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An ESL Manual









A Resource
for Teachers
and Administrators









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Table of Contents


Welcome, Evolution and Terminology................Pg 3

Identification and Testing....Pg 4

Regulations..Pg 6

General Information.....Pg 7

Teacher Information......Pg 11

Accommodations for ESL Students with 2 + years in USA..Pg 16

Testing Accommodations.Pg 18

Testing RequirementsPg 20

Parent Notification Letter..Pg 21

Home Language Questionnaire.Pg 22

NYSESLAT Parent Brochure...Pg 23









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Welcome!

THE OCSD ESL PROGRAM:


The mission of the ESL Program is to provide English Language Learners and their
families with equity and access to an excellent education by strengthening and
developing instructional staff, promoting parental involvement and improving available
resources. The ESL Department strives to create a rigorous learning environment that
focuses on academic achievement, language and social development, research-based
instructional methods in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, and cultural
awareness. We work in partnership with the OCM-BOCES BETAC, SUNY Oswego,
who provides us with TESOL Practicum students, and the Oswego County Migrant
Education Department who recently wrote a grant so that our students could attend
Discover College events at SUNY Oswego and at Oswego BOCES.

There are five NYS ESL standards:

1. English for information and understanding
2. English for literary response, enjoyment, and expression
3. English for critical analysis and evaluation
4. English for social and classroom interaction
5. English for cross-cultural knowledge and understanding


OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF:

Our ESL students have come to Oswego from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Russia, France,
Paraguay, India, Egypt and China, and we have ESL students in all seven schools.
There are currently three ESL Teachers: Mrs. Garafalo, Mrs. Stevens, and Mr. Steffen.

The Evolution of ESL and ESL Terminology

There have been many changes to the OCSDs ESL Teachers role, especially
over the last six years. In 2002, a specific NYS assessment was implemented,
the NYS English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT).
NYSESLAT is similar to the ELA and other state assessments. It is a four part,
four day exam which tests reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The
exam scores are used to determine what level the ESL student will be placed in,
weekly ESL class time requirements, and if he/she requires ESL services.


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In addition, many middle and high schools now give number grades, homework,
and high school Regents credits for ESL classes (CR Part 154) and foreign
language (CR Part 100, section 100.2 LOTE)

In June 2007, the NYS Board of Regents passed an emergency amendment
requiring that all schools in NYS comply with all provisions of CR Part 154,
including ESL time requirements. ESL is considered a required subject rather
than a support service, and it is considered by NYS to be the ESL students ELA
class for Beginner and Intermediate students.

In December 2007, new Reading First Guidelines For ELL Students were issued
providing a model for adding an ESL component to the 90 minute Literacy Block.
This now allows an opportunity for ESL teachers to pull ESL students for ESL
instruction during the 90 minute Literacy Block.

Terminology
The world of second language acquisition has many acronyms. Several of these are
included below:
ESL = English as a Second Language; English learned in an environment where
English is the predominant language of communication.
L1 = First Language, mother tongue; language used first and most often by a speaker.
L2 = Second Language; any language learned after the mother tongue; could become
dominant language.
LEP = Limited English Proficient; term used denote English language learners where
English is the L2
Bilingual Education (BE): An educational program in which two languages are used
during instruction in order to 1) continue primary language (Ll) development, 2) provide
instruction in content in both Ll and L2, and 3) English acquisition.
Comprehensible Input (CI): Language that is understood by the learner. Focuses on
meaning first and uses simplified speech.
TESOL: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. This is a national and
professional association. (www.tesol.org)
NYSTESOL: The NYS professional organization for TESOL teachers.
(www.nystesol.org)
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Identification and Testing

How are students identified?

Every parent that registers a child in NYS must fill out a HOME LANGUAGE
QUESTIONNAIRE (HLQ). The HLQ is available in English and several other different
languages on the NYS Bilingual Ed. Web site. If anywhere on the form a question is
answered with a language other than English, then the student is given an Informal
Interview before LAB-R testing.

The child is then tested using the LAB-R (Language Assessment Battery-Revised.)
There are four parts to the test: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. During the
interview, if the child speaks no English then s/he is simply labeled LEP. If the child
speaks some English then s/he is given the speaking section of the LAB-R.

