Rachel Howson

9/29/16
Foundations and Methods of English Language/ Literacy Development and Content Instruction
District/Teacher Background
1. Briefly describe your school and district student population including socio-economic
aspect. In your class, how many students do you currently teach? How many are English
Language Learners? How many are second and third language learners and which native
languages are represented?
My school is part of a small, rural district in Sonoma County. The town has a population
of 8,811 and a median household income of $59,120. There are five schools within the district,
with an approximate student population of 1,450. My school site serves 580 Pre-k through 4th
grade students with 4-5 classes at each grade level and is classified as a Title 1 school. 54% of
our population is Hispanic, 39% White, and 3% American Indian/Alaska Native. 46% of our
students are language learners, and 66% of our students qualify for free/reduced price lunch.
Within my self-contained classroom I teach 25 students, 12 of whom are second language
learners, all who speak Spanish as their primary language. Two of my students have been
reclassified as English language proficient. I have no students who speak their native languages,
although two students are Pomo (American Indian).
2.*Explain your district policies regarding primary language support for English Learners.
What measures do you take to ensure these policies are carried out to provide primary
language support for your ELs?* (one page for this part suggested).
Due to our large population of English language learners, ensuring equitable access to the
curriculum and decreasing the amount of long term English learners is a priority for our district.
We utilize a structured English immersion program, and all students receive designated ELD
instruction four days per week that addresses their proficiency level. The district has prioritized
investing in professional development opportunities for all staff to develop instructional
strategies that support language learners.
All EL students take the CELDT test in the beginning of the year and parents/guardians
are informed of the placement of their children in a structured English immersion program and
are notified of an opportunity to apply for a parental exception waiver. All newcomers work with
the Language coordinator for the district before being placed in the immersion program. Based
on proficiency levels, students at each grade level are placed in language groups for designated
ELD.
For the past three years the district was engaged in a contract with Kevin Clark
consulting firm. The Kevin Clark program is a structured English immersion program focused on
five Language Acceleration Principles, morphology, syntax, phonology, semantics and
lexicon. The instruction was centered around discrete English grammar skills such as sentence

formation, verb conjugation and vocabulary acquisition. Despite the implementation of this
program, our schools EL students did not met the district's annual measurable achievement
objectives. In addition, there is still a significant achievement gap between our language learners
and native English speakers on standardized tests.
This year, in an effort to better meet the needs of our EL population, all staff members
received training focused on understanding the California ELD framework. The four areas of
focus of the framework are meaning making, language development, effective expression,
content knowledge, and foundational skills. They are integrated with our core curriculum and
focused on during designated ELD time. All teachers are expected to focus on grammar,
discourse, vocabulary and engagement strategies. Rather than focusing on discrete skills void of
context, we are aiming to provide ELS with structured supports that are connected to classroom
content.
I currently have an emergency CLAD permit while I complete the coursework in order to
meet the districts policy. In my classroom I try to focus on designing lessons that provide
students with multiple entry points through multi-modal activities. I use a great deal of visuals,
songs, and movements to aid students in their academic vocabulary acquisition. Students are also
provided with many opportunities to interact through conversation and group work. Our district
also utilizes Thinking Maps which are a collection of graphic organizers designed to support
cognitive thought processes. My students also receive designated language supports for 45
minutes four days a week.
3. What support programs are available for English Language Learners before, during and
after-school (i.e.ESL Pull-out, ESL Resource Center, classroom aides, parent volunteers,
etc.)? How many students identified for this support?
During school, students are placed in language groups based on their CELDT scores and
reading levels to receive appropriate support based on their language proficiency. These groups
are facilitated by the grade level staff and are comprised of four different groupings. There is a
group of Early Intermediate-Intermediate ELs and a group of Intermediate-Early Advanced Els
as well as an intensive reading/writing intervention for EOs and reading/writing enrichment. In
our grade level, there are 44 students who are identified in need of designated ELD support
during the day.
Select students also receive reading intervention four days per weeks for 30 mins. These
students are identified based on their fluency and comprehension and there are currently 23 EL
students who receive this support. After school, homework help and math intervention are also
provided three days per week after school for one hour. We have not yet selected students for
this intervention, but will when we have acquired more data.
As well as programs for students, our district also hopes to increase parent engagement
and involvement for Spanish speaking families. We have a English Learner Advisory Committee
that meets once a month to discuss goals for the district and provides opportunities for outreach.

