High school multilingual learners (MLs) in "ELD/ESL A" classes strengthen their skills as readers, writers, speakers, and listeners while developing the English needed for success across all content areas. This class is designed for students at the developing/expanding stages of English language development. EDL/ESL class does not replace classroom instruction—rather, it supports and strengthens language development so students can participate fully and confidently in academic courses and school life.
Our Multilingual (ML) teachers implement an ESL curriculum using National Geographic Lift (Lift 2 and Lift 3) resources and the WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework to support students' growth in social and academic English across listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Through engaging texts, collaborative discussions, and authentic writing tasks, students develop the language needed to communicate ideas, analyze information, and succeed in grade-level learning.
Throughout the year, students explore a variety of meaningful topics that build language while supporting academic success. Units include themes such as success, mystery, innovation, empathy, problem solving, and perspective. Through these topics, students build vocabulary, strengthen reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, and develop confidence using English to communicate, think critically, and connect their own experiences with the world around them.
Students will:
Explain how innovation helps solve problems and improve people's lives.
Identify and summarize the central ideas of literary and informational texts about innovation.
Explain how people, ideas, and events work together to create new solutions.
Support opinions and claims with logical reasoning and evidence from texts.
Communicate ideas clearly through informative writing, discussions, and presentations.
How can innovation improve society?
How do creative ideas become real solutions?
Why are perseverance and collaboration important for innovation?
How do inventions change people's lives?
Why is evidence important when explaining or defending an idea?
What innovation did you learn about today?
What problem did the innovation solve?
How did people work together to make the innovation successful?
What invention has made the biggest difference in your daily life? Why?
If you could invent something to solve a problem, what would it be?
Suggested Extension Activities for Families:
Read and Have Conversations in Any Language
Read biographies, articles, stories, or news reports in any language about inventors, scientists, engineers, or everyday people who solved problems through innovation. Talk about the challenges they faced, the solutions they created, and how their ideas improved people's lives. Reading and discussing these topics in your home language strengthens literacy skills that support learning English.
Notice Everyday Innovations
Choose several common objects around your home, such as a zipper, microwave, bicycle, smartphone, or reusable water bottle. Discuss what problem each invention solves and how life might be different without it.
Ask "Why?" and "How?"
When reading or watching something about an invention or scientific discovery, ask questions such as, "Why was this created?" and "How does it work?" Encourage your child to explain the answers using evidence and details from the text or video.
Students will:
Explain how people become stronger by overcoming adversity with resilience, perseverance, and support from others.
Identify central ideas, themes, and important details in biographies, informational texts, and fiction.
Analyze how characters, historical figures, and communities respond to challenges.
Explain cause-and-effect relationships using evidence from texts.
Communicate ideas clearly through discussions and evidence-based writing using academic vocabulary.
How does adversity make us stronger?
How do perseverance and resilience help people overcome challenges?
Why is support from others important during difficult times?
How do authors show character growth through challenges?
What can we learn from people who overcome adversity?
What challenge did the character or person face today?
How did they respond to the adversity?
What evidence showed that they became stronger?
How did other people help them overcome the challenge?
What lesson did the story teach about resilience?
Can you think of a time when you overcame a difficult challenge? What helped you succeed?
Suggested Extension Activities for Families:
Read and Have Conversations in Any Language
Read biographies, stories, articles, or news reports in any language about people or communities who overcame difficult challenges. Talk about the obstacles they faced, the choices they made, and how perseverance, courage, and support helped them succeed. Reading and discussing these topics in your home language strengthens literacy skills that support learning English.
Encourage a Growth Mindset
When your child faces a difficult task, encourage them to reflect on what they have learned instead of focusing only on the outcome. Talk about how mistakes, practice, and determination can build confidence and help people succeed in the future.
Share a Story of Resilience
Invite family members to share a time when they faced a challenge and how they worked through it. Discuss what strategies, personal strengths, or support from others helped them overcome the difficulty and what they learned from the experience.
Recongnize Everyday Preserverance
Throughout the week, notice examples of perseverance at home, school, work, or in sports. Celebrate moments when family members keep trying after making a mistake or facing a setback, and discuss how resilience helps people grow stronger.