If the child does not pass the speaking section, then s/he is labeled LEP. If the child
passes the speaking section, then the rest of the test is administered.
If the child fails any sections of the test s/he is labeled LEP and receives services. If a
child passes all sections of the test then s/he is labeled EP or English Proficient.

What happens after identification?

Once students are identified, they are labeled based on their language ability as
Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced and placed in an ESL program.

How long do ESL students receive services?

Students are allowed to receive services for 3 years; an extension can be requested
annually from the Commissioner for up to 6 years. If student passed the NYSESLAT,
student tests out of ESL. His/her performance is monitored for one-two years after
exiting.


How often are students tested?

Students are tested for identification and placement purposes with the LAB-R only
once. Once that is determined they are only tested once per year in May using a
different NYS assessment called the NYSESLAT. Students are tested every May using
the NYS English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT). It is a state
test that is secure and is different every year, just like the NYS Language Arts, Social
Studies, Math and Science tests.
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The test items are written by Harcourt and ESL teachers from across the state. The
NYSESLAT is used to determine eligibility for services and the level of each student.
The speaking and writing parts are graded by the ESL teacher. The listening and
writing are scored by Regional Informational Center (RICs). The final scaled scores are
determined by Harcourt & SED and arrive at local schools in late August.

What happens when a student tests out?

When an ESL student tests out of ESL, they are considered transitional and are
monitored for the following 1-2 years. A student who tests out of ESL does not have to
be working on grade level. A former ESL student may not be retested for ESL services
in the future. ESL must be offered in schools where LEP students attend.


REGULATIONS

The federal government and the state education department have specific regulations
regarding the education of LEP students. The NYS regulations on identification and
services to LEP student can be found in CR 117 & CR 154.

Responsibility for LEPs according to CR Part 154?

-ALL boards of education are required to prepare certain reports and follow specific
procedures regarding the education of LEP students. School districts with LEP students
are required to provide ESL and/or bilingual services. If a district has 20 or more LEP
students in the same grade, same building and who speak the same language then they
shall implement a bilingual program. If a district has less than 20 LEP students in the
same grade, same building, who speak the same language then they shall implement a
freestanding ESL program. This is what OCSD has.

-School districts are required to distribute to parents/guardians with limited English
proficiency, school related information in English or when necessary the language they
understand.

-School districts are required to refer LEP students, who are suspected of having a
handicapping condition, to the committee on special education and assure that a
bilingual multidisciplinary assessment is conducted before the committee identifies
pupils with LEP status as having a handicapping condition. All districts shall provide
appropriate support services needed by LEP students to achieve and maintain a
satisfactory level of academic performance. (Home visits, counseling, etc. done in the
native language.)

-All districts with LEP students shall provide annual professional development to all
personnel providing instruction or other services to such pupils in order to enhance their
appreciation for the students native languages and cultures and their ability to provide
appropriate instructional and support services.
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-Parents must be notified in English and their native language of their childs placement
in an ESL/Bilingual program and provided with an orientation program outlining school
rules, etc.

ALL 28 learning standards and the ESL standards apply to LEP children. ESL has its
own standards (5) that are very similar to the ELA standards. Beginner and Intermediate
students are not required to take ELA class but Advanced ESL students are. Parents
who would prefer that their child be in a bilingual program have the right to transfer their
child to a school with a bilingual program. Parents/guardians cannot withdraw their child
from an ESL program but can withdraw them from a bilingual program.


Can ESL students be referred to CSE for other support services?

ESL students can be considered for other support services or special education
identification at any time. ESL students should be evaluated for support services or
special education identification evaluation on an individual basis. Discussions about the
child should include the classroom teacher(s), ESL teacher and the CSE team. A
referral to CSE would be for the exceptional child. Support services would not be
expected for all ESL children. ESL students should be evaluated in their dominant
language. It may be English or their native language. The testing is done by a bilingual
psychologist. A former ESL student that has tested out of ESL, in most cases, should be
evaluated in English.

