Welcome

Parent Notification Forms

Letters go home in August notifying family members of their child's ELL status. The letter showed your child's current ELL test scores. Exit scores have been raised to 5.0 for each of the Language Arts subtests which include Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. Please hold onto the Parent Letter for your records and use it to set learning goals for your child.

Aliamanu has many computer-based programs that can read text aloud. The passwords are in your child's Planner on page 10. Your child may have a Raz-Kids account. They can choose a selection to read and take a short quiz to check their understanding. Daily reading will help your child learn social studies and science concepts too!

Who is in ELL?

In Hawaii, 10% of the students in public schools use ELL to help them learn English. Many ELL students come from Asia, Puerto Rico, and the South Pacific. The ELL program in Hawaii provides English language support for approximately 18000 students statewide.

ELL students at Aliamanu Elementary comprise 5% of the student population. They speak a number of different languages including Cantonese, Mandarin, Ilokano, Japanese, Marshallese, Vietnamese, Chuukese, Samoan, Kosraean, Spanish, Korean, and Russian.

Why is my child in ELL?

All students who list foreign languages when they enroll in a public school are tested for proficiency in English. New students who pass this proficiency test do not have to be in this program. Those who need help are taught by ELL teachers to improve their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Also, students can be selected by their teachers to be tested for English language proficiency. The results of the evaluation are shared with parent(s) and teacher(s) of the student.

• WIDA- W-APT (grades K - 1) or the WIDA Screener (grades 2-6) (View)

Students who may be limited English proficient are tested for English language proficiency when they first enter school using the W-APT. The results of the W-APT help determine what kind of English language support is needed for the students to progress in school. Appropriate services are then provided to help students work towards the HCPS III and WIDA ELP Standards.

How can my child leave the program?

All ELL students are encouraged to improve their English language proficiency. They are able to leave the program with passing test scores and passing grades. Students are tested annually, as mandated by the federal government, usually in January-February. This test evaluates social and academic English skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

• ACCESS for ELLs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners)

Beginning with the school year 2009-10, ELL Program students are annually tested using the Hawaii Department of Education adopted WIDA English language proficiency assessment, the ACCESS for ELLs. The ACCESS for ELLs test is used to determine a student’s language progress and proficiency in developing English.

Parents and guardians do have the right to decline participation in this program.

Hawaii

Hawaii is a member of WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment), joining in 2009. WIDA is a consortium of states dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and equitable educational opportunities for English language learners which offers states programming for identifying and annually assessing the English language development of its English learners.