John Stanley

CONTEXTThe District, Programs, Students, Staff, & Community

Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/katherineofchicago/3190880908/sizes/m/

The District• approximately 3,600

students• Four elementary schools and

two middle schools • located on a campus• “Choice Schools”

Students: ELLs in Hawthorn District 73

What Are the Demographics of ELLs in Hawthorn District?

Voice of Lara ChristounCoordinator of Bilingual Services and Federal Grants

Community

• Of the 3,600 total students, about 300 are considered ESL (about eight percent)

• 62 nationalities• 57 backgrounds• 30 languages spoken• Predominant non-English language is Spanish,

followed by Korean, Russian, and Polish

Photo Source: http://www.hawthorn73.org/

ELL Programs

• Dual-language (Two-Way Bilingual)program at Townline

• ESL-pullout and structured immersion in the rest of the buildings

• ESL pullout for levels 1 and 2• Structured immersion is for levels 2 ½ and up • “Exploratory” Spanish class for all students at

Townline

More About the Spanish Program at Townline• The International Bachelorette Organization

(IBO) required another language be taught to all students ages 7-12 in its Primary Year Program (PYP)

• Townline piloted a Spanish Exploratory program. Students received 40-80 minutes of instruction in conversational Spanish each week

• After ongoing review and assessment, administration decided to discontinue the program

• Rosetta Stone language program next year

http://www.hawthorn73.org/downloads/learning/presentations/20090223_TL_Changes.pdf

Staff

• Dual-Language Teachers• ESL Teachers (often with

bilingual endorsement)• Bilingual Aides

PROCESSDecision-Making in Hawthorn

Decision-Making• Superintendent• Principals• Coordinator of Bilingual Services & Federal Grants• Official assessment pieces • Both ESL and classroom teachers play a large role

in the decision-making process about ELL• If there were any doubt, the district would rather

err on the side of caution and keep the child in ESL for another year.

• The Hawthorn Planning Council (HPC): A committee of administrators and teachers

ASSESSMENT

Assessment

• ACCESS screener• Teacher input (ESL and classroom) • Students monitored for two years

after exit• Can be readmitted if struggling

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Community Outreach

• ESL parent meetings and Title 1 meetings

• Held four to six times a year• Parent meetings with breakout

sessions in different languages• Speakers at the parent meetings

are driven by parent requests

Community Outreach (cont.)

• Adding a Parent University for parents of all languages (including English)

• Parent participation in the dual-language program is very strong

• Future Program: Sed de Saber (Thirst for Knowledge) is an ESL program for parents

RECOMMENDATIONS

Positives Aspects That Should Continue• Dual-Language Program• ESL for students speaking 30 different

languages• Use of native-language support when possible• ESL structured immersion for all but beginning

levels of English• Higher than normal “bar” on the ACCESS

screener to exit program• Monitor students for two years after they exit

ESL• Strong teacher component for decision making• Use of classroom aides who speak native

languages