The Montgomery County Public Schools ELD program is designed to empower Emergent Multilingual students to master academic English to thrive in school, college, careers, and as global citizens. The education of students learning English as a new language is a collaborative responsibility shared by the ELD teacher, the classroom teacher, all other appropriate MCPS staff, as well as the Emergent Multilingual Learner.
Early Childhood Learners are in language rich-environments. Many students are dual language learners who simultaneously develop their home language while developing English in child care settings. All staff supporting Pre-K work to employ multiple modalities to increase language development. Staff implement instruction using the WIDA Early Years framework which promotes equitable early care and education opportunities for young multilingual children.
Students who receive English Language Development services receive direct language instruction while receiving support to successfully access grade level content. Classroom teachers provide emergent multilingual learners with supports to access grade level content using academic English.
Students who receive a SLIFE designation in grades three through five enroll at the home school, accessing grade-level instruction with same-age peers. Students are assigned a SLIFE Coach who will provide professional learning and coaching to build the capacity of general education and English Language Development (ELD) staff to support the language and academic needs of SLIFE. SLIFE Coaches may model and co-teach lessons, attend planning meetings, advocate for and model equitable, culturally responsive practices, and collaborate with case-management teams to care for the academic, social, and emotional well-being of SLIFE and their caregivers.
There are various instructional models that can be effectively implemented in an elementary school’s English Language Development program. Services can be implemented across all content areas. Students develop their interpretive (reading and listening) and expressive (writing and speaking) skills through the integration of language and content.
In a co-teaching model, the English Language Development teacher works alongside the general education teacher to provide academic language scaffolds within instruction that builds and supports core content. Collaborative instructional models provide opportunities for emergent multilingual learners to engage in academic discourse around rigorous academic content furthering their language development while increasing student achievement, motivation, and engagement.
In a plug-in model, the English Language Development teacher instructs students in the general education classroom. This may include co-teaching the whole class with the certified classroom teacher or instructing small groups of emergent multilingual students during independent work/center time.
In a pull-out model, the English Language Development teacher instructs emergent multilingual students outside of the general education classroom, to provide targeted language instruction to students entering or emerging in their English language proficiency.
At any level of English language proficiency, a combination of instructional models may be implemented to take advantage of the benefits of the various models to provide access to grade level content.