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Federal Programs » English Learners

English Learners

Mission

The mission of the McNairy County Schools ESL Department is to meet the language needs of English Learners and help them achieve the high academic standards expected of all students.
 

Program Goals and Content

The ESL program educates English Learners in a way that respects individual diversity, ability, intellect and character. The ESL Department provides English classes to non-native English speakers who qualify for services.
 
The department supports students and teachers through a variety of services including:
 
-pull-out programs - scheduled ESL classes - inclusion support - other appropriate resources
 
All of these services are available to any student who has been identified as an English Learner by the approved Tennessee Department of Education language proficiency screener or assessment.
 
The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of students at each level of English proficiency through:
  • English reading, writing, grammar, listening and speaking skills
  • one-on-one or small group instruction
  • daily ESL classes for credit in high schools
  • close collaboration with classroom teachers
  • vocabulary building and communication techniques
  • materials and strategies according to student needs
 
 
Link for Parents: Reading Tip Sheets
 
Spanish Version document below:

English as a Second Language District Plan

NAME OF DISTRICT: MCNAIRY COUNTY
 
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS: 8
 
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WITH ESL SERVICES: 5
 
NUMBER OF ELL’S: 15
 
NUMBER OF ELL TEACHERS: 1
 
DATE: October 3, 2019
 
Service Delivery Model:
 
X ESL pull-out programs
 
X Push in or inclusion models
 
Position of person completing this form: Federal Programs Director
 
Does your district administer the Home Language Survey (HLS) to each newly enrolled student? Yes X No ☐
 
Does your district utilize all three of the following required questions?
  1. What is the first language this child learned to speak? Yes X No ☐
  2. What language does this child speak most often outside of school? Yes X No ☐
  3. What language do people usually speak in this child’s home? Yes X No ☐
Is the first HLS saved in the student’s cumulative record? Yes X No ☐
 
  • If the HLS is collected annually what happens to the more recent (newer) forms?
  • Are they kept or discarded? Kept X Discarded ☐
  • If kept, where? Permanent record file
 
Briefly explain your monitoring procedures.
We use the self-assessment guide that we received to review the services offered to students and their families, we observe classrooms/instruction that have EL students, formally and informally discuss progress with teachers and administrators.
 
Does the district use TDOE exit criteria for ELs? Yes X No ☐
 
Does the district use other criteria in addition to the minimum TDOE criteria for exit? Yes ☐ No X
 
Does the district use criteria for reclassification of ELs? Yes X No ☐
 
Please explain the process for monitoring the success of T1 and T2 students?
These students are monitored through their midterm and quarterly grades, test scores, and teacher input.
 
Please briefly explain interventions commonly used for T1, T2 students who are experiencing linguistic difficulties.
Push in support as needed.
 
Please explain how World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) standards are used by ESL teachers.
Lesson plans are built around the WIDA standards that need to be met and coordinated with regular instruction as appropriate with regular ed teachers.
 
Please explain how non-ESL teachers utilize the WIDA standards.
They are given those standards and utilize them as they incorporate student expectations and instructional strategies as they address the TN standards.
 

Plan for Hiring Teachers working with English Learners

McNairy County Schools will take the following steps when assessing a teacher for employment to work with ELL students:
 

  1. Reading

The applicant’s college transcript will be reviewed for appropriate college level courses which require strong reading skills which may include but are not limited to literature, science, history, etc. The applicant must have earned a C or higher to be eligible for employment for ELL students.
 

  1. Writing

The applicant’s college transcript will be reviewed for appropriate college level courses which require strong writing skills which may include but are not limited to composition, literature, research, etc. The applicant must have earned a C or higher to be eligible for employment for ELL students.
 

  1. Speaking

During the interview, a designee will document incorrect grammar and syntax mistakes. Appropriate speaking fluency will also be noted.
 

  1. Listening

During the interview process, a designee will document listening mistakes as noted by inappropriate responses to questions.
 
McNairy County Schools will adhere to requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 2015.
 
 

HOME LANGUAGE SURVEY 

STUDENT NAME: ____________________________________________
DATE: ____________________________________________
GRADE: ____________________________________________
SCHOOL: ____________________________________________
 
  1. WHAT IS THE FIRST LANGUAGE YOUR CHILD LEARNED TO SPEAK?
    ____________________________________________ 
  2. WHAT LANGUAGE DOES YOUR CHILD SPEAK MOST OFTEN OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL?
    ____________________________________________
  3. WHAT LANGUAGE DO PEOPLE USUALLY SPEAK IN YOUR CHILD’S HOME?
    ____________________________________________
SCHOOL PERSONNEL: THE ORIGINAL COPY SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE STUDENT’S PERMANENT RECORD WHEN THEY ARE ENROLLED FOR THE FIRST TIME.  IF ANY ANSWERS ARE DIFFERENT THAN ENGLISH, PLEASE MAKE A COPY AND SEND TO THE ESL TEACHER OR DISTRICT COORDINATOR AT 731-645-8372.
 
 

Transitional Monitoring Procedures 

Initial Follow-Up after exiting ESL Program
 
An initial follow-up should be made within two weeks of exiting ESL services: to verify that the student is achieving academically, and to check on the student’s social and psychological adjustment. 
 
Student Achievement Monitoring Activities Post-exit monitoring activities include periodic: 
 
  1. review of grades; review of standardized test scores; 
  2. review of portfolio assessments; 
  3. student and/or parental interviews; and 
  4. discussions between an ESL professional and the student’s general education teachers held at the end of each progress reporting period to determine if the exited student is adjusting and succeeding academically and to identify any academic or adjustment needs. 

ESL Reclassification Plan

EL students are formally monitored the first two years after exiting the program and follow-up the third and fourth years in the general education program. Student progress is monitored by the ESL teacher using the following tools with feedback from core academic teachers.
 
If it is determined during the monitoring phase that an EL student is struggling academically as a result of persistent language barriers, then the district has in place a plan to re-designate that former EL as an active EL and re-enroll him/her in the ESL program.  Based on the information included in the surveys and progress monitoring data, decisions will be made. 
 
Former EL students that are reclassified as active must meet the state-required criteria, and the monitoring process will start over with the reclassification.
 
The following inventories are completed by content teachers in the general education.  The ACCESS scores will be used by the ESL teacher who is responsible for gathering the data, convening the meeting, and maintaining documentation.