E nglish as a Second Language Program

Department of Special Services

Westfield , New Jersey

Westfield offers English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction to students in grades K-12. Students may enter the program at any time during the school year. Students in grades K-5 are pulled out of their regular classrooms for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. For students in grades 6-12, ESL is a regular scheduled class period. It may replace either a content-area subject or an elective, depending on the individual needs of the student.

Elementary Schools (Grades K-5)

- Kindergarten:  Lincoln School Early Childhood Learning Center

- Grades 1 - 5: Two magnet schools ( Franklin  and Tamaques)

• Pull-out Program
• Minimum of 30 minutes of ESL instruction every day

• Regular scheduled class
• Minimum of one period of ESL every day

Edison Intermediate School - magnet school (for grades 6-8)

Westfield High School (Grades 9-12)

Additional Features:

• ESL Parents' Meetings
• Annual International Dinner
• ESL Voices - an annual publication of ESL students' writing

Contact Information:

Nancy Liggera - ESL Program Coordinator
nliggera@westfieldnjk12.org

Procedure for ESL Program Entry and Exit

Initial Entry into ESL Program

• Registration form - language other than English spoken at home
• MAC II Test (Maculaitis Assessment Program) given by ESL teacher
• Multiple criteria for entry
• Parents have the right to refuse ESL service

Exit/Removal from Program from ESL Program

• Annual assessment with MAC II Test
• Multiple criteria for exit
• Parents may remove children from program at the end of the school year, but need approval from the County Superintendent of Schools

Re-entry into ESL Program

• Parents may initiate process for exited students to re-enter the ESL Program (if within four months of initial refusal of ESL services, automatic re-entry into program .... if more than four months, retesting required)
• Teachers may initiate process for exited students to re-enter the ESL Program after one full semester of exit and within two years of exit from ESL program.

F requently Asked Questions

1. How does an ESL program differ from a bilingual program?

An ESL program offers instruction in English only.  It includes social and interpersonal language as well as the "language" of language arts, math, science and social studies. A bilingual program offers direct content-area instruction in the native language as well as in English.  ESL instruction is a component of a bilingual program.

2. Does Westfield offer a bilingual program in addition to an ESL program?

No, because at the current time there are less than twenty pupils of limited English proficiency from the same language background enrolled in our school district.

3. How long is the average student in the ESL program?

  There are many variables that determine how long a student remains in the program.  Some of these variables include native language, prior exposure to English and academic background.

4. What is the percentage of students enrolled in the ESL program in Westfield public schools?

  Generally, less than one percent of the total student population is in the ESL program.

5. What are the most common native languages of the ESL students?

Although it changes from year to year, currently the most common native languages of our ESL students are: Korean, Spanish, Chinese, German and French.