Transcript Curriculum/ELL - Education in Norwalk, Connecticut

The Norwalk Public Schools
English Language Learner (ELL) Program
Helene Becker, Instructional Specialist
ELL Education Department
Presentation for the Board of Education
Curriculum Committee
April 5, 2010
Topics
 General information about ELLs
 The NPS ELL Program
 Initiatives (including Curriculum)
Acronyms
ELL
English Language Learner (Term used in
Connecticut)
LEP
Limited English Proficient (Term used by
federal government)
ESL
English as a Second Language (Term used to
describe programs)
ESOL
English for Speakers of Other
Languages (Term is synonymous with ESL)
Norwalk Statistics: SY 2009-10
English Language Learners
 13% of NPS students are classified as ELLs
 82% of ELLs speak Spanish
 9% of ELLs speak Haitian Creole
 35% of students speak a language other than
English at home
 82 countries represented in the district
 56 languages represented in the district
Connecticut ELL Trend Data
Growth in Norwalk ELL Program
 1999-2000
 2004-2005
 2009-2010
803
1322
1385
The Skills Our ELLs Must Master:
There are two types of English language skills:
1) Conversational Language Skills – 1-3 years
to master
2) Academic Language Skills – at least 5 years
or more to master
Source: Jim Cummins, University of Toronto
BICS
 Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills
 “Social language” – used with friends,
family, on the playground, etc.
 1-3 years to acquire
CALP
 Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
 “Academic language” – used in classroom
instruction and textbooks
 5-7 years to acquire (7-10 years to acquire
for students with little prior schooling)
Length of Time Required to Achieve Age-Appropriate
Levels of Social and Academic Language Proficiency
ESL learners
Native English Speakers
5-7 (up to 10 ) years
1-3 years
Based on Cummins (1991), Collier (1995)
Read this to yourself to experience
how an ELL student may feel
Despite often difficult smerds, the lower delta
people have their flaps of schats. They enjoy
market days and various takloops.. Many of these
celebrations have their toops in ancient collian
traditions. One of the most popular takloops is the
Alacitas Fair. It is blod to honor Ekeko, the
Alacitas god of blap fortune. Small strets of this
tristy are sold in the thropheet. Each figure is wust
sath tiny goods. They include nill the things that a
lower delta may want or need – a snupy nick of
absop or wigar, a car, two whurds, a television
set, house or cow.
Identifying ELLS
All incoming ELLs must be assessed within one month of entrance at the
start of the school year or within two weeks if students enter later in the
school year.
Use “Home Language
Survey” on registration
form to inform next steps.
English proficiency test (LAS
Links) determines if student is
not proficient in English
language.
Identify on state PSIS
report and qualify for
Title III grant funding.
ELL Welcome Center
 Located at Brookside Elementary School
 Bilingual Facilitators test students either at
the Center or out in the schools
 “Data Central” for the ELL Education Dept.
Annual Measurable Achievement
Objectives (AMAO)
AMAO 1 - Making Progress:
Connecticut Targets:
2008-09: 72%
2009-10: 74%
2010-11: 76%
2011-12: 78%
2012-13: 80%
Norwalk’s Performance:
85.9%
Annual Measurable Achievement
Objectives (AMAO)
AMAO 2 - Reached Proficiency:
Connecticut Targets:
2008-09: 22%
2009-10: 24%
2010-11: 26%
2011-12: 28%
2012-13: 30%
Norwalk’s Performance:
64.4%
Annual Measurable Achievement
Objectives (AMAO)
AMAO 3 (AYP):
Norwalk
2008-09 CMT goals: 82% on Math
79% on Reading
2008-09 CAPT goals: 82% on Math
81% on Reading
DRG
72.3%
64.7%
51.2%
43.0%
61.0%
43.6%
44.4%
43.9%
Funding for the ELL Program
Local Operating Budget
Entitlement Grants (yearly)
Title III (federal)
Bilingual Grant (state)
Competitive Grant (2009-2010)
Technology/ELL Grant (federal)
Bilingual Mandate in Conn.
We must provide bilingual support services in a
particular school if there are:
20 or more ELLs who speak the same home
language
All schools in Norwalk (except Briggs H.S.) are required
to provide bilingual support services in Spanish.
BMHS will be required to provide bilingual support
services in Haitian Creole starting in 2010-2011.
Norwalk Public School:
ELL Program
Elementary School
 ESL Services – in all schools

