Cobb County ESOL

MS ESOL Scheduling Guidance

Cobb County ESOL Curriculum & Instruction
Middle School Scheduling Guidelines

Click here to download this document: Download CCSD MS ESOL Scheduling and Delivery Models

Middle school ESOL schedules are determined by the local school. Given the different school sizes, needs and ESOL student populations across the district, schedules will vary from school to school.  However, there are some general guidelines that should be used to develop a schedule that best meets the needs of the ESOL students and the overall school plan.

Remember…by law, all identified ESOL students must receive some type of English language support services.  ESOL FTE segments, however, may only be earned for ELLs who are receiving ESOL services through one of the State-approved Delivery Models of Instruction. ELLs who are monitored and ELLs whose parents have completed an Annual Parental Waiver of ESOL Services may not be scheduled in an ESOL class. (ESOL-monitored students are those who have officially exited from the ESOL Program and according to NCLB must be monitored for two years.)

General Considerations for Scheduling

• Consider grouping students by English proficiency and literacy levels, not just by grade level.
• Cluster ESOL students in classes/teams in order to allow more efficient scheduling of ESOL services. This will allow a school to provide inclusionary support.
• ESOL students with the lowest level of English proficiency need and should receive the maximum ESOL instructional time possible. For middle school, that is TWO segments.
• All ESOL students should receive content area instruction for math, science, ELA, social studies with a teacher highly qualified in that content area.  The courses ESOL Grade 6, ESOL Grade 7 and ESOL Grade 8 do NOT substitute for any content area course. (ELLs served through the IEL Program have different scheduling requirements.)
• Using data, choose the instructional model that best meets the needs of the students and fits the schedule of the ESOL teacher/s. Keep in mind that both the sheltered and the push-in teaching models offer advantages. Using a combination of the two models for the same group of students may also be beneficial for students who are struggling with language and content. Push-in allows the ESOL teacher to collaborate within the classroom setting; sheltered allows the ESOL teacher to provide more focused, specialized instruction in a specific content area or in an ESOL language support climate. For beginners, sheltered instruction is recommended. Push-in is most effective with students of higher proficiency levels as they are better able to comprehend academic language and more easily participate in classroom discourse.
• When possible, ESOL teachers should attend grade-level and content team planning meetings. If there is only one ESOL teacher at a school, the teacher should rotate meeting with different teams throughout the year.
• Remember: there is no one single approach to scheduling ESOL classes. Consult school staff - including administrators, classroom teachers, other specialists - and your ESOL colleagues at the Central Office for assistance. Always work to provide a schedule that will best meet the language acquisition and overall academic needs of the ESOL students.

• As ESOL teachers design their schedules, they should use language and achievement data to make instructional placement decisions. Teachers should analyze the following:
  • Number of students at specific English language proficiency levels (W-APT or ACCESS scores)
  • Number of ESOL students at specific grade levels
  • Literacy levels and achievement data
  • Additional program services needs of student (remedial, special ed, gifted)

WIDA® Can Do Descriptors Student Checklist

This is a set of checklists teachers can use to track the students' language development based on the WIDA® Can Do Descriptors. 

(USE FIREFOX to download the files, MS Explorer may not recognize the file format)

Download K-2 WIDA Can Do Descriptor Checklist

Download 3-5 WIDA Can Do Descriptor Checklist

Download 6-8 WIDA Can Do Descriptor Checklist

 

The student profile template is a document ESOL teachers can use to provide more information about the ELs to general education teachers. It includes a section for the student's background history, strenghts, weaknesses, and the target language skills based on the WIDA® Can Do Descriptors. Feel free to edit the file to your needs

(USE FIREFOX to download the files, MS Explorer may not recognize the file format)

Download Student History Template 

Thank you to Natalie Hutchins, IEL/ESOL teacher at Fair Oaks Elementary, for creating these files.

2011-2012 MS ESOL Lead Teacher Mid-year Checklist

MS ESOL Lead Teachers,

Please click the link below and complete the online survey about MS ESOL Lead Teacher duties and responsibilities. Your time and consideration given to completing the survey in an accurate and timely manner is appreciated.

