ESOL VISION STATEMENT

The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program works to ensure equal educational access for English Learners and their families.  By recognizing that all stakeholders (students, parents, educators, community members, etc.) share the responsibility of ensuring that English learners develop linguistic, cognitive, and academic skills to become competitive citizens of our society, students whose first language is not English participate in academically challenging programs that respect and build upon the unique cultural and linguistic attributes they bring to the learning community.

To achieve this vision, we strive to provide effective programs that:

• comply with state and federal laws
• function in unison with all other educational endeavors
• include outreach to the community in order to benefit students, improve instruction, and strengthen collaboration
• educate English learners to the same standard of excellence as all other students
• embrace, respect, and build upon the unique cultural and linguistic characteristics students and families bring to the learning community
• ensure that all stakeholders are well-informed about effective pedagogy, and research on second language acquisition
• make genuine efforts to communicate with families in a language they understand
• are well-articulated and comprehensive to ensure horizontal and vertical alignment, equity, and student achievement

Welcome to ESOL! English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) instruction is available for students who speak a language other than English in their home. When students enroll in a Stafford County school, parents are asked two questions:  What was the first language learned by the student? and What language is most often spoken in the home?  All students with a language listed other than English will be screened and assigned an English Language Proficiency Level. Students who qualify for ESOL services receive support on a weekly basis, either in the classroom or in a small group setting. Stafford County has over 1000 ESOL students representing more than 40 languages.  Some of the languages spoken in Wildcat homes are: Chinese, French, Japanese, Lao, Spanish, Russian, Twi, Urdu, and Vietnamese! Teaching is our passion and we cannot wait to meet you!