Improving Our Middle Level ELL Program Getting Started

Improving Our Middle Level ELL Program

-Getting Started • First, identify with each individual student • Understand their situation • Be careful in labeling ELL students. • Create an IEP for each student determined by his/her English abilities

-A Proper Understanding • First realize the level of difficulty it is to learn a new language to function in everyday life. • Take a walk in their shoes. • Learn about each student’s family and living situations. • Do not label an ELL student as a special education student.

-ELL Faculty • 1/3 the population in school is Latino/a • Program must be specialized towards ELL students. • At least one main teacher that is specialized in ELL education. • Paraprofessionals and Aides to assist the teacher.

ELL Classroom • Classroom must be welcoming and fearfree environment • ELL resources to accommodate the students • http: //www. esl. net/esl_resources. html

-ELL Student Schedules • Will vary depending upon student • Maximize the time each student spends in regular classes. • Have a specific time of day for each student to meet with the ELL teacher. • Aides in classes if needed. • Accelerated before and after school English tutoring program

-Connecting Culture to the School • It is important to understand that we are not trying to take the culture out of the students • Encourage students to tie their culture into their lessons. • Have the students teach their classmates about their own culture. • Incorporate Holidays and events from around the world.

-Connecting Families to the School • Communication between the parents and school must be established. • Be as accommodating to parents as possible, as they may speak little to no English. • Comfort level must also be elevated for parents, to support their student’s academics, deeming it intellectually effective.

-Include Parents in Education • No one will know the students better than their own parents. • Create a panel or board of parents of ELL students, to add outside input towards our school’s curriculum. • Encourage parents to volunteer in activities. • Make grades and lessons readily available to parents online or by other means.

-Evaluation • Encouraging students and families to let us know how the program is working for them. • Being open to changes if it will ultimately better the program as a whole. • Carefully monitoring the success of each student, working more on areas that need improvement.

Programs to consider for connecting the school, parents, and community • Community Speakers • Community Scholarships • School Open-House • Teacher-Parent Conferences • City/Local Newspaper • Classroom Video Postings

Community Speakers • Bring in a community speaker to speak about relevant issues to the students once a month • Bring in community speakers to motivate student involvement learning • Visit local businesses and companies to share new ideas, collaborate, and increase knowledge base and social skills

Community Scholarships • Hold a award banquet in which the community attends at the school • Community business entrepreneurs and other representatives of the community give out small scholarships to students of academic achievements • Parents, Community, Students, and the School Body would all make connections

School Open-House • Have a school open-house every semester for two days in one selected week in the progressive part of the semester • School open to anybody in the community, especially parents • Pupils that come to the open house will be offered snacks and drinks • Pupils that come to the open house can talk to faculty and selected/volunteered students about the school and it’s happenings

Teacher-Parent Conference • Offer a time to meet with the student’s parents once per quarter of the school year • Make an attempt to go to the parents and not just offer time for them to come to the teacher (home-family visits)

City/Local Newspaper • Establish weekly school updates in the local newspaper • Include students accomplishments and activities • Include overall student body progress and grades • Include pictures and documents of classrooms and homework

Classroom Video Postings • Require every teacher to post a video of a class period or two of theirs on the school website

Instruction of The Arts • Art • Music • Choir • Band

Art Class • Opportunities to : – Express ideas, thoughts, and feelings – Explore a wide variety of media – Collaborate on group projects – Relate art to social, environmental, and political issues.

Instruction and Classroom Management • Offered all four years of Middle School • Specific classrooms for art • Each project will have a time span • Each student will use their imagination • At least one project throughout the year will be entered in a contest

Benefits of an Art Class • Visual arts classes have a broad indirect benefits • Learning through the arts promotes the idea that there is more than one solution to a problem, or more than one answer to a question

Performing Arts • General Music • Band • Chorus

General Music is required for 5 th and 6 th grade Learn about major composers in history Instruments introduced Learn the notes and the basics of reading music • Go to a performance • •

Band Offered as electives 7 th and 8 th grade Pick the instrument Learn how to play it and read the music Learn about famous people who played their instrument and others • Performances every winter and spring • Individual lessons given • Opportunities to play the national anthem at games • •

Chorus • • • Offered as an elective 7 th and 8 th grade Read music Learn how to sing different notes Learn if they are a Soprano, Alto, etc. Performance every winter and spring Opportunities to sing the national anthem at games

Benefits of the Performing Arts • Develops the brain • Think creatively and to solve problems • Hard work • Enhances teamwork skills and discipline • Self-expression • Conquer fear and to take risks

Community Involvement of the Arts • School year musical with just the students • Summer musical with the whole Community • Summer art classes for the community • Displaying art in the public Library and City Hall