• Overview


    Multilingual Learners Programs

    The Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) supports classroom instruction for Multilingual Learners in grades K-8. The program helps students develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and is taught by English Learner (EL) Specialists.

    Students in Kindergarten to 5th Grade receive collaborative resource support from EL Specialists for basic English, literacy, and content areas based on their English language proficiency level. In schools with high numbers of ELs in a certain grade level, students are placed in a Sheltered or English Integration classroom.  The Sheltered Program and English Integration program are currently available in grades K-2; students in these classes receive full-day language support with an EL-certified classroom teacher using grade-level District 25 curriculum in all content areas.  

    Students in middle school Grades 6-8 receive support from EL Specialists for basic English, literacy, and content area support. Students may receive support for 1-3 periods per day based on their English language proficiency level.

  • A Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) program is provided at schools where there are 20 or more students of one language group in the EL program. This program provides instruction from a Bilingual Specialist in the native language and English in core academic subjects as needed. Native language support may also be provided in the regular classroom setting as well through co-teaching and collaboration. Currently, our top five languages are Spanish, Polish, Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil! 

    Identifying English Learners

    District 25 uses the Illinois State Board of Education's criteria to determine eligibility for the English Learner/Bilingual program. If a parent/guardian has indicated the student speaks another language OR another language is spoken at home on the Home Language Survey, the student must be screened for English Language Proficiency.

  • CHART FOR DETERMINING ENGLISH PROFICIENCY FOR PRESCHOOL STUDENTS

    SCREENER  
    DOMAINS ASSESSED
    Cut-score for English Language Proficiency
    Listening
    Speaking
    Reading
    Writing
    Pre-IPT Oral® Preschool-Age 3
    X
    X
     NA  NA Score at Level D or E on a scale of level A-E)
    Pre-IPT Oral® Preschool - Age 4 and Age 5
    X
    X
     NA  NA Score at Level E (on a scale of level A-E)

    CHART FOR DETERMINING ENGLISH PROFICIENCY FOR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS- 1st GRADE

    SCREENER  
    DOMAINS ASSESSED
    Cut-score for English Language Proficiency
    Listening
    Speaking
    Reading
    Writing
    MODEL™ Kindergarten (1st Semester)
    X
    X
     NA  NA Oral language proficiency level is 5.0
    MODEL™ Kindergarten (2nd Semester)
    X
    X
    X
    X

    Overall composite proficiency level is 5.0 and the composite literacy (reading/ writing) level is 4.2

    MODEL™ First Grade (1st Semester)
    X
    X
    X
    X

    Overall composite proficiency level is 5.0 and the composite literacy (reading/ writing) level is 4.2

     
    DETERMINING ENGLISH PROFICIENCY FOR 1st GRADE(second semester)- 12th GRADE
    WIDA ACCESS™ Online Screener or WIDA Measure of Developing English Language (MODEL). Districts must use either the WIDA- Online Screener or MODEL as a screener for students entering the second semester of 1st grade through 12th grade to determine students’ English language proficiency and to identify students eligible to receive EL services.

    Standards


     WIDA

    The WIDA Consortium consists of 41 member states, including Illinois.  The consortium has developed the English Language Development (ELD) Standards and Spanish Language Development (SLD) Standards. These language standards focus on the development of the four language domains (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) through various proficiency levels. The Can-Do Descriptors were developed to help classroom teachers understand students' abilities in oral and written language.

    Language Domains

    Assessment of Language Proficiency:

    ACCESS for ELLs is a secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment administered to Kindergarten through 12th-grade students who have been identified as English language learners (ELLs). It is given annually in WIDA Consortium member states to monitor students' progress in acquiring academic English. 

    ACCESS for ELLs is aligned with the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards and assesses each of the four language domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Testing occurs each year around January-February and can be computer-based or paper-based depending on grade level.  

    Once students acquire English proficiency, students will be monitored for two years to ensure success in the mainstream classroom.  In some instances, EL teachers may communicate with parents to suggest continued support beyond proficiency.