Page 24 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12: English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development, 2007

THEONTARIOCURRICULUM,GRADES9–12 | ESLandELD
English is an international language, and many varieties of English are spoken around the world. Standard English is a variety of English that is used as the language of educa- tion, and the language of law and government in English-speaking countries and/or regions, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Jamaica, the United States, Australia, many countries in Africa, and parts of India. Standard English is spoken with many different accents.
Some varieties of English are very different – not only in pronunciation, or accent, but also in vocabulary and sentence structure – from the English required for success in Ontario schools. For example, while many people in English-speaking Caribbean coun- tries speak standard English, others speak a variety of Caribbean English Creole. These varieties are so different from standard English that many linguistic experts consider them to be languages in their own right. Students from some West African countries may also speak an English-related Creole language.
An initial assessment of proficiency in English can help identify those students who, although they may be English-speaking, may require instruction in some of the vocabu- lary and grammatical forms of standard Canadian English in order to succeed in Ontario schools.
Students learning standard English are not learning “better” English. Their variety of English is a valid form of communication in their linguistic community, and they will need to continue to belong to that community at the same time as they are learning standard English for success in school. As with all English language learners, the role of the school is to encourage students to value and maintain their own linguistic and cultural identities while enabling them to enter the larger society as bilingual and bicultural individuals, able to choose language and cultural norms that are appropriate in a given linguistic situation or cultural context.
PROCEDURES FOR PLACING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Secondary schools should establish a specific process for receiving English language learners. All staff members, including administrative staff, should be aware of and understand the process. The placement process is aimed at successfully integrating English language learners in Ontario secondary schools, and has four major components:
Reception and orientation: to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for new students and their families
Initial assessment: to determine each student’s educational background, level of proficiency in English, and academic achievement
Placement: to determine the best program and selection of courses for each student Monitoring: to keep track of each student’s progress in second-language acquisi-
tion, academic development, and cultural adjustment, and to provide support as needed
English language learners may arrive in Ontario schools at any point during the school year. Special efforts should be made to ensure the effective placement and integration of students in classes that are already in progress.
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