Foothill to Open An ESL Program
Fall 2007

Provide and promote effective instruction to develop English Language Proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for limited English proficient students.

• Ensure that effective instruction in all areas is provided for English language learners.
• Collaboration between classroom and ESL program staff to support student achievement.
• Cultivate respect for the value of diversity in a language enriched school.
• Commitment to provide a quality program that results in an English language proficiency level and academic achievement meeting state and district goals.
• Promote community and family involvement to support high academic achievement.

These components are integral to the success of the ESL program at Foothill Elementary. The design team, Foothill staff, and LLSS staff are working together to ensure that these components and more are in place for the 2007-2008 school year.

Identification and Assessment at Foothill:

• Home Language Survey
• English Language Assessment
• Program placement

Family Community:

• Social Events
• Orientation to School
• Parent Groups
• Translators and Interpreters
• Volunteers
• Community Resources
• Community Liaison

Academic:

• Classroom teachers trained for diverse learners.
• ESL teacher specialized in instruction for English language learners. 
• Multiple forms of ongoing assessment 
• Language development monitored through the English Language Development Profile
• Instructional strategies that benefit all students.

Challenging students of all ages and linguistic and cultural backgrounds to achieve their academic, creative and physical potential.

“He Spoke …It wasn’t how I spoke
He held my hand, it wasn’t the color of my hand
..But when he laughed, it was how I laughed..
….When he cried, it was how I cried…..”
Anonymous

Q: How will an ESL Program change Foothill?
A: ESL is an added program bringing resources and language enrichment to the school that ALL children can benefit from. It does not take away from any other program.

Q: What is the difference between ESL and Bilingual Programs?
A: ESL instruction is delivered by a certified English as a Second Language teacher in only English. ESL curriculum focuses on listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English through content themes occurring in the classroom. In a Bilingual program, content is delivered in the student’s native language and in their second language. The goal is to maintain or develop bilingualism.

Q: When will the ESL program begin?
A: In the fall of the 2007-2008 school year.

Q: How are children identified for the program?
A: Every family completes a Home Language Survey when registering for school. If there is a language other than English in the home, the child will take an English language proficiency assessment. Based on the results, the ESL teacher or coordinator will determine if support in English is necessary. Once students have achieved a level of fluency in academic and social English, they will be transitioned out of the ESL program and monitored.

Q: How is ESL support delivered?
A: ESL support typically occurs in small groups outside of the classroom for 45-90 minutes depending on the proficiency level of the student. The students are grouped by language level and also by grade level. The ESL teacher may also go into the classroom to support the teacher with techniques to make the content more accessible to all students. The classroom teacher supports the English language learner in the classroom with strategies that maximize students’ opportunities to acquire English and comprehend the content.

Foothill Elementary School
303-443-1847
Email: bvsd.foe@bvsd.org
1001 Hawthorn Avenue, Boulder, CO  80304