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ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM


What is the ELD program?

The goal of the English Language Development (ELD) Program is to develop the English language proficiency of eligible English Language Learners (ELLs) so that they can become socially and academically successful in Spokane Public Schools.

ELLs in our district speak more than 40 different languages, including Russian, Spanish, Marshallese, Vietnamese, Hmong, Bosnian, Ukranian and Arabic.

Who is eligible for the program?

Students registering with Spokane Public Schools who indicate that their first learned language is a language other than English are given the WLPT II (Washington Language Proficiency Test), a placement exam to determine eligibility for the ELD program. This placement test must be given within 10 days of the student’s entry into the school district.

Each spring, all ELLs in the school district must take the WLPT II assessment to measure progress in English language proficiency and to determine further eligibility.


What services does the program provide?

Spokane Public Schools has students representing 44 different language groups, with an ELL population of nearly 1,000 eligible students. Since our district enjoys such a diverse ELL population, instruction is provided in English, rather than in an ELL’s first language.We do, however,recognize the value of a child’s first language and strongly encourage families to continue using the first language at home, as this is an invaluable asset in a child’s foundation for future learning.

English Language Learners at the elementary level attend their neighborhood schools and are placed in age-appropriate classrooms, regardless of their language proficiency. Since ELLs are in classrooms with native speakers of English, their basic social English language skills begin to develop quite rapidly. ELD-certified teachers provide temporary support outside of the basic education classroom for ELLs who are beginning English-language learners, for up to a half hour a day, several times a week. All other ELLs receive extra assistance in the basic education classroom. This support is provided by ELD certified teachers, as well as ELD bilingual specialists and tutors, several times a week.

At the middle school and high school levels, ELLs are scheduled for up to three ELD classes at their neighborhood school, in addition to basic education classes. These ELD classes focus on language arts, social studies and study skills at a level appropriate for the language proficiency of the ELLs. In addition, all high school-aged ELLs who are new to the school district and who are completely non-English speaking attend the Newcomer Center, located at Ferris High School, for up to one semester. They enroll in their neighborhood high school after that.

   

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