ESOL: Syllabus 2026-2027
phone 355-7800 Riverside High School
Email: cjanosky@greenville.k12.sc.us
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/greenvilleschools.us/mrs-janosky-s-learning-corner/
I. DAILY SCHEDULE
1st BLOCK: ESOL Class 4 th BLOCK: Planning
2nd BLOCK: ESOL Class
3rd BLOCK: ESOL Class
II. COURSE OVERVIEW
The central objective of ESOL instruction is that English Language Learners (ELLs) become proficient in English in all four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. While the ESOL standards and indicators within each of the four language domains generally reflect a progression from the easiest to the most difficult tasks for ELLs, this arrangement should be regarded as a framework for the levels of English mastery rather than the order in which tasks should be taught. The teacher’s ordering of tasks will depend upon such factors as the amount of formal education that individual students have had in their native language, the English skills previously acquired, their age, and their grade level.
The students will progress and follow the National Geographic Language Curriculum: Spark as well as the Lexia English platform to build speaking skills. They will progress through each unit and complete required unit tests at the end of each unit. The dates of quizzes and tests will be posted on the website.
The course goals mimic the ESOL National Standards for students in grades 9-12:
Goal 1: To use English to communicate in social settings.
Goal 2: To use English to achieve academically in all content area.
Goal 3: To use English in socially and culturally appropriate ways.
Students are encouraged to speak as much English as possible during class. The class consists of a large range of English proficiency levels; therefore, the teacher’s attention may be divided at times to provide one-on-one instruction and/or assistance. Thus, students are encouraged to become independent learners with the help of the teacher and the use of appropriate resources.
Introduction Course Syllabus :
WIDA Standard 1: Language for Social and Instructional Purposes
English language learners communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting.
There are 8 units in the National Geographic Spark Intro curriculum. Each unit lasts approximately 4 weeks. The units consist of the following topics:
Theme Vocabulary, Key Word Vocabulary
Reading Skill or Strategy
Reading Fluency Practice
Grammar
Writing Assignments
Speaking Assignments
ESOL Fundamentals is designed to help students improve their reading comprehension of varied approaching grade level texts and develop writing fluency and quality. There is a heavy focus within each unit on language skills, foundational reading skills, reading comprehension, and grammar skills,.
According to the WIDA ELD Standards, students will be able to:
Argue persuasively in speech and writing
Recognize and use academic vocabulary
Use note-taking, reading, and study strategies to succeed in all classes
Write for a variety of purposes and audiences
Use correct forms and vocabulary for a variety of speaking situations
Recognize and use idiomatic expressions and text structures
Use critical thinking in real-world applications
The Course Outline is subject to change based on the language proficiency and the language progression of the class as a whole. The standard pacing for each unit is 20 days.
First Semester
Unit 1: Empathy
Functions of Language:
Vocabulary Strategy:
Reading:
Grammar:
Writing:
Unit 2: Problem Solving
Functions of Language:
Vocabulary Strategy:
Reading:
Grammar:
Writing:
Unit 3: Perspective
Functions of Language:
Vocabulary Strategy:
Reading:
Grammar:
Writing:
Unit 4: Language
Functions of Language:
Vocabulary Strategy:
Reading:
Grammar:
Writing:
Second Semester
Unit 5: Determination
Functions of Language:
Vocabulary Strategy:
Reading:
Grammar:
Writing: Unit 6: Becoming Me
Functions of Language:
Vocabulary Strategy:
Reading:
Grammar:
Writing:
Unit 7: Nature
Functions of Language:
Vocabulary Strategy:
Reading:
Grammar:
Writing: Unit 8: Designing Our World
Functions of Language:
Vocabulary Strategy:
Reading:
Grammar:
Writing:
Text We will use the National Geographic Lift Fundamentals collection. This includes a student reading textbook, language companion, and Spark online platform.
LIFT 1 Syllabus:
Unit Goals (tentative schedule/may change some)
Unit 1: Intelligence
EQ: What is intelligence?
