Frequently Asked Questions

Can Special Education students also receive ELL services?

Can ELL teachers serve as substitute teachers?

Why should ELLs be clustered?
Schools should cluster students strategically in order to maximize the amount of time ELL teachers can be with individual students and minimize the number of GE teachers with whom ELL teachers collaborate.

Clustering is:

Developing consistent school-wide guidelines for student placement (according to language proficiency, home language, and/or academic needs) in order to strengthen instructional services
NOT segregation--students in clustered classrooms have equal access to all instructional resources
An all-school effort--staff must understand the rationale and system for student placement so that new students are placed appropriately

Principles to consider when clustering students:

Academic needs of students—not equality of class size or racial diversity—should guide student placement decisions
Native English-speaking students in the ELL clustered classroom(s) should represent a range of academic abilities
ELL students should not make up more than 50% of a class roster
Clustering by students' native language may make it possible to provide more bilingual support during instruction time

Benefits of Clustering:

For Students

Equal access to all instructional options
More instructional time and support provided by ELL staff
More bilingual support provided by bilingual EA
Social and emotional support from peers who are themselves learning English
Instruction provided by a mainstream teacher trained to work with ELLs
Increased opportunities to use their native language with peers to support comprehension
Access to additional materials that are appropriate for ELLs (manipulatives, visual supports, range of leveled books, etc.)
Better differentiation of instruction—it is harder to overlook a large group of students when planning for instruction

For Teachers

Increased opportunities to collaborate with and learn from other teachers
More professional development opportunities
More shared planning time with colleagues
Opportunities to work in small groups for focusing instruction
Access to more materials for differentiation of the instruction

For Parents

Increased bilingual communication and support with the school
The opportunity to interact with other ELL parents

Can Special Education students also receive ELL services?
All students who are eligible for ELL service, including students who receive special education services, need to be served. If a student who qualifies for ELL service also qualifies for Special Education, the ELL teacher should be part of the IEP team and the level and kind of ELL service should be determined by the IEP team. Special Ed service does not replace ELL service, but the two can work together to make sure that the student's day is kept as whole as possible, and that services complement the classroom instruction as they meet the IEP goals. What the service model looks like for each student depends on the particular Special Ed and ELL needs of an individual student. In some cases the student's disability makes it very difficult for ELL services to have an impact, but that should be documented in the IEP. In other cases, the Special Ed needs do not intersect with or impact ELL services, and the student will have full service from both areas.

In no case should we just assume that because a student is in Special Ed they don't receive ELL service. The service provision should be worked out by the IEP team.

Can ELL students be retained?
Retention is not usually the best option for second language learners, including newcomers, for the following reasons:

ELL students should have the opportunity to work toward and be held to the same academic standards as their peers.
ELL students are often capable of participating in grade-level activities if instruction is differentiated and made comprehensible, particularly in grades K-3.
Native-like academic performance in a second language can take 7-10 years, and we cannot wait that long to promote students.
ELL students should be engaged as much as possible in academic activities that are appropriate for their cognitive and age level. Collaboration between ELL and general education teachers should occur to plan appropriate instruction.
Retention carries with it a social stigma that could harm, rather than help, language acquisition and academic progress.
Slow language acquisition and the resulting low academic performance are not necessarily indicators of a student being at-risk, incapable of grade-level activities, or in need of special education.

Instead of retaining ELL students, the ELL Department recommends promoting them to the next grade with their peers and continuing or increasing language and content support based on student needs. Please consult with your ELL Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) for assistance in designing structures for additional ELL support.

If you are considering retention for an ELL student, please make sure that parents are aware of the ELL Department’s recommendation against retention and have been told of possible alternative options for their child. The ultimate decision to retain should always be made by a team of professionals who work with the child, including the principal and ELL teacher, after consultation with your Executive Director and Heidi Bernal, ELL Director.

For questions about appropriate service models for ELL students, please contact your ELL TOSA.

Can ELL teachers serve as substitute teachers?
Both federal and state laws prohibit the use of ELL funds to supplant instruction. Our federal Title III Program was audited in 2006, and one of the areas we were asked to account for was the use of ELL funds to “supplement, not supplant” regular instruction. According to law, we need to be able to demonstrate that we are providing ELL services consistently and using federal and state LEP funds appropriately. When ELL teachers are used as substitutes, they cannot fulfill their duties to work with the ELL students in their charge, and ultimately the students lose out.

While it is understood that principals need to make the best use of all personnel to meet daily building needs, the frequent reassignment of ELL staff away from their regular contract duties has a negative effect on the ELL students that they have been hired to serve.

Plans for substitute coverage should not include ELL teachers unless they are scheduled as part of an equitable rotation that includes all other licensed school staff as well.

Can ELL students have AIPs?
It is expected that teachers will collaborate to complete an on-line AIP for students that are below grade level (the same standards and criteria should apply to ELLs as non-ELLs) and that AIPs will be discussed with parents/guardians at conference time. This means that minimally, all level 1 students and all Language Academy students should have an AIP completed, but that does not exclude others from having one as well.

"ELL service" should not be listed as an intervention in and of itself. The AIP should be used to document specific ELL strategies you and your colleagues are using to assist our ELL students (e.g. additional modified guided oral reading focused on vocabulary development; a variety of intentional student groupings for interactive daily oral practice to develop language and concepts prior to writing.) Please refer to the AIP Guide for additional information.

http://thecenter.spps.org/Online_AIP_Directions.html