Multilingual Language Learners

Multilingual Language Learners (MLL) are students whose first language is a language other than English.  

Programs for MLLs receive funding based on the number of students who are enrolled in the District and who fit the provincial criteria to receive MLL services under the English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Literacy Development (ELD) programs.  The District receives funding for students who have come to Canada from a country in which English is not the first language spoken or where they speak a variety of English that is significantly different from the English used for instruction in Ontario schools.  Non-English-speaking Indigenous students are also eligible for services. These criteria exclude students from ESL programming if they either enter Canada from an English-speaking country but cannot speak English. 

The school will determine whether or not a student requires an assessment for extra assistance based on data gathered when a new student registers (e.g., report cards, school records) and/or on a recommendation received from the classroom teachers.

Once a student has started school, an initial assessment will take place to determine their level of English language proficiency, as well as their math level, to provide the appropriate type of language support in school.  The assessment includes an interview and task completion for:

• listening and speaking skills,

• reading understanding,

• writing skills, and,

• math knowledge and skills.

In RCDSB secondary schools, the ESL program is a whole-school approach where MLL students attend their home school full-time and teachers collaborate to accommodate their program.  A qualified ESL teacher provides regularly scheduled individual assistance as needed.