English Learners
The WIU Curriculum Services Team offers an array of services related to English Language Development. As the needs of school districts in our county increase in relation to English Learner education, our team and staff of ESL Specialists strive to provide effective support for administrators, teachers, ESL coordinators, and English Learners enrolled in their school districts.
ESL Instructional SERVICES
ESL Instructional Services: Per 22 Pa. Code §4.26, ELD instruction delivered by an ESL Specialist is a mandated component of a district's LIEP (Language Instruction Educational Program). Agreements between the WIU and a school district for ELD instructional services delivered by a certified ESL professional are available to meet this PDE requirement. Districts are contacted annually in the spring for the WIU ESL program team to garner feedback on district needs and interest in securing ESL instructional services via an agreement for the following school year.
Agreements for ESL Instructional Services include:
Planned ELD (English Language Development) instruction (including screening processes, quarterly progress reporting, and annual ACCESS testing) by a qualified ESL teacher in accordance with all applicable provisions of state & federal law.
ESL instructional supplies, equipment, materials, and training as necessary for the delivery of planned ELD instruction by a certified ESL professional.
Consultation of ESL Specialists with district instructional staff to support ELD instruction within the regular classroom.
Administrative, supervisory, and clerical staff as required to effectively & efficiently support ESL instructional services.
INTERPRETATION SERVICE
Through a WIU Consortium agreement with TransPerfect, each district has access to phone-based interpreter services at an affordable per-minute rate. For assistance with accessing this service, please contact Jennie Moore (jmoore@wiu7.org).
Professional Development For district personnel
22 Pa Code 4.26 mandates annual ELD/ESL professional development for all school personnel. The WIU Curriculum Services Team offers multiple options to satisfy this PDE requirement. For more information on any of the items below, please contact the Curriculum Services Team.
ESL Symposium
Each fall, the WIU (or a regional partner or professional organization) will host a workshop or conference to build the capacity of district personnel and ESL specialists for meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs of English Learners. Information regarding an upcoming event will be posted on this website and advertised widely to district ESL coordinators and administrators.
Online ESL Academy for Teachers & Administrators
The P.L.A.Y. online platform now features an ESL Academy entitled Educating English Learners: K-12 Best Practices Across Disciplines. This academy builds foundational knowledge and practical skills for employing classroom-embedded English Language Development (ELD) across all grade levels and disciplines. Completion of this online P.L.A.Y. academy earns the participant 4 Act 48 Hours. Tuition costs for the ESL Academy are available at individual, group, school, and district rates. Individual participants may register here.
ELD Professional Learning Sessions (Live or Virtual)
The WIU Curriculum Services Team is available to design and facilitate in-district live or virtual professional learning sessions.
ELD Consultation and Coaching
Packages for in-person and/or virtual consultation with district personnel, including administrators and classroom teachers, are available per a district's assessed needs. Consultation support is delivered by the WIU ESL Supervisor and/or a WIU ESL Specialist, depending on the nature of the consultative request.
Coaching for Effective ELD Instruction in the Classroom packages are available for teachers. A coaching cycle includes three phases: Goal Setting & Lesson Planning Support (virtual), Classroom Observation (on-site, non-evaluative), and Feedback/Reflection Support (virtual). Coaching cycles are delivered by the WIU ESL Supervisor.
WIU ESL RESOURCE HUB & NEWSLETTERS
The WIU Curriculum Services Team develops and maintains a WIU ESL Resource Hub, a comprehensive repository of "all things" ESL and ELD (including links to monthly newsletters) . The following topics are included on the Hub:
PDE Regulations - Educating English Learners 22 PA. CODE §4.26
ELD Standards (PDE & WIDA)
ESL Coordinator Handbooks, Admin Guides, & Resources
PDE Online Guidance Resources, Translations Library, & Professional Learning
Translation/Interpretation Resources
Special Education & ELs
WIDA (World-class Instructional Design and Assessment)
Resources for Classroom Teachers
EL Updates and Resources from PaTTAN
WIU-ESL Newsletters for ESL Coordinators & School/District Leaders
Online ESL Academy for Teachers & Administrators