Vida Charter School

Vida Charter School also recognizes that serving English Language Learners (ELLs) appropriately is of the utmost concern. The dual immersion program will serve as the means for Spanish speaking students to learn English as their academics continued to be supported through classes in Spanish. Staff will receive on-going training on serving ELL students. We will hold staff development emphasizing the implementation of the following research-based techniques to help reach our English Language Learners:

·         Building instructional contexts for students (i.e. using models, objects, multimedia to do this),

·         Using preview-review format,

·         Modifying speech appropriately (making small changes that increase student understanding without distorting it),

·         Providing more wait and think time,

·         Using idioms freely but explaining when necessary,

·         Using synonyms, paraphrasing and summarizing,

·         Checking often for comprehension,

·         Integrating students’ interests, backgrounds and home country experiences into activities,

·         Writing in front of the students and modeling by verbalizing thinking processes,

·         Offering non-traditional assessment options, and

·         Keeping expectations high but reasonable.