Unit 2: Clean Water for the World
EQ: What impact can clean water have on the word?
Unit 3: Overcoming Fear
EQ: How can we overcome our fears?
Unit 4: Growing Up
EQ: How do you know you are growing up?
Unit 5: Wisdom of the World
EQ: How do animals surprise us?
Unit 6: Exploration
EQ: Why do we explore?
Unit 7: The Past
EQ: Why should we remember the past?
Unit 8: Helping Our Planet
EQ: How can we best help our planet?
All Units are designed cover the five WIDA standards and four linguistic domains. Each Unit has both fiction and non-fiction reading, written responses, listening activities, and a project with presentation.
Lift 1 is the curriculum used for ESOL levels 6 and 7. Lexia English is a supplement program that we will use to set measurable goals to achieve language acquisition and proficiency in an academic setting.
III. GRADING
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
D = 60-69
F = 50-59
Grading : Assessment of progress will include both minor and major assessments. Quarterly grades will be determined as follows:
High School :
Major Assessments : 60% (writings, tests, projects, etc.)
Minor Assessments : 40% (quizzes, notebooks, listening activities, class participation, short writing assignments, etc...)
IV. SCHOOL POLICIES
Behavior Expectations
1) Be respectful and courteous to others.
2) Respect the property of others.
3) Take owndership of your decisions and actions.
4) No eating or chewing gum in the classroom.
5) Use the target language (English) as much as possible.
You are expected to use the bathroom before and after class, during class change periods or at lunch. Students will not be allowed to go to the restroom the first 10 minutes or last 10 minutes of class because they miss very important instruction time. If there is an emergency, they will be allowed to go between thest 10 minute times. These class time passes are limited to fiver per nine weeks.
Late to school and late to class are treated similarly. Instructional time is important. Students are expected to be in class, on time, each block of every day. Students will be turned away from entering the classroom if late and students are then required to get a tardy pass from one of two centrally located tardy kiosks.
Students who accumulate tardies will face consequences including lunch detention, in-school suspension, required in-person parent conferences, and out-of-school suspension.
Tardies result in lost instructional time. Any assignments missed due to frequent unexcused tardies will not be allowed to be made up.
Cell Phone Policy
Cell phones must be turned off or on silent and placed in the student’s backpack each day. No reminders will be given. Students who consistently do not comply with this rule will receive consequences.
Consequence for Cell Phone Policy Violations:
1st Offense Lunch Detention, Parent Contact
2nd Offense 1 Day ISS
3rd Offense 2 Days ISS
4th Offense 1 Day OSS
All students must have on their school issued ID from the time they enter the building until the time they leave the building.
The ID must be on a lanyard around the neck.
All students may only wear an ID from the current school year.
Students may not wear or display the ID of another student from Carolina or any other school.
Students are required by SC state law to attend school every day. They are permitted only 5 total absences. Students who are absent more than 5 days will be subject to truancy consequences, and will risk not receiving credit for that class towards graduation.
Students are responsible for asking the teacher for missed assignments. If a student is absent, the make-up work policy is:
The student gets 5 days to make up assignments missed.
The make-up work policy takes place when a student is absent for any reason (ISS, OSS, etc…)
Cheating and Plagiarism
In accordance with Greenville County School District policy, all cheating and plagiarism will result in a grade of "50" for the assignment. This includes any plagiarism via computer/internet.
Absences
Excused: If you have an excused absence, you will be allowed to make up work, tests, quizzes, and projects with no penalty. Provisions for make-up of schoolwork missed is the student’s responsibility and shall be worked out with the teachers at the earliest time possible, but the time by which the work is completed and turned in should not exceed five (5) consecutive school days after you return to school.
Unexcused: Teachers are not required to accept work or provide tests for students with unexcused absences.
V. COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS :
Please contact me at the above e-mail or phone numbers if you have any further questions.