Bilingual Education


Recommendations:

  • Determine student language and academic learning needs
  • Make maximal use of native language for content teaching in first year and of native language support for content teaching in first and succeeding years
  • Conduct a rigorous ESL instructional program, with double periods in year 1, including speaking, literacy, and content-based language development
  • Assit students in learning content in English through sheltered content instruction and developed theri academic language and literacy skills though content area instruction

  • Introduce sheltered content instruction in English by bilingual and monolingual English speaking teachers; train students in learning strategies, and higher order and critical thinking skills in the native language and English

  • Collaborate with staff in designing and conducting professional development pertaining to strategies for effective instruction of eligible students

  • Make full use of all supplementary services, as appropriate, e.g., Title I, special education

  • Integrate program instruction with district initiatives, e.g., K-3 reading plan

  • Use partial mainstreaming on a subject by subject basis

  • Establish joint instructional planning and monitoring of student progress by bilingual, ESL, and monolingual English speaking teachers; provide teachers with training in collaborative approaches

  • Allow for flexible and creative scheduling

  • Ensure that an ESL program addresses students’ need for academic learning as well as English proficiency and literacy

  • Determine student language and academic learning needs

  • Offer the student an orientation to the school and school system

  • Provide high intensity ESL including speaking, literacy and academic English

  • Assist the student in learning content in English through such approaches as sheltered content instruction, partial mainstreaming, resource room help, and tutoring with written/reading assignments and tests

  • Teach learning strategies, higher order and critical thinking skills

  • Make available library resources (text, software, classics and high interest books on tape and in alternative formats, and other media resources related to academic content)

  • Devise a process for deciding whether or not students are making sufficient progress toward meeting the state English mastery standard

  • Prepare parent consultations for students in need of language support services

  • Plan language support services including ESL (speaking, literacy, content-based)

  • Assist students in mastering content with such approaches as: native language support; academic English instruction; sheltered content instruction; instruction in higher order and critical thinking skills and learning strategies; help in completing written assignments and preparing for tests; and resource room help

  • Enhance the current instructional program and align, to the extent possible, with skills tested

  • Make available library resources native language and English textual materials, software, classics and high interest books on tape and in alternative formats, and other media resources related to academic content

  • Assess staff training needs in terms of new instructional requirements, including language support and language transition support services

  • Train current staff in effective instructional practices including: experiential and discovery learning; first and second language acquisition and teaching strategies; first and second language literacy development; learning strategies, higher order and critical thinking skill development; technology for teaching; use of print and media resources; parent consultation; joint planning, collaboration, and team teaching

  • Provide administrative leadership, direction and support for staff collaboration

  • Hire sufficient certified and qualified bilingual education and ESL teachers, bilingual guidance personnel, and home/school liaisons

  • Encourage bilingual high school graduates to enter the teaching profession as bilingual education, ESL and regular classroom teachers

  • Determine whether any district schools have conditions favorable for establishing a two-way language program

  • Poll the district, school, staff and parents regarding their support for such program

  • Ascertain whether the district has or is willing to commit the necessary resources for planning and implementing such a program

  • Seek technical assistance in establishing a two-way language program

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