English Language Learners
The DCIU English Language Development Program provides direct English language instruction in the following Delaware County School Districts: Chichester, Garnet Valley, Haverford, Interboro, Penn Delco, Southeast Delco, and Wallingford-Swarthmore and the following charter schools: Visions Academcy, Widener Partnership Charter, Chester County School for the Arts. The DCIU Title III Consortium consists of the districts and schools above, in addition to Rose-Tree Media and Ridley School Districts. and Maritime Academy.
Currently, the program has over 500 students enrolled, including both active and monitored students. The program instructs students in their home school, whose primary language is not English and have significant difficulty reading, writing, and understanding the English language. Instruction is focused on increasing the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in both academic and social English of ELs (English Learners).
The DCIU English Language Development Program effectively instructs students who speak over 50 languages in seven school districts and three charter schools.
Through systematic, planned instruction, students acquire the necessary English language skills to be successful in the classroom. The amount of time it takes to fully acquire the English language is different for every student and is dependent upon many factors. Instruction is language-focused and based in academic content in order to develop students’ reading, writing, listening and speaking skills necessary for academic achievement.
Parents of English Learners receive information in a variety of ways. ELD teachers and school staff have access to InterpreTalk, an on demand interpretation service, and TransACT, a company that has translated general parent notifications into a variety of languages. Parent meetings are held in participating districts every year.