                                    http://tinyurl.com/midyear-checklist-ms

 

MS/HS Intake Flow Chart

Middle School/High School Immigrant/International Student Intake Procedures:

 

At School Counseling Office at local school:

1. Greet parent and check initial registration documentation.

2. Review Home Language Survey which appears on the CCSD Student Enrollment Form JF - 5. 

 

If Home Language Survey indicates all English:

School counseling personnel continue with registration. If student has international transcripts, send copies of transcripts to IWC for evaluation.

 

If Home Language Survey indicates language other than English and student is transferring from a school outside of Cobb County:

1. Make appointment with IWC.

2. Provide family with IWC information.

3. Send JF-5 form with family.

 

Intake Flowchart for middle school and high school students: Download Flow_chart_ms_hs_intake 2011-12 

Interactive Math Tool

NASA's Smart Skies provides interactive tool for students to work on math problems

NASA has released an interactive online tool that enables students to visualize and manipulate three linked representations of a distance-rate-time problem. (Great strategies for ELLs!) The tool format features two airplanes—each flying at a constant speed—on merging jet routes, corresponding distance-vs.-time graphs, and the corresponding linear equations. The students can manipulate an airplane's speed and starting position on its route, rotate or shift the associated line on the graph, and change the parameters of the associated equation. As students change one representation, the others are updated.

The free classroom materials include the tool, student workbooks, assessments, teacher guides, and alignments to Math Georgia Performance Standards for grades 5-8 and Math 1.  This new tool provides distance-rate-time investigations that engage students in the challenges faced by air traffic controllers.

For more info and the online tool, go to
http://www.smartskies.nasa.gov/flyby

Month-by-Month Timeline for ESOL-Middle/High

Listed below is an overview of the local school responsibilities for ESOL. The items listed in blue are ongoing as long as there are new ESOL students enrolling at the school.  The item in purple is an Office of Civil Rights requirement. Schools should contact their District ESOL Lead should they need assistance in meeting this requirement.

                                                                           

August	Review Student Intake info from IWC Review ESOL student transcript info from IWC and inform  IWC of concerns Send Waiver letters home to parents who wish to refuse ESOL Submit copies of paperwork to IWC Review/create schedule for ESOL students Review all ESOL student info on reports and queries to ensure accuracy Complete County Ten Day Count Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, et al)
September	Hold Test Participation Committee Meetings Complete TPC Accommodations forms for all ESOL and ESOLL-M students and the Testing Deferment form for those who qualify Complete Teacher Notification of Accommodations Form and send to all classroom teachers and complete Parent Notifiction of Accommodations Form and send to parents (make sure to send in English and home language) Review all ESOL Reports and update info Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, et al)
October	Assist classroom teachers in underrstanding implementation of accommodations Review all ESOL Reports and update info Complete ESOL FTE Send out Monitor forms to all classroom teachers, collect and review. Place forms n ESOL Folder. (HS) Plan test administration of EOCTs with local test administrator to ensure accommodations Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, et al)
November	Review all ESOL student info on reports and queries to ensure accuracy Send out Monitor forms to all classroom teachers and collect Prepare spreadsheet of ESOL students for ACCESS testing plan Assign preliminary Tier level of ACCESS to all ESOL students and submit ACCESS order form to Janet Gaa. Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, et al)
December	Review all ESOL student info on reports and queries to ensure accuracy Review and update all ESOL info Create ACCESS Testing plan Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, et al)
January	Complete County Ten Day Count Send AMAO letters to parents of ESOL students Send Letter of Notification of ACCESS Testing to parents of ESOL students Review ACCESS Testing plan Finalize ACCESS Tier assignments and ACCESS Testing plan Begin ACCESS testing Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, et al)
February	Continue ACCESS testing (HS) Send out Monitor forms  to all classroom teachers and collect Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, et al)
March	Review student info on all ACCESS tests Complete and turn in ACCESS tests (MS) Send out Monitor forms to all classroom teachers and collect Review TPC Accommodations forms with all classroom teachers and local testing coordinator Assist in Testing plan for CRCT/GHSGT/EOCT with local test administrator Submit list of student names for Deferment to local testing administrator Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, et al)
April	Assist in CRCT/EOCT administration and ESOL accommodations Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, et al)
May	Review ACCESS test scores Complete ESOL Exit forms for students who qualify for exit and review with District ESOL staff District ESOL will review and approve all ESOL program exits. Send home ACCESS Reports and Parent Letters with information regarding exit and/or continuation of services Complete and email ESOL Student Information Spreadsheet to feeder schools Ensure ESOL representation on all meetings that involve the academic interests of ALL identified ESOL and ESOL-M students at the school (RTI, IEP, Retention Committee, et al)

