1. Welcome to
Denver Public Schools
And the
English Language Acquisition
Department

2. You’re on the Denver Plan Team
 The foundation of the Denver Plan is to
ensure that all our children can read and
write in English. But we want much more
than that. We want to create composers
and engineers; artists and scientists;
multilingual citizens and leaders of our
democracy.

3. A Rich Diversity of Students
 Approximately 74,000 students
attend Denver Public Schools.
 Approximately 16,000 students are
ELLs (English Language Learners).
 Approximately 15,000 students have
Spanish as their primary language.

4. The Purpose of the ELA Department
is to serve the educational needs of
our English Language Learners (ELLs)
 Implementing a research-based program
 Assessing student progress
 Staffing program classrooms with highly-
qualified teachers

5. Our Program Goal
 To use efficient and effective instructional
techniques to provide students with the
English language skills they need to
meaningfully participate in the
mainstream English language
instructional program.
 Transition to English begins when
students enter the Program.

6. Two Program Models
 Transitional Native Language Instruction
(TNLI)
 English as a Second Language
(ESL) Resource Program

7. TNLI Model - Elementary
Native English Supported
Language Language English
Instruction Development Content
Instruction
Intentional block Scaffolded content
Literacy and of time devoted to instruction is
content English language provided in English
instruction development using sheltering
provided in across the techniques based
Spanish based on domains of on Language
Language listening, speaking Proficiency Level.
Proficiency Level. , reading and
writing.

8. Teachers in the TNLI Model
ELA-S
Supported
Native English
English
Language Language
Instruction Content
Development
Instruction

9. Teachers in the TNLI Model
ELA-E
English Supported
Language English Content
Development Instruction

10. Teachers in the
ESL Resource Model
ESL Resource Teacher ELA-E Classroom Teacher
English English
Language Language
Development Development
Supported
English
Content
Instruction

11. Student Enrollment Determines
Program Type
 Total number of English Language
Learners
 Number of English Language Learners
with Spanish as their primary language
 Number of English Language Learners
with a language other than Spanish as
their primary language

12. Starting with the Student
 Instructional Services Advisory (ISA) Team
 Responsibilities include:
 ClassifyingEnglish language learners
 Ensuring correct placement of English
language learners
 Exiting English language learners
 Monitoring English language learners
 Members include:
 One administrator
 Two ELA teachers

13. Identification / Classification
 Screening Questions
 Does the student speak a language other than
English?
 Is a language other than English regularly
used by the student’s parent or guardian?
 Colorado English Language Assessment
. (CELA Placement) used to establish
. student’s level of English proficiency

14. Program Placement
 Parent Permission Form
 Parents are informed of student’s eligibility for
program services and type of program
available at school
 Parents choose between
 Option 1
 Option 2
 Option 3

15. Assessing Progress
 Colorado English Language Acquisition
Proficiency Test (CELA Proficiency)
 Avenues Assessment
 ELD Student Profile
 Daily informal assessments

16. Progression Through the Program
ELA-S ELA-E
 ELA-S  ELA-E
 ELA-E  Exit/Monitoring
 Exit/Monitoring

20. Fully Qualified ELA Teachers
 ELA-E / ESL Resource Teacher
 State endorsement in teaching the
linguistically different students
or
 Satisfactory completion of 150 hours of
training provided by the ELA Department
 ELA-S Teacher
 The above criteria plus Spanish Language
Proficiency Examination (SLP)

21. Serving educational needs of English
Language Learners
 Implementing a research-based program
 Assessing student progress
 Staffing program classrooms with highly-
qualified teachers

22. Resources
 Working together works better
 Principaland Assistant Principal
 ISA Team
 Site Assessment Leader
 Assigned Mentor
 Network ELA Instructional Specialist
 ELA Homepage
 Navigate from DPS Home page to
 “Departments” to
 English Language Acquisition

23. Again, welcome to teaching in
Denver Public Schools!