Question:
I was wondering about accommodations in class for ELL
students when taking teacher-made tests, etc. Does anyone have school
policies for students who have passed out of the ESL program, but who
still have special language needs because of their previous ELL standing?
Thank you.
Reply 1:
Most teachers will understand that accommodations still need to be made
for about two years after exiting the ESL program. Perhaps a one-on-one
discussion with the teachers would help.
Reply 2:
What we do in our district after an ELL exits the program is to
periodically monitor him/her for the next two years. We check their
progress with his/her homeroom teacher and any of the special teachers
for the content areas such as math, science or social studies. I don't
know if you do this but we also have a coordination log that we fill out
on all our exits and enter criteria that shows progress or lack their of
and any steps taken to rectify the situation and help the student get
back on track. We also conference with the mainstream teacher and
provide strategies and make suggestions to help her/him help her/his ELLs.
Question:
What does this coordination log look like? What are its components?
Reply:
It's a one-page sheet for all grade levels. The heading provides space
for information about the child's ESL status at exit (how long s/he was
in the program, exit scores, etc.) as well as the child's name, current
grade and the date. That's followed by spaces for scores on recent
tests and report cards - all just listed - you fill in what applies.
There's a section for information about attendance, discipline, and
referral for Special Services. At the bottom is room for some anecdotal
comments. The ESL teacher usually enters those during a (hopefully
brief) conversation with the homeroom teacher. These have two foci: 1)
Are language issues affecting the child's performance (esp. academic
performance) negatively? 2) If so, how are these problems being
addressed? (The ESL teacher is often already in the room, and one
solution is often to have the child join the ESL group for specific subject areas).
It's a very concise record of how the child is transitioning into mainstream life.
Was that any help? ;-)
1/30/07
