Information Session for families of
English Language Learners
Amanda Turcotte: ESL Director Merites Abelard: K-4 ESL Instructor
Kristine Mastrogiacomo: 5-12 ESL Instructor
O What have you heard that is untrue about
ESL? O How are potential ESL students identified? O What does it mean to be an ELL? O What test did/will my child take? O Who are “typical” FRCS ELLs? O What does the ESL program involve? O How does the ESL program affect what
classes my child takes? O Who is my child’s ESL teacher?
Today’s Goals are to Answer:
Common Misperceptions Myth Reality
Students aren’t instructed in English Students are instructed in English within Sheltered English Immersion classes
Students are separated from classmates; not in CORE classes
Students remain with non-ELL peers in CORE classes
ESL is Special Education ESL is not part of the Special Education department; being an ELL is not a learning disability
ELL means a student who doesn’t speak English or wasn’t born in the U.S.A.
ELLs are students who are exposed to another language at home through reading, writing, speaking, or listening
O FRCS follows MA Regulations:
O Home Language Survey
OFirst language OExposure to other languages at home OSpeaking, listening, reading, or
writing
ESL Program: Identification
O English Screener Test
O 1= Entering ELL O2= Beginning ELL O3= Developing ELL O4= Expanding ELL O5= Bridging (no ESL services required) O6= Reaching (compared to native
English speaking peers/ no ESL services required)
ESL Program: Identification
ESL Program: Students
Current ELLs
01234567
Kind
erga
rten
Gra
de 1
Gra
de 2
Gra
de 3
Gra
de 4
Gra
de 5
Gra
de 6
Gra
de 7
Gra
de 8
Gra
de 9
Gra
de 1
0G
rade
11
Gra
de 1
2
Current ELLsFormer ELLs
O Diverse Language Backgrounds: O Haitian Creole
O Yoruba O Russian O Chinese O Arabic
O Kannada O Kikuyu O Hindi
O Telugu O Spanish
O Urdu O Gujarati
O Igbo
ESL Program: Students
O Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Classes: O ELLs take regular general education CORE classes
with non-ELL peers. O Classroom teachers are responsible for
“sheltering” ELLs exposure to English, which means using strategies for making the language accessible to ELLs in a regular education setting.
O ESL teachers will provide in class language
support to ELLs during some CORE classes on a regular schedule.
ESL Program: In Class Services
O “Pull Out” Support: O ELLs are taken out of unstructured non-
academic periods, such as Academic Enrichment, for small group or individual support. O Reading skills O Writing skills O Listening skills O Speaking skills O Long-term writing assignments from CORE classes, such as
ELA Writing Portfolios or Science Labs
ESL Program: Pull Out Services
O FRCS follows MA Regulations: O No more MEPA testing O Replaced with January ACCESS test
O Speaking O Listening O Reading O Writing
O Results mailed home at the end of the school year
O Method of graduating from the ESL program (FLEP)
ESL Program: Mid-Year Assessment
How Can Families Help? O Have conversations about the English books your
child is reading in and out of school O Encourage your child to read English books aloud
to you O Ask your child to explain his/her day to you in
English O Use local libraries as resources for English books
and audio books for your child O Encourage your child to read a book of choice each
night O Go over Progress Report goals with your child O Allow for plenty of rest and a good breakfast
before ACCESS
ESL Web Resources O www.betterlanguageteaching.com www.readtoday.net O www.brainpopesl.com www.rong-chang.com O www.elcivics.com www.simplyesl.com O www.englishclub.com www.talkingenglish.com O www.englishforum.com www.teachchildrenesl.com O www.esl4teachers.com www.teacherjoe.us O www.eslflow.com www.teachingenglishgames.com O www.esl-galaxy.com www.tefl.net O www.eslgo.com www.usingenglish.com O www.eslhq.com www.visualesl.com O www.esljunction.com O www.esl-kids.com O www.eslkidslab.com O www.eslkidsstuff.com O www.eslkidsworld.com O www.esl-learners.com O www.eslpartyland.com O www.eslwonderland.com O www.learningenglishfeelsgood.com O www.literactive.com O www.literacycenter.net
Contact Information O ESL Director
O Amanda Turcotte O [email protected] O (508) 543-2508 ext. 276
O K-4 ESL Instructor O Merites Abelard
O [email protected] O (508) 543-2508 ext. 134
O 5-12 ESL Instructor O Kristine Mastrogiacomo
O [email protected] O (508) 543-2508 ext. 174
Questions & Answers Please join us in the ESL Resource Room- room 134 near the second grade classrooms- for Q&A and
refreshments!