English as a             Second Language

English as a Second Language (ESL)

The ESL program is designed for English Language Learners (ELLs) whose native language is other than English and who are confronted with the challenges of a high school level academic curriculum.  In order for ELLs to take full advantage of their high school experience, they need to become linguistically competent in English to have success academically and to be able to graduate on time. Emphasis is on understanding, speaking, reading, and writing English according to each student’s own level of achievement. Please be advised that the maximum number of ESL credits that count toward fulfilling the English requirement for graduation is fifteen. The ESL Program is offered only at Morris Hills High School.  The district uses a High Intensity ESL model. 

ESL NEWCOMER (WL000)

Grade 9-12; Variable/ up to 10 credits - One Year Full Year Course

This entry-level course provides students who are new to the building with basic English language and arithmetic instruction and offers strategies and instruction that assist the students to transition to a full-time high school setting. Completion of this course will provide students with the prerequisite knowledge in mathematics and language arts necessary for the ESL Beginner Course sequence. This course does not fulfill English or math requirements for graduation.

ESL BEGINNER (WL050) 

Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; maximum of 5 credits toward English requirement; one or two years 

The ESL Beginner course is designed for ELLs who range in ability from those who are very limited in the English language to those who are reaching the intermediate level in English.  Basic conversational vocabulary is studied, as well as fundamental academic terminology and grammar. As the student progresses, he or she is transitioned into more academic vocabulary necessary for mainstream courses.  All vocabulary is taught in context using the adapted readings from our textbooks which focus on teaching English through academic content. Most students enrolled in the ESL Beginner course receive a score of 1 to 3 on the ACCESS test or the WIDA placement test.

ESL INTERMEDIATE (WL051)

 Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; maximum of 5 credits toward English requirement; one or two years

The ESL Intermediate course is designed for ELLs who are at an intermediate level.  Academic terms and concepts are studied from the beginning while focusing on more advanced grammar skills. All vocabulary is taught in context using the adapted readings from our textbooks, which focus on teaching English through academic content. Most students enrolled in the ESL Intermediate course receive a score of 3.0 to 3.9 on the ACCESS test or the WIDA placement test. 

ESL ADVANCED (WL052); maximum of 5 credits toward English requirement; one or two years

Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; one or two years

The ESL Advanced course is designed for ELLs who are approaching native-speaker fluency in English. Advanced academic terms and vocabulary are taught while focusing on more advanced grammar skills.  All vocabulary is taught in context using the adapted readings from our textbooks, which focus on teaching English through academic content. Most students enrolled in the ESL Advanced course receive a score of 4.0 to 5.9 on the ACCESS test or the WIDA placement test. 

ESL LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE (WL060)

Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; 5 credits; one or two years 

The ESL Literature & Language course is designed for ELLs enrolled in the ESL Beginner course.  The course focuses on reading and writing strategies, as well as study skills. Adapted materials are used in order to make the content understandable.   In addition, part of this course centers on providing assistance to ELLs in completing assignments from other courses. The one-on-one time spent between the ESL teacher and the ELL is critical to the success of this course.

ESL BEGINNING COMPOSITION (WL061)

Grades 9, 10, 11; 5 credits; one semester or one year

The ESL Beginning Composition course is designed to teach beginner ELLs language arts concepts.  Materials include persuasive and narrative readings that are adapted to meet the needs of beginner ELLs.  ELLs also learn how to develop their writing through the creation of narrative and persuasive texts. All ELLs enrolled in the course are ELLs that have been identified as “beginner” students as determined by prior WIDA test scores.

ESL COMPOSITION (WL062)

Grades 9, 10, 11; 5 credits; one semester or one year; maximum 5 credits toward English requirement

The ESL Composition course is designed to teach intermediate/advanced ELLs language arts concepts.  Materials include persuasive and narrative readings that are adapted to meet the needs of ELLs. ELLs also learn how to develop their writing through the creation of narrative and persuasive texts.  The course is team-taught by a language arts teacher and an ESL teacher with the purpose of making the academic content accessible to all ELLs regardless of their English language proficiency.  All ELLs enrolled in the course are ELLs that have been identified as “intermediate/advanced” students as determined by prior WIDA test scores.

ESL INTEGRATED MATH 1 (WL063)

Grades 9, 10, 11; 5 credits; one  year; satisfies one year of the mathematics graduation requirement when taken in conjunction with ESL Integrated Math 2

The ESL Integrated Math course is designed to assess English Language Learners’ mathematics background in order to assist with the acquisition of mathematical vocabulary while continuing to further students’ math skills.  This is the first course of a two course sequence including Integrated Mathematics 1 and Integrated Mathematics 2.  Students will use a variety of approaches to deepen their understanding, such as mathematical sense making, making and testing conjectures and justifying conclusions, using mathematical models to represent real world data, providing clear and concise answers, and having computational and symbolic fluency.  The focus of the first year would be on linear and exponential functions, data analysis, geometry basics, reasoning and proof, parallel and perpendicular lines, transformations, and triangle congruence. The course is co-taught by a mathematics teacher and the ESL teacher with the purpose of making the academic content accessible to all ELLs regardless of their English language proficiency. 

ESL INTEGRATED MATH 2 (WL064)

Grades 9, 10, 11; 5 credits; one  year; satisfies one year of the mathematics graduation requirement when taken in conjunction with ESL Integrated Math 1

The ESL Integrated Math 2 course is designed to assess English Language Learners’ mathematics background in order to assist with the acquisition of mathematical vocabulary while continuing to further students’ math skills.  This is the second course of a two course sequence including Integrated Mathematics 1 and Integrated Mathematics 2.  With this course, students will formalize and extend the algebra and geometry that students have learned in previous courses.  The focus will be on quadratic functions, more triangle relationships, similarity, right triangles and trigonometry, probability, circles, and 2D/3D figures.  Students who successfully complete the two year ESL Integrated Math curriculum will have completed the core of Algebra I and Geometry and will be prepared for additional mathematics at the college preparatory level. The course is co-taught by a mathematics teacher and the ESL teacher with the purpose of making the academic content accessible to all ELLs regardless of their English language proficiency.