Questions to be explored prior to referral

1. Has the student had time to adjust to a new environment: language, community,
classroom, family situation, etc.?

2. What are the students prior experiences with school?

3. Has the students had the opportunity to learn in his/her first language?

4. Has the student ever received ESL/Bilingual instruction?

5. Does the student demonstrate lack of adaptive behavior or cognitive difficulties in
the home/community as s/he does in the school environment?

6. How can we be sure the student really needs to be referred?

7. Would this student have difficulty learning in any case? (Home country and
native language)



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8. Has the district made sufficient/appropriate efforts to assist the student within
general education, and that these efforts have been similar in quality and quantity
to those offered to monolingual English-speaking students who have experienced
the same difficulties?

9. Is the suspected disability intrinsic to the student?

10. Have the pre-referral efforts been complete, honest and appropriate?


What tests are ESL students required to take?

All LEP students in grades 3 through 8 are required to take the NYS ELA assessment,
except those students who, as of January 3 of each school year, have been enrolled in
school in the United States for less than one year. There are no exemptions from the
States grade 3 through 8 Math tests. The tests are available in Chinese, Haitian
Creole, Korean, Russian and Spanish. They may be translated orally into other
languages for the LEP students whose first language is rare and one for which a written
translation is not available. All LEP students must take the NYS grade 4 and 8 Science
Assessment as well as the grade 5 and 8 Social Studies tests. They may take it in
English and/or their native language. The tests are available in Chinese, Haitian Creole
and Spanish. The test may be translated orally into the students native language if a
written translation is not available.

All LEP students are required to pass the NYS English Regents in English in order to
graduate.

What are Testing Accommodations for ESL Students?

Time extension ( time and a half)
Separate location
Electronic/paper bilingual dictionaries and glossaries allowed (only direct
translation of words no definitions allowed)
Simultaneous use of English and home language editions ordered from NYSED
Oral translation (for lower incidence rare languages)
NYS ELA Test/English Regents Listening Section read 3 times

Do ESL students have to take Foreign Language?

If ESL students arrive at the age of 11, they can be granted 3 to 5 high school credits for
a sequence in a language if the school has documentation stating that they attended
school in their country until age 11. (See LOTE CR Part 100.2) They do NOT have to
take a foreign language if they arrive at age 11 and have documentation. (Although they
tend to be successful in Foreign Language classes if they have had prior knowledge of
English)

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What is BICS?

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills is (BICS) is the form of language that is
commonly associated with conversations in the hallway, or before class, or at some kind
of recreational or social event. It takes approximately 2-3 years for students to
become proficient in BICS. BICS is also manifested in relation to CONCRETE
concepts.

Many teachers are confounded by the fact that their ESL students have developed
BICS proficiency but appear to have little success in the formal classroom setting.
Thats because the students have not yet developed CALPCognitive Academic
Language Proficiency.

What is CALP?

CALP is what students must develop if they are going to be able to make sense out of
the abstract concepts the teachers are trying to teach them. CALP can take (on
average 5-7 years) up to 10 years to acquire.

If a student has developed CALP in their native language, then our job is to facilitate the
transfer of CALP by giving the student new labels for the abstract concepts they are
familiar with.

How do ESL students feel?

CULTURE SHOCK is precipitated by the anxiety that results from losing all familiar
signs and symbols of social discourse. By leaving their country (a decision that they
have no control over) they leave their friends, family, school, sense of being safe, and
all other aspects of their lives to start a new life in an unfamiliar and unknown land, often
with unrealistic expectations. They can feel angry as well.

OVERWHELMED: When they first arrive at school they dont understand our schedule,
our classroom set up, our student-centered classroom, cooperative learning, buying
lunch, bringing clothes for gym, books for class, or anything else about school. They
cant understand anything because it is all in a language foreign to them.

CONFUSED: Often they have no idea what is going on. Where do they go? What do
they need? What can they do? What cant they do? What bus do they take? What do
they do when they have to go to the bathroom? Where are the bathrooms? What is
everyone else doing?



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TIRED: Spending the day in a completely different language is exhausting. They may
understand no English or some English but either way it is absolutely exhausting. They
are trying to listen for words they know, translate words they dont know, connect their
new knowledge to their prior knowledge, which is in their first language.

LOST: Everything is foreign to them. The school set up, the choices at lunch, the room
locations, where the assignments are listed, everything makes them feel lost.

