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:
- 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)
- Students’ home, school, and community experiences
influence their language development. - Nieto (2008); Payne (2003);
Collier (1995); California State Department of Education (1986)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Students
use language in functional and communicative ways that vary according to
context. - Schleppegrell (2004); Halliday (1976); Finocchiaro &
Brumfit (1983)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)