Keepsspeek is a palindrome, a word that reads the same left to right and right to left. I'm well aware of the "creative" spelling of the word "speak", but as much as we are nuts about words, we like to have a little fun too. A language is a lot of fun. Like Pete Seeger sings in his "English Is Cuh-Ray-Zee" ...If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?... I'm glad you've visited us. 

Welcome to Jackson Elementary ESL Program. This page is a communication resource for parents, a study guide for students, and an information page for the community and visitors

We here at Jackson are excited for the new, current school year, be it 2013 or 2030. 

Welcome New Students

According to Lau vs Nichols, a landmark legislation, schools are required to provide special services to children whose native language is other than English and they can not participate in mainstream classroom curriculum without assistance.

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION
JLSD identifies students to participate in the ESL program based on the federal government definition of (LEP) Limited English Proficient students as described in Public Law 107-110, the
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
An LEP student is classified as one:

Who is age 3 – 21. Who is enrolled in an elementary school or secondary school, who was not born in the United States or whose native language is other than English; and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant AND whose difficulties speaking, reading, writing or understanding English may be sufficient to deny the individual - the ability to meet the state’s proficient level of achievement on State assessments, the ability to achieve successfully in classrooms where the language of instruction is English; or the opportunity to fully participate in society.
[P.L. 107-110, Title IX, Part A, Sec. 9101, (25)]

Levels of English Proficiency

Based on the state ELP (English language proficiency) standards, JLSD identifies ESL students in the following levels of proficiency in English:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Monitor year 1
Monitor year 2
Exit (formerly LEP)

Determining a student’s level

Students take an English language test when they enroll and at the end of each school year. Teachers use the test scores and the ESL benchmark charts to determine students' levels.

Length of Time in ESL Program

Our goal is for each student to advance at least one level each year, however, some students may take longer and others will move more quickly.  Research shows that achieving academic proficiency in English takes   7 – 10 years for students who have not studied in their first language and 4 – 7 years for students who have had education in their first language. Some high school students may take longer than 4 years to complete their graduation requirements.


Description of Levels &
Instructional Support


Level 1 & 2 students

Limited oral proficiency and/or significantly below grade level in reading and writing.
At these levels students receive intense language instruction, basic and survival vocabulary, and help adapting to new culture. Students’ classroom and homework assignments are modified to the levels of their language proficiency. Grading system is modified to meet their ability in the classroom.

Level 3 & 4 Students
Advanced oral proficiency and/or one to two years below grade level in reading and writing.
Elementary and Middle school students may join special reading groups.  Elementary and High school students will also receive resource support from an ESL teacher who will work with their classroom teacher. 
* ESL service for students with disabilities will be addressed in the students’ IEP (individualized education plan).

Monitor Years 1 & 2

Students who score above level 4 will be monitored for two years to make sure that they continue to make appropriate progress.  This is a requirement of the federal law, “No Child Left Behind”.

Exit Criteria

After two years of monitor status, a student may exit the ESL program if he or she meets the following criteria:

• Scores proficient on all of the English Language Proficiency Tests

• Is reading on grade level

• Has passed the reading, writing and mathematics Ohio Achievement tests

The Foundation for Our
Program

JLSD is committed to training all teachers in the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol, which provides academic instruction in English while focusing on the development of English language skills. This relatively new approach reflects the latest research developments on second language acquisition.


PARENTAL RIGHTS &
RESPONSIBILITIES

You have the right to understand your child’s level of English proficiency.

You have the right to understand the ESL program in your child’s school.

You have the right to remove your child from the recommended support service.

You have the responsibility to make sure your child attends school regularly.


Encourage your child to complete homework assignments.

Research shows that children who are literate in their first language perform much better in school than children who are not literate in their first language.  Please continue to interact with your children in your first language and to encourage them to become bilingual.