English Language Development

When families register a student online, they complete a Home Language Survey. Families are asked:

• What language did your child first learn to speak?
• What language does your child use most at home?

If either answer is a language other than English, an ML Specialist gives the student the WIDA English Language

Proficiency Screener.

The WIDA Screener is usually given when a student who may need English language support first enrolls in a Washington school.

The online assessment measures four areas of English:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

Students continue to receive ELD services as long as they need additional support with English.

Each year, usually in February or March, students take the WIDA ACCESS assessment. This test measures their growth in:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

The results help determine whether a student continues to qualify for ELD services.

Students with significant cognitive disabilities may take the WIDA Alternate ACCESS instead. The student's IEP Team determines whether this assessment is appropriate.

Students may exit the ELD program when they meet the district's exit requirements and reach English proficiency.

Students are considered Proficient when they score Level 4 or 5 in all four language areas on the annual WIDA ACCESS assessment.

After a student reaches proficiency, ML Specialists and teachers continue to monitor the student's academic progress for two years. They may provide additional support if needed.

Families, teachers, and counselors can contact an ML Specialist at any time to discuss a student's progress and whether additional support is needed.

Our ML Specialists are trained and certified to support students who are learning English. They have experience teaching English, working with different cultures, and supporting multilingual learners.

ML Specialists serve in many roles. They may:

• Teach students
• Support and advocate for students and families
• Work with classroom teachers
• Provide training and coaching
• Help staff understand the needs of multilingual learners

Our specialists can provide support in English, Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish, and French.

When needed, ML Specialists can also arrange interpretation and translation services in other languages. These services may be provided through community organizations, universities, other school districts, or Proprio phone interpretation services.

ML Specialists work closely with teachers and families to better understand each student's:

• Language skills
• Academic history
• Strengths
• Learning needs
• Cultural and language background

Each student may have an ELD Academic Plan. The plan considers the student's level of English and other factors that may affect academic progress and adjustment to a new language or school environment.

The ELD Academic Plan is a working document. It helps teachers, ML Specialists, and families work together to support the student.

Students and teachers may also have access to additional resources, including:

• Bilingual picture dictionaries
• Imagine Learning®, an online language and literacy program
• Other resources based on student needs

The ELD program provides ongoing training and support for CVSD staff.

Training topics may include:

• Supporting students and families from different cultural and language backgrounds
• Supporting immigrant and refugee students and families
• How students learn a new language
• Using the WIDA English Language Development Standards
• Adapting instruction for different language levels
• Culturally responsive teaching practices
• Research-based teaching strategies

Training may include the Guided Language Acquisition Design (Project GLAD®) instructional model.

ML Specialists also provide follow-up coaching and consultation to help staff apply these strategies in their classrooms.

Book studies and guest speakers may also be offered based on staff needs and feedback.