Teachers Certified in ESL

Push in and/or Pull out
 Bilingual Services – in all schools except Briggs

Teachers Certified in Bilingual Education and/or
Bilingual Instructional Aides

Push in and/or Pull out
All instructional is done in collaboration with the
classroom teachers.
Norwalk Public School:
ELL Program
Dual Language Program
 Half of each class is native English–speaking
and half of each class is native Spanishspeaking
 Students learn academics in both English
and Spanish
We have this program (“Mano-a-Mano”) at:
 Silvermine Elementary School
 West Rocks Middle School
The first Mano-a-Mano students are now in 10th grade.
Norwalk Public School:
ELL Program
Middle School
 ESL Classes – in all middle schools

Teachers Certified in ESL
 ESL/Bilingual (“sheltered”) Social Studies
Classes – in all middle schools

Teachers Certified in ESL and/or Social Studies
 Bilingual Instructional Aides – in 3 middle
schools
Norwalk Public School:
ELL Program
High School – NHS and BMHS
 ESL Classes (Levels 1, 2, 3)

Teachers Certified in ESL
 ESL Social Studies (“sheltered”) and Bilingual
Social Studies Classes

Teachers Certified in ESL and Social Studies
 Bilingual Instructional Aides
ELL Program Initiatives 2006-2010










Saturday Newcomer Academy
Two Program Reviews
ELL Department Newsletter
ELL Steering Committee*
Central Registration for ELL Families*
SIOP Training*
High School ESL Science and ESL Math*
High School ESL Summer School
Spanish Course for Teachers
Curriculum Revision*
*Recommended in the program reviews
Saturday Newcomer Academy
 In its fifth year
 For newcomer parents
 ESL classes
 Workshops/Speakers:
 Helping
 Using
children succeed in school
community resources
Program Reviews
 Outside experts/consultants
 ELL Program Review: 2006-2007
 Silvermine Dual Language Program
Review: 2008-2009
ELL Department Newsletter
 In its third year
 Supports classroom teachers with
strategies and resources for teaching ELLs
 Two–three times per year
ELL Steering Committee
 In its second year
 Advisory to the ELL Department
 Members include the assistant
superintendent, principals, assistant
principals, housemasters, counselors,
ELL teachers, and classroom teachers
Central Registration for ELL
Families
 About to begin as a pilot – 4 schools
 Vision: All ELL families will register at the
ELL Welcome Center

Testing

Translation of forms

Interpreting

Welcome basket

Welcome video
SIOP Training
 Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol
 30 secondary teachers

6 days of training beginning in August

Follow up all year
 Dual Language Teachers

4 days of training tailored for dual language
teachers (pending)

Follow up all year
High School ESL Science and
ESL Math
 For ELLs at Levels 1 and 2
 “Sheltered” courses
 Teachers will attend SIOP training
High School Summer School
 First time this summer – a full credit
course (120 hours)
 To accelerate ELLs’ acquisition of
English

ELLs will be able to take more advanced
courses during the school year
Spanish Course for Teachers
 First time offered, in collaboration with
Adult Ed.
 46 teachers have signed up
 Requests from secretaries, nurses,
counselors, principals
Curriculum Development
 Elementary ELL Newcomer Program

Curriculum

Materials for ELL teachers and classroom
teachers
 Secondary ELL Curriculum

ESL 1 – being piloted 09-10

ESL 2 – being written 09-10

ESL 3 – to be written 10-11
Elementary
ELL Newcomer Program
 Components
 Binder
with Newcomer Curriculum
 Buddy
Book
 Literature
 Theme
Cards
 Vocabulary
 Picture
Cards
Dictionaries
Thank you!
Questions???