Joe Santiago-Silvestri
Room C10a / Ext.51810 / ​[email protected]
ELD Coach’s Corner
Issue 8, January 2017
​Bom Ano Novo! Próspero año nuevo! Bònn Ane! Happy New Year!
With the ACCESS test approaching rapidly, I have dedicated this month’s newsletter on demystifying Fuller’s
extensive ESL program and celebrating the fact that our school is fortunate enough to have such a robust
program when many other similar districts do not.
Did you know that there are​ 22 ESL classes​ taking place every day at Fuller for our 160 English Learners?
● ESL Level 1 (6, 7, 8)
● ESL Level 3 (8)
● ESL Social Studies Level 1 (6, 7, 8)
● ESL Level 4+ (8)
● ESL Level 2 (6, 7, 8)
● ESL Language Arts (6, 7, 8)
● ESL Social Studies Level 2 (6, 7, 8)
● Crimson ESL
● ESL Levels 3 - 5 (6, 7)
● HILT / SLIFE ESL
● HILT / SLIFE Literacy
Each ESL class is guided by ​WIDA’s Key Uses of Academic Language Can Do Descriptors​ with the ultimate
goal of developing student language so that they can reach the next ELD Level. 2 - 3 times per year, a
School-Wide Assessment Team (SBAT)​ ​is held where students are recommended for transitioning from one
ELD Level to the next.
Students moving from Level 1 to 2 change both of their ESL classes while students moving from 3 to 4 exit
their ESL Language Arts class. The transition from 2 to 3 is more complex as this involves moving from
content delivered in a student’s first language to content delivered entirely in English. These decisions are
not made lightly, and the team is looking into a system of partial transitions rather than all-or-nothing.
ESL classes also follow their own curriculum​, which is aligned with the Can Do Descriptors, the WIDA
Standards, and common standards and practices from state content standards. There is ​a major shift
occurring​ in Massachusetts in how ESL curriculum is developed. The state has been periodically releasing
Model Curriculum Units​ to guide districts in their implementation of this updated curriculum design process.
Our ESL Social Studies classes have begun piloting one of the MCUs based off of the Language of Social
Studies, titled ​“Access to Clean Water.”​ Soon our ESL 3 - 5 classes will begin piloting a ​Language of Math
MCU​. Not only is this Next Generation ESL curriculum more aligned and rigorous, but it is also a strong
validation from the state that ESL is Tier 1 core academic content and not a support or intervention.
Joe Santiago-Silvestri
Room C10a / Ext.51810 / ​[email protected]
ELD Coach’s Corner