English Language Learners

A potential English Language Learner (ELL) student is one who speaks a foreign language fluently in addition to English, comes from a household where another language is spoken regularly, or has been educated in foreign schools. When a new student comes to our school, the family is asked to complete a Home Language Survey. These are directed to the ELL Specialist for evaluation. Appropriate student interviews and testing are done to determine if services are needed and to what extent.

Our primary goal is to support the ELL student in the regular classroom by providing the knowledge, proficiencies, and experiences in English that will enable them to move to a greater level of academic competency. To attain this goal, the ELL focus is to form a partnership with the child's classroom teacher to develop all areas of literacy - listening, speaking, reading, and writing - within the framework of the classroom curriculum. This support may include such diverse activities as giving background knowledge for anthology selections, explaining confusing vocabulary, reviewing social studies concepts, and even examining customs and holidays.

Students are seen in a pull-out setting individually or in small groups, for 30-minute sessions 1-5 days per week. Grouping is by age or skill level. Students with varying primary languages are mixed in these groups. The ELL Specialist teaches and supports the students only in English. Service will continue as long as necessary to meet student needs.

At times, a child enters our school with very limited knowledge of English. The ELL Specialist then strives to develop a working English vocabulary as well as curriculum support. The classroom teacher and the ELL Specialist collaborate to devise a plan for the child's inclusion in the regular classroom.

Contact our ELL Specialist, Karen Orlovich at  karen_orlovich@ipsd.org

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