As we resume school in the Bethlehem Central School District, we must address the learning loss experienced by many English language learners in both their English language development and their mastery of content-area knowledge.
The World Languages/ENL Department has identified the following goals and supports that will be in place to prepare ENL students for potential challenges in the coming year.
- Prioritize the presence of ENL students in school for in-person instruction
- Complete the ENL identification process within 30 school days of the start of the academic school year for all students who enrolled during COVID-19 school closures in 2019-20, as well as all students who enroll during summer of 2020 and during the first 20 school days of the 2020-21 academic school year.
- Initial interview based on HLQ, conversation and interaction with student and family may be in person or virtual
- All students must receive instructional contact time according to their level of proficiency as determined by the NYSESLAT or NYSITELL
- Identify and implement new methods to measure the English language proficiency levels of their ENL students using a Progress Monitoring Tool (PMT)
- The PMT tool will be used to inform modifications to a student’s instructional plan and to meet their language proficiency needs
- Provide staff training/professional development on screenings, co-teaching, Twice Exceptional ELLs, Response to Intervention (RtI) and on the new Progress Monitoring Tool
- Maintain regular communication with the parents/guardians and other family members of ENL students to ensure that they are engaged in their children’s education during the reopening process
- Provide all communications for parents/guardians of ENL students in their preferred language and mode of communication
- Use newsletter, videos, virtual meets
- Use Lexikeet service for translated calls and communication with families
For information about regular communication and engagement with parents/guardians of English-language learners, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement section of our reopening plan.