Multilingual Learners
Milford School District is committed to providing support and services to all Multilingual Learners (MLs) in order to make their learning experience successful. We value the diverse assets and cultures our students and families bring to our learning community and strive to provide the highest quality educational opportunities to all. All schools in the Milford School District provide language development support to our multilingual learners.
Identification and Assessment
The process begins at time of registration with the completion of the Home Language Survey. If a parent indicates that a language other than English is used in the home, the student may be ML. If a screening is deemed appropriate, the student is administered the WIDA Screener to determine eligibility. Students who qualify as a multilingual learner receive additional support to increase their English language proficiency.
The WIDA MODEL™ for Kindergarteners or the W-APT for Grades 1-12 are the placement tests that are administered, upon registration into any Delaware public school, to all students whose native language or home language is other than English (as indicated on the Home Language Survey) to measure their growth toward English language proficiency. MLLs take the annual assessment every year until they meet the exit criteria set by the Delaware Department Education. Once a student meets the criteria to transition out of the program they are monitored for two years.
Programming
Multilingual learners are placed in grade level classes where teachers use strategies and scaffolds to support their access to grade level curriculum. MLs engage in learning tasks with their English-speaking peers across content throughout the school day. Multilingual learner teachers provide targeted English language development, as well as collaborate with and support content teachers to provide explicit opportunities for English language development and language learning.
Resources
Building Bridges
Join us the first Wednesday of every month from October-June for our Building Bridges Meeting! Building Bridges is a monthly meeting to connect multilingual families with one another and community resources.
Meetings will be held at 6pm at Lulu Ross Elementary School (310 Lovers Lane) on the first Wednesday of every month during the school year.
Language Line
Sharlitta Gilbert
Student Learning Specialist for Multilingual Learners (MLL), Dual Language Immersion (DLI), and World Languages
(302) 503-9542 ext 135