English as a Second Language (ESL)

The instructional program provided by the Montoursville Area School District will be developmental in approach. The student will be taught, in English, at their level. Depending on the needs of the student, the ESL teacher will provide the services of one to three hours daily. We also will utilize our Title I program, MTSS Instructional Support Team, and any volunteer translators we can engage. Carefully planned instruction aligned with the Pennsylvania State Standards and planned instruction with classroom teachers, will be utilized in helping those students reach their ESL goals.

All ESL students will be able to participate in any or all extracurricular programs that are offered by the school including music, art, and sports activities. Vocational Education, Business and Academic related curriculums will also be available.

Program Goals

• To develop pupil competency in understanding, speaking, reading and writing English.
• To provide educational experiences that will prepare pupils to complete high school and to enter institutions of higher education and/or the world of work.
• To orient pupils and their parents to the school and the community.
• To enhance pupils’ sense of self-worth by highlighting contributions made by their ethnic group to society.

WIDA Levels of English Language Proficiency

Student Identification

Upon entrance into the MASD, all students will be given a Home Language Survey (HLS) to be completed by a parent or guardian at the time of registration. Based on the HLS, if the answers to the questions are any language other than English, this student will be identified as a student with a PHLOTE (Primary Home Language Other Than English). With parental/guardian permission an ESL teacher will administer a state approved placement screening in the student’s building within the first two weeks of attendance in our schools.

The ESL team, including the ESL teachers, ESL coordinator, and building principal, will place the student in the ESL Program if he/she meets the district’s ESL entrance criteria. The ESL teacher will call parents or guardians of assessed child(ren), notifying them whether or not their child is eligible for ESL services. If the assessment criteria deems a student is eligible for ESL services, the parents must provide written permission for the child to receive ESL/ELL services.

ESL Standards

Exit Criteria

In order to meet the required state exit criteria for Pennsylvania’s English language instructional programs for ELLs, LEAs must use both of the required exit criteria.

Facilitating Language Acquisition in the Classroom

Create an environment that facilitates language learning

• Actively engage students in challenging learning activities.
• Use interactive activities so ELL students talk with their peers and use academic English.
• Use concrete, hands-on activities (and language) before more abstract (and language) activities.
• Create and atmosphere in which ELL students feel safe in taking risks with both English and content.

Adjust teacher talk to increase comprehensibility

• Face the students.
• Pause frequently.
• Paraphrase often.
• Clearly indicate the most important ideas and vocabulary through intonation or writing on the blackboard.
• Avoid “asides”.
• Avoid or clarify pronouns.
• Use shorter sentences.
• Use subject-verb-object word order.
• Increase wait time for students to answer.
• Focus on the student’s meaning, not grammar.
• Avoid interpreting on a regular basis.

Support or scaffold ELL student language development

• Ask questions in simplified language.
• Establish a pattern in the questions.
• Ask for elaboration, “Tell me more about…”.
• Be a good listener (eye contact, non-verbal support, plenty of time).
• Provide encouragement to continue “Uh-huh. Really? What happened then?”.
• Provide difficult words.
• Ask for clarification, “I’m not sure I understand. Can you say it again?”.
• Paraphrase what the student said.
• Interaction is high.