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ESOL students receive daily English language instruction from an ESOL teacher. The amount of daily ESOL instruction varies according to the level of English language proficiency with those at the lowest level of English language proficiency receiving the most intervention. Beginning students, ESOL Level 1 and ESOL Level 2, receive two ESOL classes daily. Intermediate Level 3 and Level 4 students and Advanced Level 5 students receive one ESOL class daily. In addition to daily intensive English language instruction, students have many offerings: sheltered courses in such subjects as social studies, math, and science; basic skills classes in reading and math, and pilot courses. They also participate in mainstream classes.
The composition of the student population in each ESOL level is usually multi-grade and heterogeneous. ESOL classes provide structured instruction in the acquisition of the English language with specific emphasis on the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills that are prerequisite for success in a rigorous academic environment. Instructional goals for ESOL classes are based on the development of language proficiency within the context of an English/language arts curriculum. Students develop competency in understanding spoken English, using grammatically correct English to express social and academic needs and in organizing and clearly expressing their ideas in written English. Students explore an understanding of the human experience from a multicultural perspective as they develop reading and writing skills. Students are exposed to developmentally appropriate texts representing the genres of narration, poetry, drama and exposition. As students become more fluent with spoken and written English, they are also taught to analyze text from an historical and cultural perspective and develop critical reading and thinking skills. ESOL instruction helps students develop readiness to prepare for local, state and national assessments.
The high school ESOL curriculum has been revised to align to the Maryland English Language Proficiency Standards. The ESOL curriculum is based on levels of language proficiency rather than grade level. The most current research on second language learning and acquisition identifies some general principles that are the pillars of this curriculum.
- Language is functional and it is best acquired through meaningful use and interaction.
- Language learning is culture-based, and therefore it follows that the teaching of culture must include the values, norms, and beliefs appropriate to the language.
- Language learning is an on-going process. It is affected by the background of each student and progresses at varying rates.
- Language processes (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) develop interdependently. Students need learning environments that provide opportunities to practice and develop these skills.
The ESOL high school curriculum is designed to challenge students to think critically as they acquire and process the language of American English. The curriculum is designed to teach and reinforce the acquisition of all four-language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The incorporation of both literary and expository text provides opportunities for extended language development with authentic materials. Teachers are expected to provide independent reading guidance to students for supplementary reading practice.
MCPS has adopted the Milestones program by Heinle-Ceinage for beginning ESOL students. The content of this program is aligned with Maryland English Language Proficiency Standards as well as with key English Language Arts indicators. The program has excellent cross-curricular connections. The program systematically develops academic vocabulary using the six-step vocabulary development program based on the work of educational theorist Robert Marzano. The program also provides opportunities for students to connect language to literacy as they apply their knowledge of both language skills and reading strategies when reading both literary and informational texts. The curriculum provides assessments that can be used both to monitor language acquisition and prepare students for the Maryland State Assessment.
The standards-based curriculum for ESOL Levels 3-5 have been aligned with the Maryland State Department of Education Voluntary State Curriculum. This curriculum integrates Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and the four language skill areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The curriculum emphasizes the development of Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) for intermediate and advanced ESOL students. The ESOL high school curriculum is presented in four units, each of which covers nine weeks of study. This ESOL curriculum focuses on using language for various academic functions and focuses on:
- reading and exposition
- academic vocabulary
- speaking to narrate, inform, and persuade
- purposeful listening to speakers and presenters
- writing paragraphs and essays
- making inferences, drawing conclusions, and evaluating text
These curricula documents provide Common Tasks, Formative Assessments, and Final Exams that serve as a system of monitoring both language acquisition and preparing students for the Maryland State Assessment for high school students. This curriculum develops the academic language to prepare ESOL students for college readiness.
Academic Language:
This course was developed in order to expose middle and high school newcomers to the challenging academic language commonly used in a variety of content subject areas. The primary focus of the course, however, is not to teach content, but to instruct students how to successfully communicate and use language when in content classes. Throughout the year, students will expand their academic language skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening through the following content areas: math, science, and social studies.
ESOL Advanced Communication:
This course is designed to provide ESOL level 3, 4, and 5 students with extended practice in the development of oral and written communication skills. Clarity and precision of pronunciation and intonation are developed and assessed during oral presentations. Fluency and accuracy of writing is developed through structured presentation and practice of narrative and expository writing. Students are required to prepare several oral presentations and write multi-paragraph essays.
ESOL Multimedia Arts Literacy (EMAL)
This course is designed to provide upper-level ESOL students with specialized visual and literacy instruction aligned with ESOL and English Voluntary State curricula. This project-based course emphasizes development of essay writing coordinated with multimedia products. The focus on critical thinking, reading, writing, listening and viewing skills provides structured practice in visual and written interpretation.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Prep
This course is designed to improve student achievement on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), an assessment of an English language learner’s English proficiency to qualify for college admission. Students learn the format of the TOEFL and develop test-taking skills by taking released versions of the test under simulated test conditions. Continued practice of oral and academic English language proficiency is provided as students learn a variety of strategies for improving reading and writing skills.
Transition Program
The MCPS Transition Program is a three-pronged approach to supporting exited ESOL students as they exit the ESOL Program and no longer receive ESOL services. The goals of the program are: monitoring of the student in non-ESOL classes, providing professional development on effective engagement of English language learners for the faculty and administration of the school, and collaborating with the ESOL teachers to accelerate the language development of ESOL students. There are currently two pilot high school transition programs at Einstein and Montgomery Blair High Schools. The Transition pilot program provides the school with a Transition Teacher Specialist who works with and monitors the progress of all exited ESOL students and collaborates with the school leadership team to coordinate and provide professional development to faculty and administration.
 ESOL Course Codes
Secondary ESOL Centers
Resource Teachers
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