English Language Learner Program
Elmwood Park High School's English Language Learner program — a division within the school's Fine Arts Department — offers a series of classes in English as a Second Language (ESL).
These courses support students at every level of English acquisition, from entry level to student transition into general education English classes.
Through this program, students learn to process, understand, interpret and evaluate the English language in a variety of spoken and written forms for an array of purposes and audiences.
Curriculum Goals
Our standards-aligned curriculum is designed to be a continuum that enables ESL students to integrate fully into general education courses.
Using this curriculum, we help our students to achieve the three main goals listed below.
Achieving this goal means the student will be able to do the following:
► Use English to participate in social interaction.
► Interact in, through and with spoken and written English for personal expression and enjoyment.
► Use learning strategies to extend their communicative competence.
Achieving this goal means the student will be able to do the following:
► Use English to interact in the classroom.
► Use English to obtain, process, construct and provide subject matter information in spoken and written form.
► Use appropriate learning strategies to construct and apply academic knowledge.
Achieving this goal means the student will be able to do the following:
► Choose appropriate language variety, register and genre according to audience, purpose and setting.
► Vary nonverbal communication according to audience, purpose and setting.
► Use appropriate learning strategies to extend their language skills.
ACCESS Testing
Illinois requires that all students who have been identified as English Learners take the state’s English language proficiency test each January.
This test is known as ACCESS for ELLs, which stands for "Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners."
The ACCESS test measures student proficiency in the four domains of English language development: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Students are required to take the ACCESS test annually, regardless of level of service, until they meet the Illinois state-mandated criteria of an overall composite score of 4.8.
To Learn More
For more information about our ESL program as well as related resources on the state level, please visit the links below.
► Illinois State Board of Education Resources for English Learners