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5 days ago

Los Altos School District

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English Language Development

English Language Development 

Learning English is more than acquiring a new language. It’s about opening doors to learning, connection, and full participation in school and life. Rooted in the California ELA/ELD Framework, our approach ensures that multilingual learners engage in intellectually rich, language-rich, and identity-affirming instruction every day. We are committed to fostering students’ academic, linguistic, and cognitive development through purposeful, inclusive, and responsive teaching.

Supporting Multilingual Learners Throughout the Day

Each school day, in every part of the day, students are learning about and using language. Teachers weave language learning into all lessons, helping students build their skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing using the kind of language needed for school. This is language that supports thinking, explaining, and meaningful participation. In addition to this, many students also receive focused lessons in small groups or one-on-one to learn how English works, its words, sentence patterns, and grammar, so they can use it with confidence in school and beyond. For students who are new to English, we also provide extra small-group support to help them develop everyday conversation skills and feel more comfortable using English in daily life. All of these experiences work together to help students grow as confident, capable users of English.

Language as a Tool for Thinking and Learning
Language is not just a goal, it is the means through which students learn, think, and communicate. Students develop English by engaging in complex, collaborative tasks that require them to use language to explain, interpret, argue, and reflect. Instruction is scaffolded to provide access to rigorous ideas while supporting students in using increasingly precise and sophisticated English.

High Expectations with High Support
We believe multilingual learners thrive when instruction challenges them intellectually while providing the support they need to fully participate. Teachers design lessons that apprentice students into academic ways of thinking and using language. Through modeling, interaction, and feedback, students grow as readers, writers, speakers, and thinkers across the disciplines.

Affirming Identity and Building Belonging
Our ELD instruction values and builds on students’ home languages, cultures, and lived experiences. Classrooms are places where multilingual learners feel seen, respected, and connected. We nurture students’ sense of agency and confidence as they grow in their ability to express themselves and contribute to their communities in English and beyond.

English language development is integrated into the fabric of teaching and learning. Multilingual learners are supported not only to acquire English, but to engage deeply, think critically, and develop as powerful, contributing members of our learning community.

 

English Language Development Progression

Emerging

Expanding

Bridging

Students at the Emerging level are beginning to understand and use English. They rely on visual cues, gestures, and memorized phrases. Their speech and writing may be limited to simple words or short phrases. They are learning to understand basic conversations, respond to simple questions, and participate in classroom routines. Instruction includes lots of modeling, repetition, and support with vocabulary and sentence structure.

Students at the Expanding level are developing greater control over English. They can understand and use more complex sentences and academic vocabulary, especially when supported by context. They express ideas in conversations and writing with increasing detail and clarity, though still with some errors. They participate more independently in discussions and begin to explain and justify their thinking in English.

Students at the Bridging level are approaching full proficiency. They understand and use academic English with increasing ease and accuracy across subjects. They can interpret complex texts, engage in extended discussions, and write organized, detailed pieces. They still benefit from support with more nuanced language, but they are nearly ready to perform at the same level as their English-proficient peers.

 

Helpful Resources

California ELA/ELD Framework

ELD Standards