ELL FAQ for Parents
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Embedded Files
ELL Program
ELL Program
What does ELL stand for?
English Language Learners
How does the school district determine which students get screened for ELL services?
Screening is determined by the answers that were given on the home language survey when the students are enrolled. If a parent answers yes to either question, then the parent(s) will be contacted about screening for ELL. The two questions on the home language survey are:
Is there another language in the home?
Does your child speak a language other than English?
What do ELL services look like at Central?
ELL services at Central vary depending on the needs of each student. However, some ways the school district provides services are through:
pull-out ELL classes
push-in support during reading/literature, writing/ELA, spelling, etc.
ELL study hall
language supports within the general education classroom
or other means that are needed for a student
How many minutes a day or week will my child get ELL services?
This all depends on your child's unique language needs. For more specific questions about how many ELL minutes your child gets, please contact me via email or phone.
How will the district determine if my child is making gains with their English language proficiency?
Students will take the ACCESS for ELLs assessments (see more information below on this assessment) annually to determine their progress with English. During the school year, the classroom teachers and myself will also make notes of their progress.
My student didn't qualify for ELL, but I still want them to receive services. Can they still receive services?
If your child was language proficient on the screener, then they do not need ELL services and will not receive specific ELL minutes. The classroom teacher will continue to monitor their language progress and if they have concerns, the district will revisit your child's language proficiency.
Assessments
Assessments
What assessments are used to screen students for potential ELL services?
Pre-IPT Oral -- Pre-Kindergarten/Early Childhood Education
Interactive oral (listening and speaking) assessment
WIDA Model -- Kindergarten through first semester of 1st grade
Interactive assessment with picture books, story boards, and cards.
Domains stated depends on the grade level and semester.
WIDA Screener -- Second semester 1st grade and on
Computer based assessment over the four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing
The assessment is adaptive to your child's language proficiency.
When will my child by screened? How will I receive the results?
Students will be screened within the first 30 days of school or registering. Paperwork will be sent home via mail with the results of the assessment as well as your child's placement into the program if needed.
What is ACCESS for ELLs? When is this assessment given?
ACCESS for ELLs stands for Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners. This assessment is administered to Kindergarten through 12th grade students, who have been identified as ELLs.
It is given annually--every January/February--to ELLs until they have receive English language proficiency as determined by the state of Illinois.
When is a student considered English language proficient? And what happens once my child is language proficient?
The state of Illinois says that students are English language proficient once they receive a 4.8 overall score on the ACCESS for ELLs assessment. Once your child is proficient, they will no longer need ELL services. The district will continue to monitor your child's academics without English language supports for the next two years either through teacher check-ins or a sheltered ELL study hall.
When will I receive my child's ACCESS for ELLs scores?
The school district receives "informal" score results in May, so we can determine placement for the following year. If you have questions, you can contact me in May. Otherwise, the school district receives the final score results during the first week in August. I try to get the score reports/results out to you before the school year begins.
Other Questions
Other Questions
What languages are spoken among the ELL students? And what is the most common language?
Some of the languages that have been represented within the ELL program are: Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, German, Twi, Gujarati, Dutch, Tagalog, Haitian Creole, and many more.
Spanish and Mandarin Chinese are the most frequent languages seen within the program.
How many ELL students are at Central?
Our ELL numbers vary from year to year as students reach language proficiency as well as with families move in and out of the district. However, our numbers typically vary from 10-20 students each year.
Should I stop teaching my child their native language?
No! Continue to use both languages in your home as it will allow our child to be bilingual when they are older. Plus, it can help your child with English, too! One idea would be to read a book in English, but then discuss it in the native language or vice versa.
My child is an English language learner. What does this mean?
My_Child_is_an_ELL.pdfPage updated
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