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Pine-Richland School District


ESLEnglish as a Second Language


Welcome to Pine-Richland School District's English as a Second Language Program. This site will provide you with important and helpful information for home and within the classroom environment.

ESL report cards and graded percentages are given each nine weeks. In the secondary grades, ESL is reported as a course on the report card. In the elementary grades, classroom and ESL teachers collaborate on grading procedures and use progress indicators to determine proficiency levels.
 
Placement and Testing: The W-APT Placement Test is used as an evaluation tool for placement of English Language Learning Students (ELL's).  The evaluation is given after enrollment is completed within the district and if the home language survey indicates any of the following:                                                                                                               
                                                      ** A student has a first home language other than English.
                                                      **A student was born outside of the United States.
                                                      **A student has a dominant first language other than English that may interfere with
                                                          learning the academic curriculum.
 
To determine maintaining placement in the program and English proficiency, the WIDA ACCESS state tests are administered to all students actively participating in the ESL program.  These tests are administered annually from the end of January until the first week in March.
 
Exiting Procedures:  Several components of criteria need to be met for any student exiting the ESL program. 
  • Scoring proficient in all areas of listening, reading, speaking and writing on the WIDA ACCESS tests on a Tier Level C test.
  • Maintaining adequate grades in both the ESL and mainstreamed classroom in core content areas.
  • Obtaining a Basic or above score on PSSA evaluations, if in a grade level taking PSSA exams.
  • ESL teacher and regular classroom teacher observations and portfolios.

    Continuous Goals:
  • ESL orientation for teaching staff and parents when needed and easily accessible resources provided.
  • Maintain and develop ESL goals and curriculum based on language proficiencies and content across the curriculum.
  • Placement and evaluation of new incoming students whose first language is other than English.
  • Establish open lines of communication with teachers, parents, and administration through orientations, technology communication and conferencing.
  • Electronic grading for secondary grades is in effect using the MIG electronic grading system.
  • Administer the WIDA ACCESS evaluations from the end of January through the beginning of March. 
  • Elementary ESL progress reports administered each nine weeks.
  • Monitoring students for two years after exiting the program.
Future Goals:

  • Consistent integration of technology and technology software

  • Educate teachers on using the ELPS to better accommodate the ELL students in the regular classrooms

Our goal as ESL teachers is to continue to provide language acquisition instruction in a nurturing and productive environment so as to provide the ESL student with ongoing success in the classroom as well as within the community.

English as a Second Language Teachers,
Marnee Dobrowsky & Maria Riggle
Last Modified on February 6, 2013