Program
Description:
The Templeton ENL program is mostly inclusive in nature. Classes are multi-age, where students stay with one teacher for at least two years. This seems to be especially conducive to English language development, adding to the comfort of the children, and also allows students to progress at their own pace. ENL students are placed in 6 classrooms in the school, which helps facilitate collaborative teaching with the ENL teacher.
The English language proficiency of each ENL student is assessed with the LAS Links Placement test and personal observation within the first two weeks of enrollment at Templeton. Students who are a level one or two receive Survival English, a pull-out session in which they are taught about U.S. culture, grammar, vocabulary, and learning strategies. They also receive in-class support from the ENL teacher.
The ENL teacher regularly visits the classroom of each ENL student and collaborates with each teacher as necessary to modify the classroom curriculum, according to the Indiana English Language Proficiency Standards corresponding to the student’s level of proficiency. The high visibility of the ENL teacher in each classroom lets all students know that the ENL teacher is there to give support to any student who needs it.
Classroom teachers and the ENL teacher collaborate to provide a narrative report of the child’s English progress each quarter, and are constantly monitoring to see which students need extra support for certain language demands of the curriculum. When there is a need, the ENL teacher develops lessons to use for small groups or for individual students, as required on a case-by-case basis.
All ENL students are given a LAS Links test in the spring. This test measures student progress in four skill areas: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The results of these tests are shared with parents as they become available to the school, and parents generally receive a letter explaining the test result for their child in the summer. These LAS Links tests are important indicators of student, school, district, and state achievement for ENL students.