ISOLATION: They feel very alone. Often they have no one to talk to or share their
feelings with. That is why it is helpful to find someone in the building that can speak his
or her native language.

What do ESL students need?

Instruction in English as a Second Language: Reading, Writing, Speaking,
Listening, & Culture
Academic Instruction
A place to go to feel safe and to rest
Consistency and stability
To be allowed to be silent
Access to literature at their reading level
Assistance in understanding everything about the school community

Teacher Information

What is typical ESL support?

First of all, there is no typical ESL support. The program can be arranged in many
different ways. Generally, it is done as a push in, as a pull out, or as a combination of
the two. ESL pull out is done so that the ESL teacher focuses on ESL and teaches
ESL to her students using a content area approach.

How can I communicate with my ESL parents?

Use a translator which can be found by calling Amy Di Vita, Special Programs.
Send written correspondence in the native language and English.
Conduct a home visit
Ask for the assistance of the child or older siblings (although not ideal)
Ask for the assistance of the ESL teacher
Use an online translation site like www.babelfish.altavista.com





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What is the ESL teachers role?

Teach English through using English: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
(and Culture); content area vocabulary and key concepts.
To act as advisor to mainstream teachers and administrators
To be there for the ESL student in all aspects
To be a resource to those in the building regarding ESL
To help the students adapt to their new situation and to help acculturate them
among other things
An ESL teacher does not translate but can refer those who do to the district.

What can General Education teachers do to help the newly arrived ESL student?

Learn the correct pronunciation of the students name and teach the rest of the
class.
Do not assume anything. Everything we do and say is culturally bound.
When giving directions use the same language pattern so that the student can
begin to understand and associate meaning to what you are saying.
Repetition and redundancy is important. Paraphrase and simplify your
sentences.
Use your ESL teacher as a resource. He or she can be very helpful with your
new students.
Make a My Words box. After an ESL student has mastered a word the student
adds it to their box.
Students acquire listening skills first, so only ask them questions that can be
answered with yes/no.
Remember textbook English is a specific dialect of English that uses different
tenses and vocabulary from spoken English.
Use picture books instead of textbooks when possible. Often students can write
about the information presented in the pictures but cant understand the text.
When writing is too difficult then ask the students to illustrate the concepts.
When testing, use the same sentence structures used in lecturing.
A 5 W Matrix (Who, What, When, Where, and Why) is often helpful as a learning
strategy and an alternative testing device.
Label your classroom. Students can label things in the classroom and in their
lockers in their native language and in English.
Use real life examples when introducing new topics. Relate them to your life or
the lives of your students.
Set up situations where ESL students need to use English such as pairing with a
native speaker who is understanding of their difficulties or one that could benefit
in confidence from assisting an ESL student.
Use the whole language approach when teaching literature to ESL students.
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Remember that ESL students may go through a silent phase. They understand
what is going on but are unable to express themselves. Also, students from
other countries may not answer questions due to their fear of being wrong. In
their culture to be wrong may disgrace their family.

General Education Teacher Tips

Put the ESL student in the position of teacher or knower whenever possible.
An ESL student can often teach a game, rhyme or song to your class in their
native language.
Do an art, cooking or science project with your ESL students and then have them
repeat it, teaching their English-speaking peers.
Emphasize multicultural aspects of topics whenever possible.
Read aloud to the children.
Find books that are bilingual- in both their native language and in English and
send them home with the books to share with their parents. Encourage parents
to read to the children in their native language. Reading skills transfer from one
language to another.
Communicate class directions using at least two modalities whenever possible.
When appropriate, accept non-verbal responses to demonstrate understanding.
Cue students into sequence marker words so they can better follow classroom
presentations (first, second, third).
ESL students may be unfamiliar with print conventions: Cursive, bold, italics,
parentheses, map keys, etc
When students are unable to formulate requests, offer controlled choices.
Try to give ESL students opportunities to achieve success. Ask them questions
you KNOW they can answer.
Try to use the calendar daily and talk briefly about the weather.
Comment on the color of different things in the room and what hey are wearing
so that they learn the color words quickly.
Set up a listening center with books on tape for your ESL students.
Modify spelling test by deleting 1 or 2 letters and have them fill in the missing
letters.
Make a newcomer bag and include: Simple games, picture dictionary, a photo
album that shows typical class activities and labels objects and areas of the
room, a simple craft, magazines and catalogues to cut and paste (to make a
picture dictionary of their own), stamps and coins or play money, puzzles
especially of the US and world, books on tape.
Some activities they can do with a classmate: a campus/school tour book, an
alphabet book, a calendar.





