Administrator Leadership Academy
2014
Frequently Asked Questions
(ESOL Bilingual Migrant Program)
Q: Can students be used as interpreters for their parents and/or other adults?
A: No, students should not be used an interpreters for their families or other adults to insure
translation accuracy and to comply with FERPA confidentiality requirements.
Q: What language support is available within the ESOL Bilingual Migrant Program?
A: The ESOL Bilingual Migrant Program has a bilingual team which can support Spanish, Somali,
Swahili, Arabic, French, and Nepali speakers.
Q: Can schools receive language support for languages other than support Spanish, Somali, Swahili,
Arabic, French, and Nepali?
A: Yes, the ESOL Bilingual Migrant Program can make arrangements with partnering agencies to insure
bilingual support for languages other than those addressed within the program.
Q: What is the protocol to request bilingual support?
A: For bilingual support, contact Luz Giraldo (314) 664-1066 ext. 32107 or luz.giraldo@slps.org. Include
your school name, language you need support with, date and time for the meeting.
Q: Are there district forms that have been translated into other languages?
A: Yes, there are several district forms that have been translated into various languages. These forms
can be found on the ESOL Bilingual Migrant Program website at http://www.slps.org//Domain/5082.
Q: What instructional support is available for ESOL teachers working at ESOL centers throughout the
district?
A: The ESOL Instructional Coordinator supports ESOL teachers at all ESOL centers by providing them
with guidance in the areas of instructional practices and use of data.
Q: What support is available to mainstream teachers working with ELL students?
A: The ESOL Bilingual Migrant Program has completed two 2-year cohorts of SIOP (Sheltered
Instruction Observation Protocol) training to prepare mainstream teachers to address the needs of ELL
students. A third 2-year cohort is starting this year.
Q: How are ELLs assessed to determine their growth in the English language?
A: ELL students annually take the ACCESS test which monitors their language development in the
areas of Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing.
Administrator Leadership Academy
2014
Q: What determines school assignments for an ELL student?
A: Upon enrollment, all ELLs take W-APT test which shows their English language proficiency. Based
on the language proficiency, the ELLs’ length of time in the U.S. and prior formal education students
are placed either at Nahed Chapman New American Academy or one of our ESOL centers.
Q: Can ESOL teachers be utilized as subs to cover classrooms when mainstream teachers are out?
A: No, ESOL teachers cannot be utilized as subs. The role of the ESOL teacher is to provide instruction
to ELL students and assist mainstream teachers in working with ELL students by sharing effective
research-based instructional strategies in the ESOL field.
Contact Person: Alla Gonzalez Del Castillo
alla.gonzalezdelcastillo@slps.org
Cell: 314.258.5532
Work: 314.664.1066