English Learners
The English Learner programs at Palms Middle School are based on the programs and policies of the LAUSD Multilingual and Multicultural Education Department. The goals of these programs are to:
- Provide appropriate services to students for whom English is not a native language.
- Help English Learners meet performance criteria to reach full proficiency in English within 5 years.
- Help all students, including English Learners, participate fully in college-preparatory (A-G) courses and graduate from high school ready for college and careers.
- Provide full access to programs for gifted and talented students or students with disabilities, regardless of language status.
Moving from English Leaner (EL) status to English Proficiency (EP) status is called reclassification and reflects a student's readiness to succeed academically without English language development (ELD) support.
Five LAUSD EL programs are available, as shown in the chart below. Counselors and parents work together to identify the best program for each student. Annual evaluations, including the California English Language Development Test and Standards-based Test in Spanish, assess each student's progress toward EP on a scale from ELD 1 to ELD 5. English Language Development Intervention classes are available for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students requiring additional assistance. The English Learner program is directed by the English Learners (EL) Coordinator and the English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC).
English learner programs
|
Instructional program |
Taught in |
For these students |
Notable feature |
|
Secondary English Learner Newcomer Program |
English |
EL students who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for fewer than 2 years and are beginning to learn English |
Help learning U.S. school culture |
|
Accelerated Learning Program for Long Term English Learners (LTEL) |
English |
Students who have been EL for 5 years or more and have not yet been reclassified as EP |
Accelerated instruction and socio-emotional support toward reclassification as EP |
|
Dual Language Two-Way Immersion Program |
English and the student's primary language |
EL and EP students who were in dual-language programs in grades K-6 |
2 or 3 periods each day taught in the primary language |
|
Mainstream English Program |
English |
EL and English proficient students with reasonable fluency |
An emphasis on academic English |
|
Structured English Immersion (SEI) Program |
English |
Students beginning to learn English |
Academics taught in English with primary language only as needed |
