English as a Second Language
Conestoga Valley believes that instruction must be differentiated to meet each child’s need. Our ESL program adjusts the literacy curriculum based on students’ needs influenced by cultural background. The WIDA Aptitude Proficiency Test (WAP-T) is administered to all new students whose first language is not English. Student scores in listening, reading, writing, and speaking are used to determine placement at six different levels within the program. Within the program, students are placed in whole and small group literacy instruction based on their levels, and monitoring of student progress is done each year using a test from the World-Class Instructional Design & Assessment (WIDA).
Conestoga Valley Middle School: ESL Program and Criteria
The English as a Second Language program is a federally mandated program that must provide limited English proficiency students with an effective program that affords meaningful access to the district’s educational program. The ESL program at CVMS follows this format:
- Tier I: All ELLs are enrolled in a core ESL class according to English language level.
- Tier II: Some ELLs receive additional support in small groups within the core class(es), usually with the ESL paraprofessional.
- Tier III: The Entering/Beginning students are enrolled in a second ESL class that individually supports the students’ academic needs.
- Enrollment in the ESL program is based on the following:
- Primary Home Language Survey (PHLOTE form) for identification
- W-APT testing for placement (research based State test)
- Exit criteria:
- WIDA ACCESS results of 5.0 or 4.7+ with Proficient on the Reading and Math PSSA (yearly research based State assessment).
- Grades of B or better in core subject areas (mathematics, language arts, science and social studies).
- Scores on district-wide assessments that are comparable to the Basic performance level on the PSSA.
- Scores of Basic in reading, writing and math on the PSSA or an equivalent assessment from another state.
- Monitoring Process:
- Students are monitored in core classes (including regular English class) for a period of 2 years.
- Program specifics with regard to literacy:
- Shining Star Levels A, B and C (ESL based program)
- Saddleback Classics leveled readers
- Fiction/Non-fiction literature
- Vocabulary development – within thematic units/context
- Background knowledge development – within thematic units/context