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When speaking to an ESL student

Speak naturally but clearly with pauses
Let the child be silent
Model rather than correct
Let the child rest
Keep checking for understanding (some cultures dont allow a direct No)
Dont confuse conversational with academic English
Encourage and appreciate bilingual students

How can I adapt a textbook?

Identify the language focus and study skills that are targeted in the chapter or
that you would like to teach.
Identify the unit theme, chapter topic, key concepts, vocabulary, people, and
events from each chapter that you want the students to learn. Color-code each
concept using various colored highlighters. Remove all of the graphs, charts,
diagrams, timelines, historical documents, and photos and their captions. Glue
these items (and their captions) onto sheets of plain white paper color code
captions to related concepts
Cut and paste the text that relates to the items you have removed and glue them
onto the page. Edit by highlighting important points and simplifying complicated
sentence structure. Color code.
Copy each vocabulary word onto a 3 x 5 card. These may be illustrated or have
definitions written on them as a student activity.
Collect in one location, the graphic organizers, research materials, reference
books, models, and any other tools that will be needed by your LEP/ELL students
to do the required activities. Record the text as it is read.

What are some assessment tips?

Focus on ELL students meaning and content knowledge, not language errors
such as grammar mistakes or awkward phrasing.
Grade a combination of process and product. Using only product criteria can be
unfair to any students.
Explain to students what and how you grade early in the class. Show examples
of good work.
Have grades reflect a variety of measures (some less dependent on fluent
language skills) such as participation, projects, portfolios, and oral explanations.
Adapt tests and test administrations (allow more time for ELL students, read the
test to them, make the questions simpler, lower the number of questions, the
number of answers on a multiple choice question, etc.) Teach test-taking skills
and strategies.
Teach students how to learn. Arrange support such as a buddy or study group
Teach students self-evaluation.
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Grade ESL beginners as satisfactory/unsatisfactory or at/above/below
expectations until the end of the year, and then assign a letter grade for the year.
Put a note on the report card and transcript to identify the student as an English
language learner. Write comments to clarify how you graded the student.
Recognize effort and improvement in ways other than grades.

Designing alternative assessments

What do you want the students to know and be able to do at the end of the unit?
Is there an alternative assessment that will demonstrate this?
What are the criteria for excellent performance: (List at least 3.)
Do students have ongoing support and ongoing feedback during this work?
What additional support can you provide ESL students?
Does the activity require students to learn new knowledge and skills? How are
students made aware of what they have learned and how they have learned it?
What are the pros of this assessment for ESL students? What are the cons of
this assessment for ESL students?

Practical alternative assessments for the content areas

Learning Logs and Journals (a notebook where students keep track of what
they are learning in their own words, creating a one sentence summary of what
they learned from the unit).
Role Play: Students role-play characters from literature, social studies, or other
relevant content areas.
Student Reflections: Students rate their own performance using a
rubric/checklist. They also address their learning styles and preferences
Venn Diagrams and Other Graphic Organizers: Organizers help students to
use higher-order thinking skills individually, in pairs or in groups. They focus
students attention on ideas and reduce concern with language. Matrices, webs,
timelines, KWL charts, etc. are wonderful to use with ESL students.
Projects and Other Performance Assessments: Projects, exhibitions,
investigations, portfolios, etc. give the students opportunities to be historians,
literary critics, mathematicians, and scientists. Students may have to write,
debate, create products, conduct experiments, etc.
Portfolios: Collections of student work over a period of time gives the teacher
and the student the ability to see a great deal of change, the achievement of
curriculum objectives, etc. Students and teachers select the items. Students
may write a reflection about why they included a certain item. Portfolios may be
bound like a book, in a folder or binder, in a box, on audio/videotape, on a CD-
Rom, etc.




