English Learners

All parents are asked to complete a Home Language Survey when enrolling students at a Danville Community School Corporation school. Parents are asked to provide information about:

The native language of the student.
The language (s) spoken most often by the student.
The language(s) spoken by the student in the home.

If a language other than English is listed, the student may be tested to determine if they qualify for English language development services. An English language proficiency placement test is administered once to a student and serves as a screener to initially identify a student as an English Learner (EL). Any student that has been identified as limited English proficient will participate in an annual English language proficiency assessment, during a January-February assessment window. Students will continue to take the annual proficiency assessment until they reach formal exit criteria on the assessment. The purpose of the testing is to determine English fluency levels and the need for programming and mainstream accommodations.

The purpose of English Language instruction is to develop a student’s English proficiency in all areas of language: Social and Instructional Language, Language of Language Arts, Language of Math, Language of Science, and Language of Social Studies. A student’s basic face-to-face oral communication skills will develop naturally and relatively quickly, often without the need for EL services. However, the language to do academic work may take longer to develop and is the main goal of EL services. When needed, an Individualize Learning Plan (ILP) will be developed to specify programming needs and mainstream accommodations. EL services at a Danville Community School Corporation school may be delivered in a blended combination of pull out and inclusionary formats.

English Language Proficiency Levels

Level 1 Entering - Limited English Proficient
- Knows and uses minimal social Language and minimal academic language with visual and graphic support.
Level 2 Emerging - Limited English Proficient
- Knows and uses some social English and general academic language with visual and graphic support.
Level 3 Developing - Limited English Proficient
- Knows and uses some social English and some specific academic language with visual and graphic support.
Level 4 Expanding - Limited English Proficient
- Knows and uses social English and some technical academic language.
Level 5 Bridging - Fluent English Proficient
- Knows and uses social English and academic language working with grade level materials.
Level 6 Reaching - Fluent English Proficient
- Knows and uses social English and academic language at the highest level measured by WIDA ACCESS (state assessment).

Performance Definitions for the Levels of English Language Proficiency

Level 1 - Entering

Pictorial or graphic representation of the language of the content areas
Words, phrases, or chunks of language when presented with one-step commands, directions, WH questions, choice, or yes/no questions, or statements descriptions with sensory, graphic, or interactive support
Oral language with phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that often impede meaning when presented with basic oral commands, direct questions, or simple statements with sensory, graphic, or interactive support

Level 2 - Emerging

General language related to the content areas
Phrases or short sentences
Oral or written language with phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that often impede the communication when presented with one to multiple-step commands, directives, questions, or a series of statements with sensory, graphic, or interactive support

Level 3 - Developing

General and some specific language in the content areas
Expanded sentences in oral interaction or written paragraphs
Oral or written language with phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that may impede the communication, but retain much of its meaning, when presented with oral or written, narrative, or expository descriptions with sensory, graphic, or interactive support

Level 4 - Expanding

Specific and some technical language of the content areas
A variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in oral discourse or multiple written related sentences and paragraphs
Oral or written language with minimal phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that do not impede the overall meaning of the communication when presented with oral or written, narrative, or expository descriptions with sensory, graphic, or interactive support

Level 5 - Bridging

Specialized or technical language of the content areas
A variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in extended oral or written discourse, including stories, essays or reports
Oral or written language in English comparable to proficient English peers when presented with grade-level material

Level 6 - Reaching

Specialized or technical language reflective of the content areas at grade level
A variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in extended oral or written discourse as required by the specified grade level
Oral or written communication in English comparable to proficient English peers