We have also partnered with a local Junior College to provide English instruction to parents at no
cost.
4. How do teachers monitor the academic progress of these students? Does your school
district have policies regarding grade level academic language instruction?
Academic progress of our students is monitored through formative and summative
assessments. Progress is discussed across grade levels during weekly Professional Learning
Communities, and shared during monthly staff meetings or by leadership teams. Progress is also
monitored via trimester benchmarks in reading, writing, and mathematics. Language learners
progress is monitored by annual CELDT assessments and English language placement tests that
are administered by grade level teachers.
At our site, we use the Accelerated Reader program to monitor growth as well as
DIBELS to monitor phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, accuracy and fluency with
connected text, reading comprehension, and vocabulary. This data is compiled and put into
Illuminate (an online data collection system) and is used to inform discussions about
instructional strategies and curriculum and identify students in need of intervention.
We are required to provide grade level academic language instruction. Tier 2 and 3 words
are identified in our curriculum maps and integrated into instruction across content areas.
5. Students who are English Learners take the CELDT and/or another marker of
assessment in private schools. What are you or your school doing to prepare them to
demonstrate proficiency and ultimately be reclassified? What criteria must an English
Learner satisfy before being reclassified as Fluent English Proficient, R-FEP (also called
re-designation in some districts)? List the four criteria.
In order to prepare students to demonstrate proficiency our district is planning to engage
in a series of professional development sessions this year to analyze data and establish goals that
will help guide effective instruction for language learners. In addition we have increased the
number of programs that provide small group tutoring and intervention to help improve student
growth. According to board policy (CUSD, 2003):
The following measures shall be used to determine whether an English language learner
shall be reclassified as fluent English proficient: (5 CCR 11303)
1. Assessment of English language proficiency utilizing the CELDT as the primary
criterion, and objective assessment of the student's English reading and writing skills
2. Participation of the student's classroom teacher and any other certificated staff with
direct responsibility for teaching or placement decisions.
3. Parent/guardian opinion and consultation during a redesignation interview.
Parents/guardians shall receive notice and a description of the redesignation process,
including notice of their right to participate in the process. Parent/guardian participation
in the process shall be encouraged.

4. Comparison of performance in basic skills, including performance on the English

Language Arts section of the California Standards Test.
5. Objective data on the student's academic performance in English
6. After reviewing the Powerpoint and resources posted on historical and federal legal
implications of bilingual education, analyze one case or proposition historically that in your
opinion are most significant and impact the needs of students in your district currently.
Explain your opinion.
In my opinion, the official end of bilingual education in California in 1998 that was
formalized in Proposition 227 where California public instruction is required to be in English.
Provided money for children to become fluent in English throughout intensive immersion special
classes, English only classes.(Ovando, C. J. (2003)) has had the greatest impact on the needs of
the students in my district.
This decision has impacted my students by limiting the options that are available to them
in order to learn English. As a result my district spent years investing in programs that
discourage the development of our students primary language. The majority of our EL students
are not literate in their first language, which not only hinders their development in English, but
also impedes their ability to share their learning experiences with their family members who are
not fluent in English.

Reference
CA

Dept.

of

Education,

(2014-2015).

Student

diversity.

Retrieved

from

http://www.greatschools.org/california/cloverdale/7007-Jefferson-Elementary-School/details/#S
ources

Cloverdale Unified School District Board of Directors. (2003). Board Policy 6000-instruction.
Cloverdale, CA.

Ovando, C. J. (2003). Bilingual education in the United States: Historical development and
current

issues.

Bilingual

Research

Journal,

27(1),

1-24.

Retrieved

from

http://ucsdextension.blackboard.com/courses/1/112700_WI16_OL/content/_1780326_1/Carlos%
20Ovando%20history%20of%20bilingual%20education.pdf