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Instructional Accommodations for ESL Students
Teach concrete first then abstract
Use pre-reading activities
Reduce non-essential details
Develop schema (background knowledge necessary to understand content) Build
on the known (e.g., make connections with the students culture, experience,
interests, skills)
Make a copy of your lecture notes for the ESL students so that they may listen
instead of copy
Help the ESL students become acquainted with their textbooks (table of
contents, glossary, index, etc.)
Encourage participation by telling the ESL students a question the day before
you will ask it.
Encourage the ESL students to tell you when they need more of an explanation.
Use visuals/ hands on manipulatives
Use gestures to convey meaning non-verbally
Provide concrete real examples and experiences
Simplify vocabulary/change slang and idioms to simpler language
Highlight/review/repeat key points and vocabulary frequently
Establish consistent classroom routines/list steps for completing assignments
Use yes/no, either/or, and why/how questions
Check for comprehension on a regular basis
Allow wait time for response to questions
Create story and semantic maps
Use cooperative learning groups
Make outlines/use graphic organizers
Use audio/videotapes to reinforce learning (when using video use close caption
feature when possible)
Use simplified books that cover key concepts being taught
Encourage students to use bilingual translators, dictionaries, glossaries, etc. as a
learning tool
Have students write essays in the native language (or when writing have them
write in English, when they come to a word they dont know have them put it in
their native language and then continue in English, they can look those words up
later)
Prepare outline forms to guide note taking
Encourage highlighting of photocopies for key words
Have students create bilingual vocabulary lists (let same-language students do it
together and have your English speakers do definitions in their own words or
through illustrations)
Define important concepts before their first use.
Record lectures on tape and lend the tapes to ESL students
Have native English speakers write summaries or rewrite difficult chapters for
ESL students reading assignments
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Provide opportunities for ESL students to demonstrate their talents and pride in
their cultural background through sharing
Use manuscript when writing (many ESL students do not know cursive)
Review reading strategies and study skills often to remind students of the best
ways to learn
Encourage students to read in their native language (find content books in their
language when available)

Assessment Accommodations for ESL Students
Have students point to the picture of a correct answer (limit choices)
Have students circle a correct answer (limit choice)
Reduce choices on a multiple-choice test
Have students complete fill-in-the-blanks exercises with a word bank provided
Give open-book tests
Instruct students to draw a picture illustrating a concept
Ask students to retell/restate (orally and in writing)
Instruct students to define/explain/summarize orally in English (or in native
language to another student who can translate to English)
Have students compare and contrast (orally and in writing)
Use cloze procedures with outlines, charts, timelines, etc.
Adapt expectations (answer 7 out of 10 questions, write one paragraph instead of
3)
Model questions with its response to show what is expected on homework,
quizzes, tests, etc.

ESL Websites

New York States Bilingual Ed. Web Page www.emsc.nysed.gov/biling
BETAC www.ocmboces.org/teacherpage2.cfm?teacher=582
Help, They Dont Speak English! www.escort.org
Activities for ESL Students www.a4esl.com
Spanish/English Picture Dictionary www.enchantedlearning.com
Elementary Level Activities www.eslkidstuff.com
www.starfall.com
www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey.html
ESL Teacher Organization www.nystesol.org
Word Search Puzzles, Vocabulary www.edhelper.com
Printable Books www.readinga-z.com
Free Translation www.babelfish.altavista.com
Vocabulary http://www.vocabulary.co.il
Everything ESL www.everythingesl.net





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New York State Education Department/Office of State Assessment

Status of Testing Accommodations for LEP/ELL Students

Elementary/Middle School State Tests
Curriculum Area Grade Approved Accommodations for LEP Students

English Language Arts

*(with the exception of those
students who, as of January 3, of
each year , have been enrolled in
school in the United States for
less than one year.)

3-8

Optimum testing environment
Extended test time (time & a half)
Use of bilingual dictionaries (text and
electronic)
Read listening comprehension passage 3
times.


