What+is+ESOL?


 * English for Speakers of Other Languages** (ESOL) is an **English language development program** for Kindergarten to Grade 12 students whose home/native/primary language is a language other than English. The program focuses on developing their proficiency in processing and producing academic English language.

The ESOL curriculum aligns English language instruction with content standards. Students develop their language and literacy skills in the context of the content curriculum. ESOL teachers analyze the academic language demands involved in grade-level teaching and learning to identify the English language needed for functional use in discipline specific topics.

Aligning English language instruction with content instruction ensures that language functions are differentiated for student’s English proficiency while maintaining the cognitive function of grade-level instruction.

**Literacy development is a primary focus of ESOL instruction** in K-12. In elementary and middle schools, ESOL teachers use a variety of instructional models to **provide language instruction to English learners**. ESOL teachers may use pull-out, push-in or co-teaching to deliver English language instruction. The ESOL teacher consults regularly with the students’ content teachers in order to align English language instruction with content instruction.

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