As cultural diversity is treasured, English Language Learners (ELLs) are encouraged to speak their home language alongside becoming literate in English. Our staff are dedicated to sharing and celebrating cultural differences within classrooms and across the school. Cultural days/weeks, shared lunches, class presentations, and talent events provide opportunities to value and celebrate our cultural diversity as well as to engage often with Whanau. Our ESOL programmes are closely monitored throughout the year and adaptations are made to meet the needs of students.
ESOL programmes are of a high quality and are facilitated by teachers and teacher aides. Students who are supported in the ESOL programmes come from a vast number of countries and cultures, whose influences are integrated into support programmes. Not all English Language Learners are born overseas: some are New Zealand born but their home language may not be English.
Everglade ESOL programs consist of a combination of some of the following:
- Support within the classroom for reading, writing, speaking, listening.
- Dedicated withdrawal programmes focusing on developing Oral Language, where students receive additional support with the development of speaking, and listening skills e.g. Colourful Semantics or Patch Play.
- Programmes with a strong emphasis on phonological awareness, and phonic knowledge, with activities that build on reading and spelling fluency e.g. Heggerty or Steps Web.
- Targeted Reading Programmes for students who have been identified as having specific learning needs e.g. Quick 60 or Sunshine/ Little Learners Structure Literacy.
English Language Learning Progressions/Pathways (ELLP)
As well as classroom assessment tools, teachers use the English Language Learning Progressions (ELLPs) bi-annually to assess ELL students’ progress and achievement in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.