Mathematics



3-8

Optimum testing environment
Extended test time (time & a half)
Translated test into Chinese, Haitian-Creole
Spanish
Mathematics also available in Korean, Russian
Oral translations for low incidence languages
Use of bilingual glossaries
Allow simultaneous use of English and Native
Language versions of test


Social Studies


3-8

Science


3-8















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High School Regents Exams




Curriculum Area Grade Approved Accommodations for LEP Students


English


11

Optimum testing environment
Extended test time (time & a half)
Use of bilingual dictionaries (text and
electronic)
Read listening comprehension passage 3
times
Include ESL teachers in team scoring ELA
Regents

Mathematics

9 - 12

Optimum testing environment
Extended test time (time & a half)
Translated test into Chinese, Haitian-Creole,
Korean, Russian, Spanish
Oral translations for low incidence languages
Use of bilingual glossaries
Allow simultaneous use of English and Native
Language versions of test

Social Studies


10 & 11

Science

9 - 12
Information taken 9/30/05 from: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/














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Length of time
in the US,
excluding
Puerto Rico
Must take
NYSESLAT?
Must take ELA
in grades 3-8?
Must take English
Regents?
Must take state
tests in content
areas (science,
social studies,
math, and
technology
including
Regents)?
1-6 years Yes Yes, with
accommodations;
Exempted are
only those ESL
students who, as
of January 3, of
each year, have
been enrolled in
school in the
United States for
less than 1 year.
Yes, in order to
graduate;
accommodations
are allowed.
Yes, but may be
taken in native
language or with
oral interpreter if
a rare language;
other
accommodations
are allowed.
0-6 years

Yes Yes Yes, in order to
graduate;
accommodations
are allowed
Yes, but may be
taken in native
language or with
oral interpreter if
a rare language;
other
accommodations
are allowed.
0-6 years Yes Yes, no
exemptions
Yes, in order to
graduate;
accommodations
are allowed
Yes, but may be
taken in native
language or with
oral interpreter if
a rare language;
other
accommodations
are allowed.
20
New York State Testing Requirements for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students
The EMSC Office of State Assessment Website: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/
Change to ELA Testing: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/nyseslat/nclbmemo8-4-06.htm





Sample ESL Parent Notification Letter
2006-2007


Date____________________



Dear Parent or Guardian of:______________________________:

Upon enrolling in school, each parent or guardian completes a Home Language Questionnaire to
determine if a language other than English is spoken by the student or used within the home. If a
language other than English is present, the student is given an informal interview and LAB-R
test to measure his or her proficiency in English.

Your child was identified as being an English Language Learner (ELL) at a
_______________level according to the LAB-R Language Proficiency Assessment, and he/she
will be enrolled in the schools ESL program for the ____________ school year. Your child will
take an annual achievement test each May called the NYSESLAT to determine his/her need for
ESL instruction during the next school year. You will be notified of the results in September.

Your childs ESL teacher is Mrs./Ms/Mr./_________________________________. She/he can
be contacted at (phone #) ________________________.

The goal of providing ESL services is to help your child become proficient in everyday English
as well as classroom English, and to learn the necessary content to be successful in the content-
area classrooms.

If you have any questions, please call the office at__________________.

Sincerely,



0-6 years Yes, until
passing score
achieved
Yes Yes Yes
21
__________________________________________ _____________________
Principals Signature Date



22




23





24
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS FOR PARENTS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
UNDER NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

Under No Child Left Behind, parents of English Language Learners can expect:

1. To have your child receive a quality education and be taught by a highly qualified
teacher.
President Bush and Secretary of Education Rod Paige believe that the key to a quality education is a highly
qualified teacher. The new education act requires that all teachers of the core academic subjects be highly
qualified by the end of the 2005-2006 school year, including teachers of English language learners.

2. To have your child learn English and other subjects such as reading and other language
arts and mathematics at the same academic level as all other students.
Schools must provide English language learners the same educational opportunities to meet the same high
academic standards as their peers. The No Child Left Behind Act does not require schools to use a
particular method for teaching English language acquisition nor does it prohibit a child from learning
another language.

3. To know if your child has been identified and recommended for placement in an English
language acquisition program, and to accept or refuse such placement.
A parent or guardian must be notified when his or her child is identified and recommended for placement in
a program for English language instruction. Notification must include the reason for placement, the
method of instruction and what is required for the child to exit the program, and it must be in a language or
manner that the parents understand.

