Assistance with ESL/Bilingual policies and procedures

The numbers of English Language Learners in our schools has increased substantially in the past years. Along with the increase in numbers of students whose first language is not English comes increased accountability for meeting the needs of these students. This accountability leads to structuring effective policies and procedures. Part of the procedures includes effective professional development.

As the proprietor of AboutELL.com, my goal is to provide assistance in identifying the needs of your school/district in meeting the needs of English Language Learners. This would include an examination of current policies and procedures, comparing these with state and federal (Title III) requirements.

As an educator with 37 years of experience, all were spent working with language learning programs. Starting with a career as a Spanish and ESL teacher, the last fifteen were as a district administrator of ESL/Bilingual programs. In these fifteen years, I saw the numbers of English Learners in our district more than double. This increase occurred while the accountability measures increased. The changes required for constant improvement in district policies and procedures. Under my leadership, I led the district through two successful state reviews. The programs under my supervision included dual language programs. These programs proved to be a successful way for children to interact and use language in a meaningful way.

In working with programs for English Language Learners, my knowledge of and involvement in various assessments was a necessity. This included Texas state assessments such as the TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System). It was vital that the staff understand the alignment of this assessment with the English Language Proficiency Standards ELPS) and how this information would be important in meeting the needs of English Language Learners.

To add to my professional experience, I was very lucky to have grown up in both Venezuela and Mexico, spending at least a decade in each country. As a result, I am proficient in Spanish  language skills and sensitive to the needs and culture of second language learners. This experience and resulting qualities have served me well in my professional career.