals that address English Language development as well as goals that support access to the content areas. The IEP must document the provision of these services.

ELD Instructional Assistants support students’ language development. Classroom teachers are responsible for delivering Integrated and Designated ELD instruction to their students. Together, the classroom teacher and ELD Instructional Assistants ensure students’ language needs are met.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Classroom Teachers

• Delivers ELD instruction (Integrated and Designated ELD)
• Provides direction and works collaboratively with ELD Instructional Assistants
• Seeks and uses new techniques and materials appropriate for use with EL students
• Explains progress of EL students at parent conferences
• Attends IEP meetings of students also identified as EL

ELD Instructional Assistants

• Provides information and technical assistance to staff about the school’s ELD program for EL students as needed
• Prepares reclassification documents at assigned sites
• Maintains current knowledge of regulations and procedures related to programs

• Coordinates the administration of the Initial and Summative ELPAC and any other pertinent assessments

• Provides services and performs other duties as appropriate to this position and as assigned by the Director of Educational Services
• Maintains professional competence through participation in professional development provided and supported by the district and in other professional growth activities selected by the employee
• Learns new digital platform, Ellevation Education, to better support students, teachers, and parents by streamlining workflow, improving communication and sharing of student’s academic growth, gain access to instructional strategies and activities, and accurately monitor students’ progress
• Assists in the identification and maintains the management program (placement testing, grouping and scheduling, etc.) for EL students at assigned schools
• Provides push-in service to EL 1s & 2s