District Administration - February 2011 - (Page 29)
Successful Strategies for English Language Learners
In the Dallas Independent School District, students in a dual language class read aloud to one another to increase fluency and literacy. Dallas was named among the top districts nationwide that have successful ELL programs, according to the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. Most ELL students in Dallas are in dual language classes in which they become proficient in two languages, making them more competitive.
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Districts employ a variety of programs to address surging ELL enrollment— and dropout rate.
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s the incoming new york city schools chancellor was gearing up to take office, a state senator suggested in December that chancellor cathie Black consider establishing an immigrant school in Queens to solve overcrowding in nearby newtown high school, which is also on the state’s persistently lowest-achieving school list. “with immigrant english-language learners who would otherwise attend newtown receiving the intensive lan-
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guage-development help they need in a different setting, newtown could provide more individualized and direct services to students,” sen. Jose Peralta stated in a letter to the chancellor. while Black did not immediately respond, the plea shines light on the current situation many school district leaders are facing: a growing number of ells and how to ensure they succeed and graduate. Between 1979 and 2008, the number of school-age children (ages 5-17) in the United states who spoke a language
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - February 2011