Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview School District 89 is proud to offer a range of language support services to meet the needs of our second-language learners. These home languages are a great asset to our district.

Learn more about our multiple models for language learners in District 89 by reading the following FAQ.

1. WHO ARE THE ELS?

EL stands for English Learners. English Language Learners are students learning English as a second language who need assistance developing the academic language skills required for school. Students need to acquire both the social and academic language.

2. HOW MANY ELL STUDENTS ARE IN DISTRICT 89?

English learners make up 31% of District 89’s population. Approximately 1,500 students are identified as ELs in our various program models. The majority of the students come from Spanish-speaking homes.

3. HOW ARE STUDENTS IDENTIFIED FOR THE BILINGUAL PROGRAM?

During registration, all families complete a Home Language Survey. If another language is spoken in the home, the State requires us to screen students for the bilingual program. Based on the results from the state-required English language screener test, which measures the student’s ability to listen, speak, read, and write in the English language, students are recommended to receive English language support.

4. WHAT IS THE BILINGUAL PROGRAM?

District 89 offers English-language support through various program models for students learning English as a second language who need assistance developing the academic language skills required for success. All students in this program learn English while studying school subjects, including language arts, math, science, and social science.

The Bilingual program has four program models to meet the needs of a diverse group of learners. Please see below for the program models used in District 89.

• One-Way Dual Language – Spanish speakers (one language group) learning in English and Spanish K – 5^th. ***See new information below***
• Two-Way Dual Language: English and Spanish speakers (two language groups) learn both languages from K through 8th grade.
• Sheltered-English – Classrooms with all English learners receiving core instruction with a teacher with an ESL/Bilingual endorsement. Resources, curriculum, and assessments are the same as in general education classrooms.
• ESL Resource – English learners in general education classrooms receive language support until they meet the state’s exit criteria of a 4.8 composite English proficiency level as measured by ACCESS.

The Bilingual Programs in District 89 are based on a dual-language model that emphasizes the development of biliteracy and aims for language proficiency and academic achievement in English and Spanish. We have started a one-way dual language program at Jane Addams, Lincoln, and Melrose Park Schools for grades K through 3rd grade in 2019. We are phasing out the self-contained transitional bilingual program at Melrose Park and Lincoln and will add another grade each school year to the one-way dual-language program, reaching up to 5th grade.

The ESL programs in District 89 provide support through resource services, self-contained classes, and co-taught classes. A sheltered instruction approach is used to teach both language and content simultaneously.

All ELL teachers, whether ESL or Bilingual, are trained to use teaching strategies that make language comprehensible and promote language development while using the grade-level curriculum.

Students benefit academically from being in bilingual/dual and ESL program models. Teachers use special teaching techniques to provide instruction. Lessons focus on vocabulary, reading and writing skills, and academic concepts. Teachers enable students to speak, listen, read, and write across all subject areas. Teachers use various visual aids and hands-on activities to ensure students’ understanding. Every school in the district has a program model that supports the language and academic needs of ELs.

5. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO LEARN ANOTHER LANGUAGE?

The most comprehensive work in this field is the research by Wayne Thomas & Virginia Collier. Thomas & Collier conducted a longitudinal study of 700,000 English language learners from 1982 to 1996. They wanted to determine how long it took students with no background in English to reach native-speaker performance (50^th percentile) on norm-referenced tests. In addition, they examined variables such as socioeconomic status, first language, English learning programs, and years of primary-language schooling. In their study, Thomas & Collier found that the most significant variable in how long it takes to learn English is the formal schooling students have received in their first language.

They found that it typically takes 5-9 years to learn another language academically (Thomas & Collier, 1997). It takes 5 years or less for students with a strong foundation in their native language and up to 9 years or more for students who are weak in their native language.

Our Bilingual/Dual program in District 89, now using a dual-language approach, has a content allocation plan to help grade-level dual-language teachers determine when to teach in English and Spanish. Students in the ESL program receive support for their English development, with that support gradually released as they acquire English and attain higher levels of proficiency.

Every child is different and regardless of the type of ELL program, some students take less than 5 years to acquire English and others take longer.

6. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT ELL STUDENTS ARE MAKING PROGRESS?

All K-12 English language learners must be assessed annually for English proficiency growth and academic progress. The ACCESS test assesses English language proficiency, while the IAR test assesses academic achievement in English.

As a district, we use various academic measures to monitor the progress of all learners. To ensure students are on track with their learning, we use district-wide assessments to measure growth. The EL Resource and General Education teachers work collaboratively to ensure students meet their growth targets for the year. Bilingual and Dual Language classroom teachers administer assessments in English and Spanish, ensuring students are meeting their growth targets in both languages.

7. HOW CAN FAMILIES APPLY TO WASHINGTON DUAL LANGUAGE ACADEMY?

Applications are accepted for kindergarten through first grade (if space permits). Grades 2 and above are accepted only if space permits, and applicants must have previously participated in a dual-language program or be newcomers to the country. Priority is given to students with siblings currently attending Washington Dual Language Academy. Families are notified by early May each academic year whether their child will attend WDLA. All new families must register at their child’s home school.

Additional information is available on the Washington Dual Language Academy website.

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