Emergent Bilingual Students
Is your child a dual language learner? Is your home language another language other than English? Does your child speak both language, or maybe just hears two languages at home? If, so this page is here to celebrate the amazing ability your child has!
Why use Emergent Bilingual?
In recent years, educators have begun referring to their students as emergent bilinguals rather than English language learners. This term celebrate and highlights the fact that your child is on the path of becoming bilingual, the ability to speak and understand two languages. The term English language learner speaks to not yet knowing English as a deficit, and could suggest limitation compared to peers whose native language is English. We will not falsely categorize any child based on their home language.
Benefits of Being Bilingual
- *Current research today proves life long benefits from being bilingual that go far beyond being able to communicate with one another.
- *Bilinguals tend to perform better than monolinguals on exercises that require blocking out distractions and switching between two or more different tasks.
- * Being bilingual can have life long benefits that including protections from Alzheimer’s.
- *Being bilingual has positive consequences for the brain in the area of attention and memory.
- * People who speak more than one language are exercising their brain more rapidly than those who only speak one language.
References:
Association for Psychological Science. (2010, November 9). Bilingual
benefits reach beyond communication. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 16, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101109113028.htm
Northwestern University. (2012, April 30). Bilingualism fine-tunes
hearing, enhances attention. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 16, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430152033.htm
Wiley. (2014, June 2). Speaking two languages benefits the aging brain. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 17, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140602101204.htm
Association for Psychological Science. (2010, November 9). Bilingual
benefits reach beyond communication. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 16, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101109113028.htm
English Language Learning Stages:
Learning a new language takes TIME! In preschool we will help develop English, while understanding that their home language is important to keep. Every emergent bilingual student comes to us at a different level of English development. This is okay! The most important factor is to ensure we do not erase the home language. Often times we see students go through what is called "the silent period". This is when students may be understanding English and can speak it to some degree, but are still not comfortable doing so. Yes, this can make it challenging as a teacher to know what that child's true academic capabilities are, but through partnership with families, we are confident we can get a general idea.
After Preschool in D65
To ensure the whole development of your child, every emergent bilingual student will be given the ACCESS test prior to exiting preschool. This is an English proficiency test that will notify you if your child qualifies for ESL services in the district. If your child qualifies, THIS IS NOT A NEGATIVE! We are committed to supporting your child in the best way possible! Often times a student social use of English makes it appear their academic use of language matches. This may or may not be the case.
What services are available?
ESL services are available at the following elementary schools:
-Dawes, Lincoln, Orrington, and Walker.
The program provides support to help students succeed in academic subjects and learn English. The program provides instruction in the English language using Sheltered English Instruction. Students who receive this support are in the general education classroom the majority of the day and receive support from an ESL teacher either in the classroom or in small ESL groups as necessary.
Bilingual Services (Spanish Speaking Families)
Two-Way Immersion (TWI) program is available at :
-Dawes, Dewey, Oakton, Washington, Willard, and Bessie Rhodes.
The goal of the TWI program is for students to develop strong literacy skills and language proficiency in both English and Spanish, in order for them to become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.
-Dawes, Lincoln, Orrington, and Walker.
The program provides support to help students succeed in academic subjects and learn English. The program provides instruction in the English language using Sheltered English Instruction. Students who receive this support are in the general education classroom the majority of the day and receive support from an ESL teacher either in the classroom or in small ESL groups as necessary.
Bilingual Services (Spanish Speaking Families)
Two-Way Immersion (TWI) program is available at :
-Dawes, Dewey, Oakton, Washington, Willard, and Bessie Rhodes.
The goal of the TWI program is for students to develop strong literacy skills and language proficiency in both English and Spanish, in order for them to become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.
Who can I contact?
Amy Correa, Bilingual and ESL Program Director
(847) 859-8104 [email protected]
Monica Ornelas, Bilingual Assessment Facilitator
(847) 859-8105 [email protected]
Manuel Aleman, District Translator
(847) 859-8108 [email protected]
Amada Zamudio, Bilingual Department Secretary
(847) 859-8106 [email protected]
(847) 859-8104 [email protected]
Monica Ornelas, Bilingual Assessment Facilitator
(847) 859-8105 [email protected]
Manuel Aleman, District Translator
(847) 859-8108 [email protected]
Amada Zamudio, Bilingual Department Secretary
(847) 859-8106 [email protected]