English Language Learning Program (ELL)
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The ELL Program at Concordia provides students with individualized language support so that every child can access the engaging and rigorous content offered through the curriculum.
Program Structure
Identification
As a member of the WIDA International School Consortium, Concordia International utilizes the WIDA Assessment to identify incoming students’ language needs and strengths. Students are evaluated in the four language domains of Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing, all of which are essential for success in classroom and extracurricular activities. Specific knowledge about each student’s language abilities allows ELL Specialists to help students strive for new goals as each milestone is achieved.
Language Scaffolds
Our ELL Specialists are trained and experienced in providing language scaffolds in various content areas and in all divisions of the school. A language scaffold is the technique of breaking up classroom content into smaller chunks or providing tools so that students can reach mastery of the academic content objectives.
Support Model
Co-teaching
In all divisions, ELL Specialists work closely with homeroom or content teachers to plan, instruct, and assess our ELL students. Whether the Specialist is working one-on-one with a student to elaborate their writing, pre-teaching Biology vocabulary to a small group , or teaching the whole class about reading strategies, their focus is on helping your child develop their speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills.
English Language Development (ELD) Courses
ELL students in Middle School and High School are also enrolled in our ELD Course. These courses provide focused language learning in all language domains for more effective development. One great advantage of this course is that extra support for content in Language Arts, Social Studies, or Science is reinforced by our ELL Specialists as students take on more rigorous studies.
Exit Criteria
As students gain confidence and sophistication in using English for their learning, their progress is continually monitored for areas of growth and need. At the end of each year, a variety of criteria are used to determine if students are ready to advance to the next language proficiency level or exit the ELL Program. Criteria include but are not limited to WIDA scores, standardized assessments, classroom language tasks, and academic progress.
Home-School Partnership
Research shows that a two-way partnership between a child’s school and home plays an integral role in student development (Weiss, Lopez, & Rosenberg, 2011.) To that end, we value the communication, support, and advocacy our families provide over the course of their time at Concordia. Through our ELL Program, we strive to support our students and families so that they can thrive in all areas of their life at Concordia International School.