Hafa Adai! My name is Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, and I am the ESL Teacher and Coordinator for Talofofo Elementary School. ESL stands for English as a Second Language. I focus on the development of English communication skills with the English Learners (ELs). The four skills necessary for effective communication in English are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. As the ELs progress, they should become more comfortable with the English language. This is demonstrated through reading comprehension, spoken fluency, and effective writing.

A student is eligible for ESL services based on the Home Language Survey (HLS) a parent completes as part of the registration process. If the student comes from a home environment where language other than English is spoken and scores at a non-proficient level on the Language Assessment Scale (LAS), he/she is eligible. Parents will be notified if their child will be participating in this program.

Every effort will be made to meet the needs of the ELs, as I aim to help them acquire fluency in the English language. If you need more information on the ESL Program, please free to call me at 789-1171.