Skip to main content

English Language Learners at Moanalua Elementary

 

Program Overview

The statewide English Learner Program provides language support to students whose first or native language is not English.  Schools are legally bound to comply with federal (Title III), state laws and rulings of the Office  of Civil Rights, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) court decisions, and Hawaii Board of Education policies and administration rules.
 
The ELL Program's mission is to provide every language minority student with equal educational opportunities to maximize his/her potential as an educated, productive, and contributing citizen.  To accomplish this, the program strives to facilitate the use of instructional approaches and methods which address students' specific language and cultural needs, while ensuring that students are taught the same challenging content and achieve the high level of standards desired for all students.
 
 

Identification

 When students are enrolled in our public schools, parents complete an SIS-10 W enrollment form.  A response of anything other than English for one or more of the following identifies a student as a potential ELL program student:
  • Student's first acquired language
  • Language most often used at home
  • Language most often used by student
 
Students can also be referred by a teacher, parent, or counselor.  If a language other than English is documented through the home language survey, the the student is eligible for the program.
 
 

Assessment

Once the student is identified as a potential ELL Program student, an assessment process is begun and must be complete within the first 30 calendar days of the start of the school year or within 14 calendar days if the student enters during the school year.  The student is given an English language proficiency test in listening, speaking, reading and writing.  A student may also be administered a Native Language Proficiency (NLP) Test which rates the student's oral proficiency in his/her native language.
 
for data reporting purposes, the English Language Learners Program designates three proficiency categories:
  • Beginning or No-English Proficient (NEP)  Students have limited or no proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing English.
  • Intermediate or Limited-English Proficient (LEP)  Students are functionally proficient in understanding and speaking English but limited in reading and writing skills.
  • Proficient or Fully English Proficient (FEP)  Students are proficient in the four basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) but may be experiencing academic difficulties in the content areas.
 
Students may be exited from the program if they pass the annual English Language Proficiency test (WIDA ACCESS Test).
 
 

Programming

Curriculum and instruction must provide the support necessary for ELL students to have access to the full range of content and services offered to all students.  The primary instructional focus is to help them make a transition to the mainstream classroom and perform successfully there.  Programming is based on the needs of the students as determined by the Identification, Assessment, and Programming System (IAPS) guidelines and all schools Comprehensive Plan.
 
ELL Program students need to develop language skills and literate behaviors which will enable them to succeed in meeting Hawaii Common Core Standards and HCPS III which are required of all public school students in the State of Hawaii.  These standards include English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, and five other content areas.
 
 

Support Services

In addition to the instructional support ELL Program students receive, other services are available to assist students in their adjustment to school.  They include:
 
  • Counseling and Guidance can help students deal with the stresses of immigration, make social and academic adjustments, as well as assist them in pursuing post-secondary educational/vocational opportunities.
  • Student Activities enhance the studentsʻ social well-being and promote cross-cultural understanding.  Studentsʻ participation in a variety of cultural, service, and athletic clubs enable them to learn more about the local lifestyle and facilitates their adjustment to school.
  • Parent Community Networking Center (PCNC) coordinators can work collaboratively with School-Home Assistants to organize parenting workshops and encourage parents to become involved in school activities.  They can also provide emotional support for immigrant parents by establishing parent networking avenues.
  • School-Home Assistants in Central District provide bilingual support to parents and students in eight languages (Tagalog, Visayan, Spanish, Korean, Samoan, Chuukese, Marshallese & Ilokano).  They help parents understand school policies and expectations, translate school notices and forms, and interpret during conferences and Special Education evaluation.  School-Home Assistants also help by showing parents how to facilitate their childrenʻs learning at home and serve as communication support between schools, ELL families, and community resources.
 
Aiea-Moanalua-Radford Complex Area Superintendent John Erickson
School Renewal Specialist Faith Washburn
District Resource Teachers Marcia Watanabe & Traci Sasaki
School Home assistants:
Hae Sook Hahn (Korean)
Otinia Koichy (Chuukese)
Isobel Mahimer (Tagalog, Visayan, Spanish)
Natty Ramelb (Ilokano)