ESOL
English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
While English is designated as the official language of the state of Georgia, and the state assessments are in English, our responsibility is to successfully prepare ELs to access all available postsecondary options. This objective requires that instructional approaches be flexible to accommodate the needs of a very diverse student and parent population. The goal is to ensure that EL students succeed both socially and academically. It is essential that they understand the American culture and how to function successfully within it. To accomplish these goals, it may be necessary at times to provide some support in the native language.
Registration of English Learners
The Cartersville City Schools District requires the same documentation for registration of all students, be they United States citizens or foreign nationals:
- Birth certificate or other acceptable legal proof of birth date
- Two proof of residency in Cartersville City
- Certificate of Immunization
- Academic records (if available)
Cartersville City Schools uses the Georgia Home Language Survey (HLS) at the time of enrollment to identify the primary (home) language(s) of all Kindergarten – Grade 12 students. If students are new to U.S. schools (Kindergarten students and newly arrived immigrants), then the original dated and signed HLS helps CCS to determine which students should be administered the ELP screener to identify whether they are or are not ELs entitled to English language instructional programs.
The HLS is a one-time document. It must be signed and dated by the parents or guardians and maintained in the student’s permanent record file. As part of the enrollment packet, it is possible that the HLS is administered more than once. Cartersville City Schools will make every effort to obtain the original HLS from transferring districts.
The HLS questions below are included in the online registration process in a language parents or guardians can understand.
- Which language does your child best understand and speak?
- Which language does your child most frequently speak at home?
- Which language do adults in your home most frequently use when speaking with your child?
School Actions Based on Parents’ HLS Responses
- When the answer to all three questions is English or American Sign Language (ASL), the student is NOT a potential English learner and should not be administered the ELP screener.
- When the answer to all three questions is a language other than English or ASL, the student is considered a potential English Learner and must be administered the appropriate grade-level ELP screener.
- When the answer to any of the three questions includes multiple languages and English language, the parent or guardian must select one of five clarification statements about their child’s primary language use in the home.
Additional Information from Multilingual Parents or Guardians
When parents or guardians report a multilingual home environment including both English and non-English languages, one of five clarifying statements must be selected that describes the child’s primary language use at home. The clarification statement will support educators’ identification of the student as a potential EL or not a potential EL.
Multilingual Parents' Choices
| Parents choose only one sentence that best describes their child's primary language. |
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Screening Decisions
| Educators make the decision to administer the ELP Screener based on parents' choice. |
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Delivery Models
Any combination of the following ESOL instructional delivery models may be used depending on EL students' unique language proficiency levels, time in U.S. schools, and background experiences.
- Pull-out: (K-5 only) Students are removed from the general education class, for one segment, for the purpose of receiving small group language instruction from the ESOL teacher.
- Push-in or Collaborative: (within reading, ELA, math, science or social studies) Students remain in their general education class where they receive content instruction from their content area teacher along with targeted language instruction from the ESOL teacher.
- Scheduled class period: Students receive instruction in foundational social/instructional English and the academic English of mathematics, science, social studies, or English language arts in a class composed only of ELs taught by an ESOL teacher.
- Sheltered Content: Students at the middle and high school levels receive both academic language and content instruction from a content teacher who is ESOL endorsed or certified in a classroom composed only of ELs.
- Innovative Delivery: Approved in advance by the Georgia Department of Education.