ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINE – ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Effective Date:
Responsibility: Superintendent, Teaching and Learning

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1.0 RATIONALE

The Near North District School Board is committed to the academic achievement, engagement, and wellbeing of all students. It is the purpose of this administrative guideline to outline the supports specific to the needs of English language learners and their families.

2.0 DEFINITIONS

2.1 ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL)

Students in provincially funded English language schools whose first language is a language other than English or is a variety of English that is significantly different from the variety used for instruction in             Ontario’s schools, and who may require focused educational supports to assist them in attaining proficiency in English.

2.2 ENGLIAH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE(ESL)

Programs intended for students whose first language is other than English or is a variety of English significantly different from that used for instruction in Ontario schools. Students in these programs have             had educational opportunities to develop age-appropriate first-language literacy skills.

2.3 ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT(ELD)

Programs intended for students whose first language is other than English or is a variety of English significantly different from that used for instruction in Ontario schools. Students in these programs are              most often from countries in which their access to education has been limited, and they have had limited opportunities to develop language and literacy skills in any language. Schooling in their countries of          origin has been inconsistent, disrupted, or even completely unavailable throughout the years that these children would otherwise have been in school. As a result, they arrive in Ontario schools with                          significant gaps in their education.

3.0 SCHOOL REGISTARTION OF NEW ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Any Student(s) who meets the criteria of a Recent Immigrant or Diversity in English Language Learner is considered an English Language Learner (ELL).

ELLs who meet the criteria of a Recent Immigrant Pupil (see below) will need to be identified in the NNDSB Student Information System upon registration to any NNDSB school.

(See Appendix #1: Instruction to Register Recent Immigrant Pupils in Power School [Special Programs – ESL/ELD])

Recent immigrant pupils are deemed eligible to generate this funding if they meet one of the following two criteria:

•  They were born in countries in which English is not the first language of a majority of the population.
• They were born in countries in which most of the population speak a variety of English that is sufficiently different from the English used in Ontario’s English-language school boards.

Recent immigrants born in the following countries are not eligible for this funding:
Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

ELLs who do not meet the criteria above and for whom the language most often spoken at home is neither English nor French do not require registration in Power School (these students are considered as being a Diversity in English Language Learner and funding is set out in GSN regulation) but are eligible to receive ESL programming and support as needed.

General Registration Information:

• Proof of Age of Student - birth certificate, passport or other travel or identity documents.
• Proof of Address - if Ontario Photo ID card or Ontario Driver’s License isn’t available, a bank statement, utility bill, or lease that shows your name and address can be used.
•  Proof of Guardianship - only needed if the person registering is not the child’s parent.
•  Immunization Records - a printout from their health care provider can be used.
•  Report cards/school records if available

Identification in Power School Required Information:

• Information on First Language
• Country of Origin
• Date of Arrival into Canada

4.0 ORIENTATION TO SCHOOL

As per section 2.2.1 of the ESL/ELD Policies and Procedures document, schools will develop protocols to define procedures and practices for welcoming English language learners and their families and for providing them with appropriate orientation to the Ontario school system, in the first language of the students and their families whenever possible. The protocol will include procedures for the admission of students in all grades, including Kindergarten – regardless of level of English proficiency or prior schooling – who arrive and need to begin school in Ontario at any time during the school year. Creating a welcoming and inclusive school environment is a whole-school activity requiring the commitment of the administrative team, teachers, support staff, and other leaders within the school community. Upon registration, Administrators may offer to connect the student and family with the North Bay and District Multi-cultural Society and/or arrange for a SWIS worker to attend the orientation meeting.

(See Appendix #2: Family Interview)

5.0 PLACEMENT & PROGRAMMING FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

5.1 PLACEMENT FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Students who are learning English as an additional language, including those that have limited prior schooling, will be provided ESL or ELD appropriate program support:

• at their local elementary school, for students in Grades 1 through 8, and;
• in regular classes at their local secondary school (all schools) and/or in congregated ESL/ELD classes (at specific secondary schools) for Grades 9 through 12.

5.2 PROGRAMMING FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

English language learners should receive ESL/ELD program support until they have acquired the level of proficiency required to learn effectively in English with no ESL/ELD support. The decision to
discontinue ESL/ELD support is made by the principal in consultation with the student, the parent(s)/caregiver(s), and classroom teachers.

STEP Initial Assessment data will be used to identify the support needed by each student.

i)In Elementary Schools, all students on the STEP continua will receive support from their classroom and DLRT teachers. Teachers will use the following documents to design program for
multilingual students learning English:

•  Supporting English Language Learners: A practical guide for Ontario educators Grades 1 to 8 (2008)
• Supporting English Language Learners with Limited Prior Schooling: A practical guide for Ontario Educators, K-12 (2008)
•  Supporting English Language Learners in Kindergarten: A Practical Guide for Ontario Educators (2007)

ii) In Secondary Schools , Students assessed at overall STEP 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 will receive ESL or ELD appropriate program support. Students at STEP 5 and 6 may be placed into an English course corresponding with the student’s post-secondary pathway. These decisions are made in consultation with parents/guardians, educators and school administration. All students on the STEP continua will receive support from their classroom teachers. Equivalent credits for previous education, whether this is supported by documentation or not, should be awarded in accordance with policy defined in Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9-12: Program and Diploma Requirements (2016). Teachers will use the following documents to design programs
for ELLs:

• Supporting English Language Learners with Limited Prior Schooling: A practical guide for Ontario Educators, K-12 (2008)
•  Supporting English Language Learners: A practical guide for Ontario educators Grades 1 to 8 (2008)
•  The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development (2007)

 

The program design will enable students to access the curriculum while simultaneously learning and improving their English language proficiency. English Language Learners are eligible to participate in all programs offered by the Near North District School Board, including French as a Second Language programming.