4. To choose a different English language acquisition program for your child, if one is
available.
Parents may choose from among the various English language acquisition instructional programs in the
school, if more than one is available. If the child is placed in a program that is not meeting his or her
educational needs, the parent may have the child transferred to another available program in the district.

5. To transfer your child to another school if his or her school is identified as in need of
improvement.
Once a school has been identified as in need of improvement, the public school choice provisions of the
law provide parents with children in these schools the option of transferring them to another public school
in the district, including a nearby charter school, if one is available, and the district will pay for or provide
transportation.

6. To apply for supplemental services, such as tutoring, for your child if his or her school is
identified as in need of improvement for two years.
A supplemental service is extra educational help provided to students, such as tutoring and other after school
services. Students from low-income families who are enrolled in schools that are in need of
improvement for two years are eligible to receive these services.

7. To have your child tested annually to assess his or her progress in English language
acquisition.
Testing is used to assess how students are performing and what they have learned. The No Child Left
Behind Act requires yearly assessment for English language proficiency (K-12). Schools must provide
student assessment reports to parents that will, among other things, let them know how well their child is
learning English.




25
8. To receive information regarding your childs performance on academic tests.
Under No Child Left Behind all children in grades 3-8 will be tested yearly, and those in grades 9-12 will
be tested at least once in math and reading-language arts. No Child Left Behind requires that parents be
notified of their childs academic progress in these subjects in a language or manner that they understand.

9. To have your child taught with programs that are scientifically proven to work.
English language learners can become fully proficient in English and master challenging content when
enrolled in high-quality programs with a highly qualified teacher. No Child Left Behind requires that
programs for English language learners funded under the act use curriculum and instructional methods that
reflect scientifically based research.

10. To have the opportunity for your child to reach his or her greatest academic potential.
For the first time in the history of public education, there is a federal law that specifically addresses the
educational achievement gap between minority children and their peers by implementing strong
accountability measures. A quality K-12 education will assist every child who aspires to a college
education so that he or she can be academically prepared to enter an institution of higher learning upon
graduation.

No Child Left Behind--a new era in public education.
www.ed.gov--1-800-USA-LEARN
Office of English Language Acquisition
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela




























26




NYS OFFICE OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/biling/


ESL STUDENT TIME REQUIREMENTS CHART


ESL/English Language Requirements

English
Proficiency
Level
GRADES K-8 GRADES 9-12
Number of Units of Study Number of Units of Study
ESL NLA* ELA ESL NLA* ELA
Beginning 2
6
hrs/wk
1 - 3
9 hrs.
wk
1

-
Intermediate 2
6
hrs/wk

1 - 2
6 hrs.
wk
1 -
Advanced 1
3
hrs/wk

1 1 1
3 hrs.
wk
1 1
*Please note that a unit of study is equivalent to 180 minutes (3 hours) per week. Two units of
study equal 360 minutes (6 hours) per week, and three units of study equal 540 minutes (9
hours) per week.
*NLA stands for Native American Language Arts, which does not apply.



27
New York State LEP Identification Process

1. SCREENING/ENROLLMENT Administer Home Language
Questionnaire
Home language is other than English or Home language is English.
Students native language is other than English Students only language is English.
STOP Student is NOT LEP.
Student enters general education program

Conduct Informal Interview in Native Language and English.
Student speaks language other than English and Student does not speak any English
Go to #2
Student speaks little or no language other than English
Initial Assessment STOP Student is NOT LEP.
Student enters general education program

2. INITIAL ASSESSMENT
Administer Language Assessment Battery-Revised (LAB-R)

Beginning, Intermediate or Advanced Level Proficient Level
Student IS LEP
Go to #3
Student scores at: Proficient
STOP
Student is NOT LEP.
Student enters general education program

3. PROGRAM PLACEMENT
Place Student in Appropriate Program
Student IS LEP
Place student in OCSDs Freestanding ESL Program

4. ANNUAL ASSESSMENT
Spring Administer the New York State English as a Second
Language Achievement Test
(NYSESLAT)
Student scores at:
Beginning, Intermediate or Advanced Level Proficient Level
Student IS LEP CONTINUE SERVICES
Student scores at:
Proficient Level
Student is NOT LEP
Student enters general education program (CR PART 154)