Lexile Framework for Reading

Click here to find out more about the Georgia Department of Education's Lexile Framework for Reading

See below for information regarding a free webinar on LEXILES:

Lexile Online @ Webex

Web Session: The Lexile Framework for Reading - An Overview for Educators

Get a glimpse of the Lexile Framework! This online, facilitator-led demonstration will provide you with a high-level overview of how Lexile measures can be used to match students with targeted text to support reading growth.

• History and development of The Lexile Framework for Reading
• Understanding Lexile measures as measures of text demand and reading ability
• Applying Lexile measures to instructional materials and student reading ability
• Using Lexile measures to match readers to text and forecast comprehension
• Using Lexile measures to monitor student educational attainment in relation to performance standards and growth over time

Upcoming Web Session will be held on:

• Tuesday, July 27, 2010 03:30 PM EST

Summer Workshop on Lexiles for Middle and High School Teachers

Lexile Framework Workshop

When:  June 23, 2010

                8:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Where: Martha J. Moore

Workshop Description:

Teachers who are interested in knowing more about Lexiles may come to Martha J. Moore on Wed., June 23^rd for this one day only (no PLU credit).  Please email Carolyn.waters@cobbk12.org to reserve your space. Middle or high school teachers, including other core discipline teachers, are welcome to attend. (Limit: 50. Please bring laptops.) This workshop is designed to enhance educator awareness of the Lexile Framework and demonstrate how to integrate its important components into day-to-day and year-to-year decision-making. The facilitator will present participants with information and tools fundamental to making maximum use of the Lexile Framework. Workshop topics include:

• Development of the Lexile Framework for Reading
• Understanding Lexiles as measures of text demand and reading ability
• Applying Lexiles to instructional materials and student reading ability
• Using Lexiles to match readers to text and forecast comprehension
• Using Lexiles to monitor student educational attainment in relation to performance standards and growth over time.  

 

Limit: 50 teachers (Middle/High School ELA, social studies, science, or math (core curriculum)

 

Action: Email Carolyn.waters@cobbk12.org to register for this free workshop.

Click here to download a flyer for this event: Download Lexile Framework Workshop Flyer

MS ESOL Support Course Numbers FY2011

Click here to download the CCSD course numbers for middle school ESOL support course numbers. These number have been uploaded into SchoolMax for FY2011:

Download ESOL support course numbers ms 2011

What can schools do to assist adolescents with interrupted schooling?

In the article "English Language Learners with Interrupted Schooling: Do Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Native Language Proficiency and Acculturation Matter?," Rebecca K. Fox, Ph.D., Anastasia Kitsantas, Ph.D. & George Flowers discuss the role that self-efficacy and acculturation play in the success of adolescents with interrupted schooling. They also provide the following five guidelines for schools with adolescents with interrupted schooling (AIS):

Understand the backgrounds of AIS and acknowledge the resources they bring to the school and the classroom.

Provide opportunities for ELLs to access academic content in their L1 to support L2 acquisition.

Encourage literacy activities in the home.

Encourage students to join school clubs, sports, and organizations.

Provide opportunities for both parents and students to understand new school systems.

For the complete article, go to http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/accellerate/index.html#fox

Middle School ESOL Contact

For information or assistance regarding the ESOL program at middle schools, contact Greg Clark District Lead ESOL teacher (cell: 678-761-6579). 

Resources

Check this site frequently for updates.