Mission
Program Description
International Student Enrollment
Language Assistance Services
Contacts and Links
The mission of the Hall County English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program is as follows:
- To provide each English Language Learner with the academic and social skills necessary to insure academic achievement and facilitate productive life-long learning
- To provide services to assist international parents and students in becoming an integral part of the school and community
- To provide ongoing staff development for ESOL teachers, content area teachers, and parent liaisons
Students with 36 different primary home languages attend Hall County Schools. The ESOL Program serves more than 5,500 English Language Learners who originate more than 25 countries. The program offers ESOL classes for 3,808 ELL students who are instructed by 103 ESOL teachers providing services in all Hall County schools.
English Language Learners (ELLs) in need of support may receive daily direct instruction from an ESOL teacher, other language assistance teachers, or instructional interventions in the regular classroom. ESOL teachers collaborate closely with other teachers, sometimes in a co-teaching setting, to provide comprehensible instruction for English Language Learners in acquiring English proficiency while continuing to learn content. The ultimate academic goal for ELLs is achieving success with the Georgia Performance Standards.
ESOL instruction addresses listening, speaking, reading and writing skills needed for academic achievement in language arts, math, social studies, science and social interaction. In addition, students are introduced to American cultural concepts needed for school success while they are encouraged to value their first language and culture.
International Student Enrollment
Upon entry into the school system, each student completes a Home Language Survey as part of the registration form. If the Home Language Survey reveals that the student’s primary language is anything other than English, the student must be assessed using the state English proficient test, WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT). Students whose primary language is any language other than English as determined by the Home Language Survey are encouraged to register at the International Center. The International Center is able to provide bilingual assistance and community resources, as well as administer assessments. Parents of students new to US schools should call the Hall County International Center for an appointment (770-534-9123). At the International Center, families will be interviewed by bilingual staff to complete necessary school forms, and students will be assessed for English language proficiency and math skills. If students have transcripts from previously attended schools, they should bring those with them to enroll.
Following the guidelines established by the Georgia Department of Education, Hall County provides language assistance services for eligible English Language Learners (ELL). WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT) results below proficiency Level 5.0 deem a student as ELL and therefore, eligible for language assistance services. These services are often provided by the school’s English to Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) program using a pullout, push-in (co-teaching) or sheltered instructional model. The program is designed to help these students develop and improve English proficiency and provide them with the language foundation to participate successfully in mainstream classroom instruction.
ESOL eligible students are tested annually with the WIDA-Assessing Comprehension and Content in English State to State (ACCESS) for English Language Learners. The test measures academic language across the content areas of language arts, math, science and social studies. Scores are used to measure student progress from year to year and to determine when English language learners no longer need language assistance. Once ready to exit language assistance services, students are monitored for a two-year period to assure continuation of academic and language progress.
Dr. Sandra Perry, ESOL Coordinator
Mrs. Cindy Tu, ESOL Teacher on Special Assignment
Rebecca Scroggs, International Center Coordinator (770-534-9123)
Other informational links:
GADOE (Georgia Department of Education) http://www.gadoe.org/ci_iap_esol.aspx
OELA (Office of English Language Assistance) – www.oela.edu
NCELA (National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition)
CAL (Center for Applied Linguistics) – www.cal.org
NABE (National Association for Bilingual Education) – www.nabe.org
TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) – www.tesol.org
GATESOL (Georgia Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) – www.gatesol.org
CREDE http://crede.berkeley.edu/
SIOP www.siopinstitute.net
Pew Hispanic Center www.pewhispanic.org
