MCSS English Language Program

Core ESL Program: Content-Based   
Language minority students from different language backgrounds are in general classes where teachers use English as the medium for providing content area instruction, adapting their language to the proficiency level of the students. Core subject teachers provide appropriate supports and accommodations to enable students to access the subject area CONTENT at grade level, while they are still learning English. Such supports may include word banks and sentence frames, the support of a peer, visual supports, and alternative forms of tests and assessments that allow ELLs to show their mastery of the content given their current level of English proficiency. The acquisition of English is one of the goals of sheltered English and content-based programs; however, instruction focuses on content rather than language.

When necessary, supplemental English instruction is delivered using a Pull-out, Push-In, or Sheltered Classes.

Supplemental Pull-Out 
Students leave their mainstream classroom to receive ESL instruction that focuses on grammar, vocabulary, communication skills, and cultural literacy. The emphasis is on language learning not academic content tutoring.

Supplemental Push-In 
EL Specialists come in to the mainstream classroom to assist or team with the classroom teacher in content lessons.

Supplemental Sheltered High School English and History 
Sheltered instruction is a set of teaching strategies, designed for teachers of academic content, that lower the linguistic demand of the lesson without compromising the integrity or rigor of the subject matter.  The benefits are for ELL students, as well as native English speakers with a variety of learning styles.

Teachers adjust the language demands of the lesson in many ways, such as modifying speech rate and tone, using context clues and models extensively, relating instruction to student experience, adapting the language of texts or tasks, and using certain methods familiar to language teachers (e.g., demonstrations, visuals, graphic organizers, or cooperative work) to make academic instruction more accessible to students of different English proficiency levels.

EL Students have the option of taking core sheltered English and History classes and/or an elective ESL class at the Tech Center.

The WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards are used to guide instruction and evaluate student progress in core and supplemental services.