English Language Learners
English Language Education Department Overview
The English Language Education department serves those Belmont students who are not yet proficient in the English language (English Learners, or ELs). Students may be brand new to the country and the language or may be bilingual US-born residents who are still working toward full proficiency in academic English. The department is responsible for the English language development of all EL students in both social and academic language and in all four domains: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students exit from the program when their assessment results demonstrate that they are at near-native proficiency and can access content area curricula in the medium of English. Students enter into the courses below based on specific eligibility criteria. They are not part of the student course selection process.
Director: Lindsey Rinder
Email: lrinder@belmont.k12.ma.us
Courses in ELL Department
168 Foundational English Language Development 9 – 12 Year Credits: 5
Foundational English Language Development is designed to provide “Survival English” skills, focusing first on social/instructional language and then on academic language in the content areas, to students with little to no knowledge of the English language. Instruction will be tailored to the student’s needs and may include letter formation, decoding and fluency work, and basic English syntax and word order, as well as extensive vocabulary, English grammar, and pronunciation work. The course will also introduce students to the most important features of American culture and American schooling. Students will develop basic English proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing (reaching approximately WIDA Level 3). Students may exit from the class when the teacher determines this basic level of proficiency has been reached.
Foundational English Language Development Course Template
158 English Language Development 3 9 – 12 Year Credits: 5
ELD 3 is designed to provide instruction in English language development for ELs at the Developing stage of language proficiency. Students will work on academic language development in all four domains: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Instruction will cover specific and technical vocabulary, pronunciation, increasingly complex sentence structures, grammar, mechanics, usage, register, and text conventions
169 Transitional English Language Development 9 – 12 Year Credits: 5
Transitional ELD is designed to provide instruction in English language development for ELs at the Expanding and Bridging stages of language proficiency. Students will work on academic language development in all four domains: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Instruction will cover specific and technical vocabulary, complex sentence and discourse structures, increasing coherence in written expression and argument, grammar, mechanics, usage, and genre conventions.
Transitional English Language Development Course Template
166 Advanced English Language Development Writing 9 – 12 Year Credits: 5
Advanced ELD Writing is designed for ELs who have reached proficiency in the oral domains but still need instruction in academic writing in order to perform at grade level. Students will work on academic vocabulary, complex sentence structures, different academic text genres, and increasing linguistic complexity in their writing. Instruction will cover specific and technical vocabulary, complex sentence and discourse structures, increasing coherence in written expression and argument, grammar, mechanics, usage, and genre conventions.
150 Foundational English 9 – 12 Year Credits: 5
Foundational English is a full-year sheltered English language arts course for English Learners which prepares them with the reading, writing, and analytical skills to join the regular English classroom upon completion. Emphasis is placed on reading and discussing works of fiction and developing formal writing and oral presentation skills. Literature commonly studied in this course includes works by Sandra Cisneros, Jack London, Victor Hugo, Robert Louis Stevenson, as well as young adult fiction and short stories by Marta Salinas, Jason Kim, Liliana Heker, I.M. Desta, Langston Hughes, Charles Perrault, and more. Vocabulary and grammar is reviewed throughout. When students demonstrate sufficient English proficiency, they will have the opportunity to move into an appropriate grade-level English course. Credit in this course counts toward a student’s graduation requirement for English.
Foundational English Course Template
629 Newcomer American History 9-12 Year Credits: 5
This course provides an understanding of all the major components of US history for newcomers to the United States who lack background in US history. The course will begin at the colonial period and include the major topics and concepts that have formed American society today. Those topics will include the American Revolution, the Constitution and democracy, slavery, the Civil War, the World Wars, and the civil rights movement, among others. The course will also teach the academic language of social studies. Credit in this course counts toward a student’s graduation requirement for Social Studies (specifically, American History).