Multilingual Learners

English Learner (EL)
Student who is a native speaker of a language other than English or living in a home where this other language is regularly spoken who is in the process of developing English literacy.

Full Time Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE)
Model of instruction designed for students whose primary language is Spanish. The students' first language is used to develop the oral, reading and writing skills necessary to become literate and have success in the core curriculum in the areas of science, math and social studies.

Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI)
Designed for all English Learners whose native language is other than Spanish. It focuses on sheltering core academic learning and on English as a Second Language instruction to develop the oral, reading and writing skills necessary to become literate and have success in the core curriculum in the areas of science, math and social studies.

Monolingual Classroom
A general education classroom with a heterogeneous mix of students and abilities where the language of instruction is English.

Bilingual Classroom
A general education classroom with Spanish speaking students with different abilities where the languages of instruction are English and Spanish, in a structured and purposeful schedule.

Language Screener
Assessment given to students speakers of a native language other than or in addition to English at the point of enrollment to measure his/her English proficiency. It is used to determine  whether TBE or TPI  instruction is needed.

ACCESS for ELs Test
It is a large-scale test of English language development standards that form the core of the WIDA Consortium's approach to instructing and assessing English Learners in grades K-12. This assessment is administered during a specific testing window designated by the Illinois State Board of Education. Students who score an overall composite score of a level 4.8 or higher are considered English proficient and are eligible to exit the bilingual or ESL program. Those scoring above 3.5 qualify for a part time placement in general education.

Home Language Survey (HLS)
Form that every parent enrolling a student in any public school district in Illinois is required to complete to collect family's and student's native and English language use at home and in other settings.

The Translating Tool in Google Docs website provides our staff and families multiple ways to communicate using digital translating tools for smartphones and computers. From translating text in a Google Doc, to using an online translator for conversations, this website will provide video tutorials to start connecting with others in any language.

Our district and school websites have built-in translation capabilities, using Weglot. This feature automatically translates all of our webpage content into any one of multiple languages. 

If you require a translation request from Veronica Garduno, please click here.

If you require an interpretation for other languages, please click here.

Seal of Biliteracy is a program from the Illinois State Board of Education to recognize students who are proficient in one or more languages, in addition to English, at the time they graduate from high school. 

Commendation Towards Biliteracy

It is a program from the Illinois State Board of Education to recognize students who have made significant progress towards achieving proficiency in one or more languages, in addition to English, at the time they graduate from high school. 

Benefits of obtaining the Seal of Biliteracy or the Commendation Towards Biliteracy

From the Illinois State Board of Education “Per 105 ILCS 5/2-3.159, all public colleges and universities in Illinois must award foreign language credit for the State Seal of Biliteracy 

Note: awarded credits vary per school. Some colleges and universities will recognize the Seal as meeting all foreign language requirements, others recognize it as meeting partial foreign language credit. Some private colleges/universities in Illinois recognize the Seal, although it is not required of them in Illinois’s rules. Additionally, some out-of-state colleges/universities recognize the Seal as foreign language credit as well.

• Students may be able to earn scholarship money for being biliterate
• Earning the Seal could more quickly put students on track towards a major or minor in the foreign language in college
• Students may have opportunities in college to join certain clubs or activities to meet and engage with other people who speak the same language.
• Students may be able to earn scholarship money for being biliterate.
• Earning the Seal could more quickly put students on track towards a major or minor in the foreign language in college.
• Students may have opportunities in college to join certain clubs or activities to meet and engage with other people who speak the same language. 
• The Seal is a formal or official way of acknowledging biliteracy on a resume.
• Many employers seek out or strongly prefer candidates who are biliterate. Earning the Seal would give students a “leg up” among other applicants in the job market, as well as opening a larger pool of potential jobs or fields to enter.
• Employers may give biliterate employees additional tasks or responsibilities because of their language skills, giving those employees more opportunities for various experiences and gained knowledge in their field.
• Employers may pay more or offer bonuses to applicants who are biliterate.”

Ways to demonstrate language proficiencies to qualify for a Seal or Commendation of Biliteracy

QUESTIONS? 

Angie Behm / BHS D311 / World Languages Department Chair / 630.679.3761 / behamam@vvsd.org
 

Kelly Sliwinski / RHS 900 / World Languages Department Chair / 815.407.5298 / sliwinskikn@vvsd.org