BHS Course Catalog
| Multilingual Learners (ML) |
Batavia High School enrolls approximately 100 students, grades 9 through 12, representing 15 language groups who are classified as Multilingual learners.
The high school has one instructional program intended to serve EL students: the Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI). The main purpose is to enable and support Emergent Bilinguals to become competent in comprehension, listening, speaking, reading, and writing through the development of literacy and academic skills, in English. This program emphasizes the mastery of English language skills as integral parts of the academic goals for all students to participate equitably in school.
Components of our supportive educational experiences:
- All Multilingual learners need to be supported at their level of language proficiency.
- Provide an environment that supports and encourages the native language and culture of the student in a non-threatening environment.
- Transition students effectively into the general education classroom using the district curriculum and alignment to state standards through the Illinois Learning Standards and WIDA Standards.
- Use native language as necessary to ensure high-quality access to content area curriculum while simultaneously providing ESL instruction.
- Maintain quality literacy development based on BPS101 literacy belief statements.
- Provide an open and welcoming environment for families and support their ability to actively participate in the students’ overall academic experience.
- Infuse a positive multi-cultural respect for ALL students so that ALL students have a sense of belonging in their learning environment.
The TPI program is a state-mandated program designed to serve students when 19 or fewer students are at one school site. The program is for students whose first language is a language other than English and who have difficulty with written, read, heard, or spoken English. The program provides support to assist the acquisition of English and succeed in academic subjects. The TPI teacher employs an instructional resource delivery system concentrating on ESL instruction to increase English language proficiency in conversation as well as in content area. Native language support is given, where possible, through the use of the native language-speaking staff and supplemental technology. This instructional delivery system includes pullout, push-in, sheltered instruction, and consultation with classroom teachers. The goals of the program are to meet academic achievement standards for grade promotion and to become proficient in English.
Study Skills (1 term or 2 terms A/B, .5 credit)
Prerequisite: Placement determined by student’s identified needs and EL eligibility
Level: Fr, Soph, Jr, Sr
This course is designed to teach students’ executive functioning skills with an opportunity to apply these skills to assignments from their current classes. Additional skills taught in this course may include reading strategies such as summarizing, note-taking from text and lecture, outlining, and test preparation. Students may also receive individualized interventions during this class as determined by their English proficiency, EL ILP, IEP, 504, and/or academic needs. This course will be individualized to meet students’ English language needs and can be repeated.
English/ELL (4 terms, 2 credits)
Prerequisite: Placement determined by student’s identified needs, newcomer status, and EL eligibility
Level: Fr, Soph, Jr, Sr.
This course is designed to assist students who are newcomers in developing speaking, listening, reading and writing strategies in English that can be used in social and academic contexts. Strategies are utilized to address listening comprehension skills, vocabulary acquisition, reading strategies, and fluency. In addition, sentence structure, paragraph structure, five-paragraph essay structure, editing, and grammar skills are also taught. This course will be individualized to meet students’ English language proficiency goals and can be repeated.