Students will:
Explain how people can become responsible global citizens.
Identify and summarize the central ideas and key details in literary and informational texts about cultures, communities, and global issues.
Compare different perspectives and explain how authors communicate ideas about global citizenship.
Support opinions with evidence while respecting different viewpoints.
Communicate ideas clearly through discussions, writing, research, and presentations.
How can we become citizens of the world?
Why is it important to understand different cultures and perspectives?
How can learning languages help people connect with others?
What responsibilities do global citizens have?
How can our everyday actions make a positive difference in the world?
What did you learn today about another culture or community?
Why is it important to understand different perspectives?
How did the author explain what it means to be a global citizen?
What evidence supported the author's ideas?
How can our family help our community or the world?
What is one action you can take to show kindness, respect, or responsibility?
Suggested Extension Activities for Families:
Read and Have Conversations in Any Language
Read stories, articles, folktales, or news reports in any language about different cultures, communities, or global issues. Talk about what people have in common, how their experiences may be different, and what we can learn from one another. Reading and discussing these topics in your home language strengthens literacy skills that support learning English.
Learn About Another Culture
Choose a country or culture your family would like to learn more about. Explore its traditions, celebrations, foods, languages, music, or geography. Discuss how learning about different cultures helps people develop empathy and respect.
Compare Perspectives
Read two stories or articles about the same topic from different viewpoints. Discuss how each author presents ideas differently and what evidence they use to support their message. Encourage your child to explain which perspective they found most convincing and why.
Serve Your Community
Find a simple way to help others as a family, such as picking up litter, donating food or clothing, helping a neighbor, or volunteering. Discuss how small acts of service can make a positive impact both locally and globally.
Students will:
Explain how belonging and identity influence people's choices, relationships, and communities.
Identify the main ideas and supporting details in literary and informational texts about belonging and peer relationships.
Analyze how characters, settings, and events reveal the challenges of fitting in or standing out.
Support opinions about belonging and peer pressure with evidence from texts.
Write and present a short story with engaging characters, dialogue, descriptive details, and a clear plot.
Why is it important to belong?
How do friendships and groups influence who we are?
When is it important to stand out instead of fitting in?
How do authors show the importance of belonging through characters and stories?
How can our choices strengthen our relationships and communities?
What did you learn today about belonging or identity?
How did the character try to fit in or stand out?
What choices did the character make, and what happened because of them?
Do you agree with the character's decision? Why or why not?
What evidence helped you understand the author's message?
What makes you feel like you belong at home, school, or in your community?
Suggested Extension Activities for Families:
Read and Have Conversations in Any Language
Read stories, articles, or folktales in any language about friendship, belonging, or identity. Talk about how the characters try to fit in, how they respond to challenges, and what they learn about themselves. Reading and discussing these topics in your home language strengthens literacy skills that support learning English.
Talk About Peer Pressure
Discuss everyday situations where people may feel pressure to follow a group. Talk about positive and negative peer pressure and brainstorm ways to make thoughtful decisions while staying true to personal values.
Notice Kindness and Inclusion
Throughout the week, look for examples of people making others feel welcome at school, work, sports, or in the community. Talk about how small acts of kindness, respect, and inclusion help build stronger relationships.
Celebrate Individual Strengths
Have each family member share something unique about themselves and something they appreciate about another family member. Discuss how communities are stronger when people value both individuality and belonging.
Students will:
Explain how personal choices and experiences shape identity and influence relationships.
Identify themes, central ideas, and author's purpose in literary and informational texts.
Analyze how authors use character development, setting, and rhetoric to communicate ideas.
Revise writing by using feedback to strengthen ideas, organization, and clarity.
Communicate ideas through informative, narrative, and argumentative writing supported by evidence.
Who am I, and how do my experiences shape my identity?
How do stories help us understand ourselves and others?
Why is it important to consider different perspectives?
How does feedback help us improve our thinking and communication?
How can evidence strengthen our ideas and arguments?
What was the most important idea you learned today?
