English as a Second Language (ESL) Program

PROGRAM GOALS: The goal of the MSD English as a Second Language program is FIESTA:
Facilitate ESL - Instructions and Enrichment that are Student-centered, differentiated,
and Targeted to meet All learners’ needs.

MISSION: The mission of the Mehlville School District ESL program is to support academic language development and academic achievement for English language learners through quality and research-based curriculum, instruction, professional development, and parent involvement.
 
VISION: The vision of the Mehlville School District ESL program is that students will be able to (1) Acquire language, comprehend and interpret meaning and respond appropriately in basic interpersonal and academic contexts; (2) Speak for a variety of basic interpersonal and academic purposes, with fluency, using appropriate vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and nonverbal communication strategies; (3) Acquire language and comprehend, analyze, interpret, and evaluate a variety of literary and informational texts; (4) Develop literacy skills and academic behaviors for successful participation in ELL and content classes; (5) Write for a variety of interpersonal and academic purposes with fluency, using appropriate vocabulary, grammar, and Standard English writing conventions; (6) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of American institutions and customs in order to interact appropriately in social and academic situations; and (7) Demonstrate rigorous learning beyond minimum requirements, such as participation and achievement in higher-level courses.
BELIEFS: MSD fully supports the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Guiding Principles of Language Development:
  1. Students’ languages and cultures are valuable resources to be tapped and incorporated into schooling. - Escamilla & Hopewell (2010); Goldenberg & Coleman (2010); Garcia (2005); Freeman, Freeman, &Mercuri (2002); González, Moll, & Amanti (2005); Scarcella (1990)
  2. Students’ home, school, and community experiences influence their language development. - Nieto (2008); Payne (2003); Collier (1995); California State Department of Education (1986)
  3. Students draw on their metacognitive, metalinguistic, and metacultural awareness to develop proficiency in additional languages. - Cloud, Genesee, & Hamayan (2009); Bialystok (2007); Chamot & O’Malley (1994); Bialystok (1991);Cummins (1978)
  4. Students' academic language development in their native language facilitates their academic language development in English. Conversely, students' academic language development in English informs their academic language development in their native language. - Escamilla & Hopewell (2010); Gottlieb, Katz, & Ernst-Slavit (2009); Tabors (2008); Espinosa (2009); August & Shanahan (2006); Genesee, Lindholm-Leary, Saunders, & Christian (2006); Snow (2005); Genesee, Paradis, & Crago (2004); August & Shanahan (2006); Riches & Genesee (2006); Gottlieb (2003); Schleppegrell & Colombi (2002); Lindholm & Molina (2000); Pardo & Tinajero (1993)
  5. Students learn language and culture through meaningful use and interaction. - Brown (2007); Garcia & Hamayan, (2006); Garcia (2005); Kramsch (2003); Díaz-Rico & Weed (1995); Halliday & Hasan (1989); Damen (1987)
  6. Students use language in functional and communicative ways that vary according to context. - Schleppegrell (2004); Halliday (1976); Finocchiaro & Brumfit (1983)
  7. Students develop language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing interdependently, but at different rates and in different ways. - Gottlieb & Hamayan (2007); Spolsky (1989); Vygotsky (1962)
  8. Students’ development of academic language and academic content knowledge are inter-related processes. - Gibbons (2009); Collier & Thomas (2009); Gottlieb, Katz, & Ernst-Slavit (2009); Echevarria, Vogt, & Short (2008); Zwiers (2008); Gee (2007); Bailey (2007); Mohan (1986)
  9. Students' development of social, instructional, and academic language, a complex and long-term process, is the foundation for their success in school. - Anstrom, et.al. (2010); Francis, Lesaux, Kieffer, & Rivera (2006); Bailey & Butler (2002); Cummins (1979)
  10. Students’ access to instructional tasks requiring complex thinking is enhanced when linguistic complexity and instructional support match their levels of language proficiency. - Gottlieb, Katz, & Ernst-Slavit (2009); Gibbons (2009, 2002); Vygotsky (1962)

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