ELL

At Prospect Hill Academy Charter School, support is provided for students who are still in the process of learning English.  Prospect Hill Academy employs a full time English Language teacher who is specially qualified to work with English Language Learners across grade levels. The ELL teacher works with small groups and/or individual students and helps them to develop the English language skills they need to participate fully in their classes.  The ELL teacher also provides in-class support for ELL students and serves as a resource for the classroom teachers.

Instruction for English Language Learners meets the Massachusetts Department of Education standards as outlined in the English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes for English Language Learners.  Each year, ELL student progress in speaking and listening is assessed in grades K–12.  All ELL students in grades 3-12 also must participate in the Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA) to monitor progress reading and writing in English.  We also use the IPT-Reading/Writing in grades K-2 to look at early literacy development in English.  Results of these assessments help determine when an ELL student has achieved English fluency in speaking and listening and competency in reading and writing.  Once students have completed the English Language Learner Program, they are monitored and provided follow-up support by the ELL teacher for 2 years.

Students in the ELL program receive formal progress reports in January and June and the ELL teacher participates in parent/teacher conferences as needed. The ELL teacher is always available to discuss student progress and parent concerns and will arrange for translation if necessary.