(See Appendix #3: Receiving and Programing for ELLs)

 

RECOMMENDATIONS
Elementary and Secondary Schools	Teachers use information from the STEP Initial Assessment to determine ESL/ELD programs to support students’ English language and literacy development. Instructional programs are adapted by modifying expectations and through accommodations (differentiating instruction, assessment, and learning resources)
Elementary Students: Program and Support Recommendations	Students learning English as an additional language are placed in grade-level classrooms appropriate to their age
Secondary Students: Placement and Support Recommendations	In secondary schools, placement in a grade or in specific subjects will depend on the student’s prior education, background in specific subject areas, and aspirations. Students learning English as an additional language should be placed in a grade-level or subject- specific classroom for at least part of each day. Students and parents should be informed that the initial placement reflects the student’s English proficiency at the time of assessment. Schools should monitor over a period and revise the placement if needed.

 

5.3 SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORT FOR ELLs

Outside of ESL support or programming and when special education needs have been identified, either in the initial assessment or through later assessments, students are eligible for ESL or ELD services
and special education services simultaneously. The administration and interpretation of psycho-educational assessments should be linguistically appropriate (i.e., tests should be administered in the student’s dominant language or with the assistance of a bilingual educator whenever possible). As well, assessors should use more than one instrument or set of instruments in considering the learning characteristics and describing the performance of English language learners. Assessors should also consider the student’s prior opportunities for learning. The development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for an English language learner needs to take into consideration both needs related to language learning and needs related to the student’s exceptionality

6.0 INFORMATION TRACKING OF STUDENTS ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN ELEMNTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Information on each English Language Learner’s level of English language acquisition will be summarized and included in the Ontario Student Record each school year. Progress will be reported to parents on a regular basis.

•  Updates to the Observable Language Behaviours (OLB) continua or the Observable Literacy and Language Behaviours (OLLB) continua may be tracked at any time of the year to indicate student progress on the continua.
•  Updates to the STEP student tracking form (See Appendix #4) are made throughout the year.

7.0 REPORTING OF STUDENT PROGRESS/PROGRAM ACCOMODATION AND MODIFICATION

In both elementary and secondary, the academic progress of English language learners will be reported as per the subject specific Ontario curriculum documents. Students requiring accommodations and/or modifications will receive these, as appropriate.
English language learners at various stages of learning English and/or developing literacy in English will need program adaptations to be successful.
Adaptations to program include:

•  a variety of accommodations related to instructional strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphic organizers, peer tutoring, strategic use of students’ first languages);
•  a variety of learning resources (e.g., use of visual materials, simplified texts, and bilingual dictionaries);
• accommodations related to assessment strategies (e.g., granting of extra time, the use of alternative forms of assessment such as oral interviews, learning logs, portfolios, the use of simplified language and instructions),
•  modified expectations (e.g., modification of some or all the course/grade level expectations); when learning expectations are modified for English language learners, evaluation will be based on the documented modified expectations. This will be noted on the report card by checking the ESL/ELD box and explained to parents. (English Language Learners, ESL and ELD Program and Services, Policies and Procedures for Ontario Elementary and Secondary Schools Kindergarten to Grade 12, 2007).

8.0 GRADUATION REQUIREMNTS FOR ENGLISG LANGUAGE LEARNERS

1. A student entering the Ontario secondary school system at any grade level may count a maximum of 3 ESL or ELD credits as compulsory English credits.
2.  The remaining compulsory English credit(s) will be earned at the grade 12 level.
3.  The Ontario Secondary School Literacy course is a full-credit course that fulfills the Literacy requirements for graduation and can be counted as a compulsory English credit in grades 11 or 12.
4.  The principal has the discretion to make substitutions for a maximum of three compulsory credits at the secondary level to address the specific needs of English Language Learners. Substitutions should be  made to promote and enhance student learning, to meet specific needs, or to suit specific interests.
5. In secondary school, equivalent credits for previous education, whether it is supported by documentation or not, should be awarded in accordance with the policy defined in Ontario Secondary Schools Grades 9-12: Program and Diploma Requirements 1999.

9.0 IEDNTIFICATION AND INVOLVEMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENTS

1.  ELLs should participate in the Grade 3 and Grade 6 provincial assessments in reading, writing and mathematics, in the Grade 9 provincial assessment in mathematics, and should take the Ontario
   Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) when they have acquired the level of proficiency in English required for success.
2. An ELL should participate in national and international assessments when they have acquired the level of proficiency in English required for success.
3. An ELL who is 18 years of age and over is not required to write the OSSLT prior to enrolling in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course.
4. Decisions about exemptions or deferrals will be made according to the requirements articulated in the EQAO administration guide.

10.0 OSR REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

• Eligibility Form (See Appendix #4)
• Step Initial Assessment materials
• Step Assessment Tracking Form (See Appendix #5)