While there are many opportunities during the course of a day in a language-rich classroom environment for language learning, merely being exposed to or engaged in activities in English is not sufficient to assure the development of full academic language proficiency. Limited-English proficient students must receive explicit instruction in the English language that is differentiated based on their English language proficiency levels. Effective language development teaches competency in the functions, forms, syntax, and vocabulary of the English language. ELD instruction provides many opportunities to develop oral and written fluency. Developing English learners’ language is crucial to supporting their literacy development.
The Philomath School District utilizes an ELD pull-out or push-in instructional approach to address the language acquisition needs of English Language Learners. Based on the low numbers of students at each grade level, this model meets the needs of our English Language Development (ELD) program. In the regular classroom, trained classroom teachers use Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) and AVID strategies to support language development in regular content areas.
The ELD classes teach the acquisition of English language skills so that ELs can meaningfully access and participate in academic English-only mainstream classrooms. The ELD curriculum promotes academic vocabulary and language within an academically rich curriculum in order to increase students' skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. At the elementary level, the National Geographic/Cengage Reach curriculum is used as the text for grades K through 5. At the middle school level, the National Geographic/Cengage Inside curriculum is used as the text for grades 6 through 8. At the high school level, the National Geographic/Cengage Edge curriculum is used as the text for grades 9 through 12.
