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Academics » Bilingualism & EL

Bilingualism & EL

Adaptive, personalized language instruction to help every student excel.
ELD instruction is an academic discipline designed to teach English Learners social and academic language skills, as well as the cultural aspects of the English language necessary to succeed in an academic environment. ELs are assigned a language proficiency level based on their scores from the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 test. Various models are used to address the needs of ELs in the cyber environment and are, but not limited to, leveled English classes, small chat instruction, in-class chat support, individualized chats, and in-person lessons and support.  
 
As the first bilingual cyber school in Pennsylvania, we're committed to the language learning success of every student we serve. Accounting for both English and Spanish, our Identification Process helps us establish the aptitude, experience, and needs of new students so we can begin instruction at every individual level.
 
Identification Process
  • When students enroll at Bilingual Cyber Charter School, they complete an application packet that includes a Home Language Survey (HLS) as required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
 
  • Families also complete a form asking for all previous schools attended.
 
  • If a language other than English is indicated, student transcripts are reviewed, and the student’s previous school is contacted to determine whether the student is eligible for ELD services.
 
  • Parents/guardians are asked additional questions in their language to examine multiple criteria to determine if a formal assessment of the student’s English language proficiency is warranted.
 
  • If the school cannot determine whether or not services were previously received and there is no evidence of grades determining proficiency, or if this is the student’s first school experience in the United States, the W-APT (kindergarten)/WIDA Screener (1-12) is administered.
 
  • If students qualify for the LIEP, parents/guardians receive a placement letter indicating the language proficiency level of the student and that the student qualifies for services. Parents/guardians are also informed of the reclassification criteria to exit the program.
Click the link below to download the full EL Manual for ASPIRA Bilingual Cyber Charter School for detailed information about our language learning program(s) and staff.