Our Program:

At Twin Cities International Schools, we are all language teachers. In order to ensure that all students are succeeding in obtaining academic English, all teachers are trained in teaching English to their students. In 2006, our school adopted the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model in order to meet the language needs of all students. In this model, teachers differentiate language, develop highly structured lessons, and use non-linguistic support, such as pictures, objects, films, and hands-on activities, to present lessons.

In addition, TCIS teachers collaborate with licensed ESL teachers in order to bring language instruction into the classroom. ESL teachers work in classrooms to teach Math, Social Studies, Science in order to meet the need of all language learners. The ESL teachers also teach Reading and Intervention blocks which support the learning targets of each grade level. The collaboration between classroom teachers and ESL teachers, as well as the frequent research-based training in SIOP, allow our students to gain academic language in all content areas.

MN Laws: 

By law, Twin Cities International Schools is required to identify English Language Learners (ELLs) in need of language services. The Minnesota Language Survey (MNLS) is the first step in identifying ELLs. All parents and guardians upon enrolling their students in Minnesota public schools are given the MNLS to answer questions regarding the language use of their student. The information provided on the MNLS determines if a student is eligible for an English language proficiency assessment.

Eligibility: 

According to the MN Standardized English Learner Procedures, the following criteria are used for identifying a student as eligible to receive EL services:

Kindergarten 1st Semester
A student is identified as an English Learner if the total score for the listening and speaking domains is 27 or lower.

Kindergarten 2nd Semester (January 1 or later)
A student is identified as an English Learner if the total score for the listening and speaking domains is below 28, the reading score is 10 or lower, or the writing score is 11 or lower.

Grades  1-8
A student is identified as an English Learner if the overall composite is below 4.5 or any domain score is below 4.0.

Once a student is determined eligible to receive EL services, parents are notified within a timely manner and the student will be placed in the EL program. A parent or guardian has the right at any time to withdraw the student from the EL program by providing written notice of this intent to the district’s director or EL Coordinator. The parent or guardian may re-enroll the child in the EL program upon request.

SERVICES

Students classified as ELLs have the same access to programming in which all other children are eligible to participate. TCIS supports the academic achievement of ELLs through access to grade-level standards and curriculum, social and academic language support, bilingual literacy resources and Bilingual Educational Assistants.  All classroom teachers receive: SIOP coaching, shared planning time, peer observations, content support, specific EL consultation, and continuous professional development on best practices with ELLs to best support all learners. In addition, ELLs are receive content and language support through our service model. 

Elementary K-5 Service:

• Provide push-in/collaborative support in reading

• Intervention small groups

• Imagine Learning online programming

• SIOP Strategies in homeroom class

Middle School 6 - 8 Service:

• Advisory for EL students

• Push-in/collaborative support in reading (clustered group)

• Newcomer group (as needed)

• Exploration EL Class 

• SIOP Strategies in classes