How did the character change throughout the story?
What message or theme did the author want readers to understand?
What evidence helped support the author's point of view?
How did feedback help improve your writing or thinking?
What experience has helped shape who you are today?
Suggested Extension Activities for Families:
Read and Have Conversations in Any Language
Read stories, biographies, articles, or opinion pieces in any language that explore identity, relationships, or personal growth. Talk about the characters' experiences, the author's message, and how the ideas connect to your own lives. Reading and discussing these topics in your home language strengthens literacy skills that support learning English.
Discuss Different Perspectives
Choose a current event, story, or family decision. Have each person explain their point of view and the reasons behind it. Practice listening respectfully and asking questions to better understand different perspectives.
Find the Evidence
When reading an article or watching a documentary, identify the main idea and discuss what facts, examples, or details support it. Encourage your child to explain why strong evidence makes ideas more convincing.
Students will:
Explain the benefits and drawbacks of technology using information from literary and informational texts.
Identify and summarize the main ideas and supporting details about how technology affects communication and relationships.
Analyze how authors use characters, setting, satire, and evidence to express ideas about technology.
Write an organized argumentative essay that supports a claim with reasons and evidence.
Present ideas clearly and confidently through speeches, discussions, and evidence-based arguments.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of new technology?
How does technology affect the way people communicate and build relationships?
How do authors express opinions about technology?
Why is evidence important when supporting an opinion?
How can technology be used responsibly?
What did you learn today about technology and its impact on people?
What are some benefits and drawbacks of the technology you use every day?
How did the author support their opinion about technology?
What evidence best supported the author's argument?
Do you think technology helps people connect or pulls them apart? Why?
How can our family use technology in healthy and responsible ways?
Suggested Extension Activities for Families:
Read and Have Conversations in Any Language
Read news articles, stories, opinion pieces, or advertisements in any language about technology and how it affects people's lives. Talk about the author's message, the evidence used to support it, and whether you agree or disagree. Reading and discussing these topics in your home language strengthens literacy skills that support learning English.
Create a Technology Balance
As a family, list the ways technology helps you each day and the ways it can create challenges. Discuss how technology can improve communication while also recognizing times when face-to-face conversations may be more meaningful.
Take a Tech Break
Choose one activity to do together without using technology, such as playing a board game, taking a walk, cooking, or reading together. Afterwards, discuss how the experience compared with spending time on digital devices.
Have a Family Debate
Choose a topic such as screen time, social media, artificial intelligence, or online learning. Have family members respectfully share different viewpoints using reasons and evidence to support their opinions.
Students will:
Explain the positive and negative effects of stress on the body, brain, and behavior.
Identify and summarize key ideas and evidence from literary and informational texts about stress.
Explain how stress affects people and living systems using cause-and-effect relationships.
Evaluate arguments by identifying claims, reasons, and supporting evidence.
Write and perform a one-act play using dialogue, stage directions, and clear organization.
What are the positive and negative effects of stress?
How does stress affect the body, brain, and behavior?
What strategies help people manage stress in healthy ways?
How do authors use evidence to explain or argue about stress?
How can understanding stress help us respond to challenges?
What did you learn today about how stress affects people?
What are some healthy ways to manage stress?
How did the author support their claim about stress?
What evidence helped explain how stress affects the body or brain?
Can stress ever be helpful? Why or why not?
What do you do when you feel stressed or overwhelmed?
Suggested Extension Activities for Families::
Read and Have Conversations in Any Language
Read stories, articles, health resources, or news reports in any language about stress, emotions, or resilience. Talk about how different people respond to challenges and what strategies help them manage stress. Reading and discussing these topics in your home language strengthens literacy skills that support learning English.
Recognize Stress Signals
As a family, talk about common signs of stress, such as changes in mood, sleep, focus, or energy. Discuss how recognizing these signals early can help people respond in healthy ways.
Practice Healthy Coping Strategies
Try a few stress-management techniques together, such as taking a walk, stretching, deep breathing, listening to music, drawing, or spending time outdoors. Afterwards, discuss which strategies helped everyone feel calmer and why.