Goals

The goals of the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program in the Marlboro Township School District are to enable the English Language Learner (ELL) student to acquire English language skills and to become mainstreamed into the academic and social context of his/her school environment.  Specifically, the goals of the program are to:

1. Provide developmental English language instruction, including both academic and social language skills, in order to mainstream students as quickly as possible into courses where they will achieve success and sustain positive self-esteem.
2. Provide a program that fulfills each individual’s needs and abilities. Emphasis will be given to the whole student (cognitive, social, emotional, and physical), which dictates flexibility in the program.  The program takes into consideration: previous school experience, age, literacy level, culture, native language, interests, and self-concept.
3. Develop lessons that appeal to both the cognitive and affective domains. Study skills are taught for each level and both students and teachers are made responsible for learning.
4. Include the parents and community so both student and family feel a strong sense of belonging and involvement. Parents are informed of students’ progress through conferences, phone calls, progress reports, and report cards.  
5. Address the individuality of the learner and care for each student as a whole person. This program will use an eclectic approach using humanistic as well as academic means.
6. Provide academic content support based on World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards and the New Jersey English Language Proficiency Standards.

Identification of ELLs (English Language Learners)

During the registration process, if a language other than English is spoken at home, an English as a Second Language Teacher will screen your child. The teacher will use the W-APT Screening Process The WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT)™ WIDA model test to see if he/she is eligible to receive services. After completion of the Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing, the Test Administrator (ESL Teacher) will use the instructions on the scoring sheet to calculate the student’s overall Proficiency Level. If the student is eligible for services, the parents will be notified about their child’s eligibility and the services that will be provided. If parents consent to placement in the program, the child is placed in the appropriate grade and school.

All students who are eligible to receive services will be notified no later than 30 (thirty) days of being screened. Parents will be notified of the score, method of instruction, E.S.L. teacher and placement location.

Program

The ESL curriculum for Grades K-8 has been aligned to the ESL standards for K-8 students, developed by Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and which have been adopted into code by the New Jersey State Department of Education. The framework of the Marlboro Township Public School’s ESL curriculum guide is based directly on the WIDA standards.

The ESL Program in Marlboro Township School District is a combination push-in/pullout program for grades K-5. Each student at the K-5 level receives a minimum of thirty minutes of instruction per day. Each student at the 6-8 grade level receives a minimum of one period (42 minutes) per day.  Class sizes are small and instruction is individualized.

All students that are new to the country with no English language skills will receive a high-intensity program whereas students receive two or more periods per day of ESL instruction. One is standard ESL and the other period is tutorial or ESL reading class (may include push-in).

The ESL Program follows the mandates as put forth by the N.J. Department of Education, for more information, please click here: