In its commitment to serving all students equitably, SSD has devised a Master Plan for English Learners aligned to California’s groundbreaking ELA/Literacy and ELD Framework which makes it clear that we must provide a comprehensive, consistent and coordinated program of instruction to support students in achieving proficiency in all content areas, thus preparing all of our students with a strong foundation of skills and knowledge to succeed in their educational pursuits.

Integrated ELD

Integrated ELD will occur throughout the day and across all content areas.  Teachers will use the CA ELD standards “in tandem with the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and other content standards to support their ELs to learn rich content and develop advanced levels of English” (Framework Ch 2 P 90).  In support of this goal, SSD will ensure that all teachers at both the Elementary and Middle Schools engage in ongoing professional development in designing rigorous content-based Common Core-aligned units and lessons that adhere to the principles of effective instructional experiences as outlined in the framework.

Effective instructional experiences for ELs throughout the day and across the disciplines:

• Are interactive and engaging, meaningful and relevant, and intellectually rich and challenging
• Are appropriately scaffolded in order to provide strategic support that moves learners toward independence
• Build both content knowledge and academic English
• Value and build on primary language and culture and other forms of prior knowledge

(Anstrom, and others 2010; August and Shanahan 2006; Francis, and others 2006; Genesee, and others 2006; Short and Fitzsimmons 2007)

Secondary Constructing Meaning: 6-8 Integrated ELD Resource

Constructing Meaning provides teachers with the process and tools for weaving explicit language instruction into content-area teaching. Lesson planning is driven by the content and academic language demands of discipline-specific learning. Based on backward design and a gradual release of responsibility model, the Constructing Meaning process prompts teachers to:

• Understand the role language plays in content learning
• Decide what language knowledge students need to access content and express understanding
• Provide appropriate, explicit oral and written language instruction and practice

Additional information on Constructing Meaning can be found on the EL Achieve website

Designated ELD

Designated ELD will occur daily as “a protected time during the school day when teachers use the CA ELD Standards as the focal standards in ways that build into and from content instruction in order to develop critical English language skills, knowledge, and abilities needed for content learning in English” (Framework Ch 2 P 91).  In support of this goal, SSD will ensure that all teachers at both the Elementary and Middle Schools engage in ongoing professional development in designing rigorous content-based Common Core-aligned units and lessons in which language is the focus.  Lesson design will adhere to the principles of effective instructional features of Designated ELD Instruction as outlined in the framework (see below).  

Essential Features of Designated ELD Instruction:

1. Intellectual Quality
2. Academic English Focus
3. Extended Language Interaction: during designated ELD, there is a strong emphasis on oral language development. Ample opportunities for students to communicate in meaningful ways using English is central. As students progress along the ELD continuum, these activities should also increase in sophistication. 
4. Focus on Meaning
5. Focus on Forms
6. Planned and Sequenced Lesson Events
7. Scaffolding: Teachers contextualize language instruction, build on background knowledge, and provide the appropriate level of scaffolding based on individual differences and needs. Scaffolding is both planned in advance and provided just in time.
8. Clear Lesson Objectives: Lessons are designed using the CA ELD Standards, as the primary standards are grounded in the appropriate content standards. 
9. Corrective Feedback: Teachers provide students with judiciously selected corrective feedback on language usage in ways that are transparent and meaningful to students. Overcorrection or arbitrary corrective feedback is avoided. 
10. Formative Assessment Practices: Teachers frequently monitor student progress through informal observations and ongoing formative assessment practices, and they analyze student writing, work samples, and oral language production in order to prioritize student instructional needs. 

Program models for Designated ELD may vary by school site and grade level based on careful consideration of each site’s unique population of English learners. Teachers and/or sites may group students by English language proficiency levels so that teachers can strategically target their language learning needs.  Sites or grade levels with larger numbers of ELs may choose to regroup for designated ELD.  Those with smaller student populations of ELs may choose to have individual classroom teachers work with small groups of ELs at an opportune time during the day.

Examples of Models for Designated ELD (not exhaustive):

• Homeroom - Teacher schedules a block of time (daily) to work with small groups by proficiency level (non-ELs engage in independent stations/ small group work) within his/her class.
• School-wide Regrouping - School schedules a block of time (daily) to regroup students by proficiency level within a grade level (sometimes across a grade span - depending on #'s). Teachers collaborate to plan/adapt instruction. 
• Pull-out - Rare. Consider for newcomers + ELD Specialist and/or very small numbers of ELs + ELD Specialist
• Combination (per grade level based on numbers of ELs)

Systematic ELD Lessons: Designated ELD Resource

Systematic ELD-designated ELD instruction supports success in content areas by strengthening language skills. It is a resource available to teachers as they design ELD units and lessons.