Page 8 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12: English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development, 2007

THEONTARIOCURRICULUM,GRADES9–12 | ESLandELD
Students With Limited Prior Schooling. Although all countries have schools that offer an excellent education, some English language learners have not had access to such schools for economic, political, ideological, or geographic reasons. The following are some reasons why some English language learners may have had limited opportunities for education:
Some countries invest most of their resources in a small percentage of “top” students, who may be selected through examinations for entrance to schools offering high- quality educational programs. Other students, including many of high potential, may not have this kind of opportunity.
In some countries only those parents who can afford school fees can ensure a high- quality education for their children. Children in rural areas may have to travel long distances, often on foot, to get to school, and roads may be impassable at some times of the year. In some countries, education has been severely disrupted or even suspended completely during periods of war or civil conflict. In some countries, gender, social class, religion, or ideology may limit access to schooling.
Some children may have spent several years in transit before arriving in Canada, and may have had little or no access to schooling during that time.
PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Secondary school ESL and ELD programs are generally intended to support newcomers. For their first few years in Ontario schools, many English language learners receive support in one of the following two distinct programs designed to meet their language learning needs and/or to help them develop the literacy skills they need in order to continue their education and participate fully in life in Ontario:
English as a Second Language (ESL) programs are intended for students whose first language is a language other than English or is a variety of English significantly different from that used for instruction in Ontario schools. Students in these programs have age-appropriate first-language literacy skills and educational backgrounds.
English Literacy Development (ELD) programs are intended for students whose first language is a language other than English or is a variety of English signifi- cantly different from that used for instruction in Ontario schools. Students in these programs are most often from countries in which their access to education has been limited, so that they have had limited opportunities to develop language
and literacy skills in any language. Schooling in their countries of origin has been inconsistent, disrupted, or even completely unavailable throughout the years that these children would otherwise have been in school. As a result, they arrive in Ontario secondary schools with significant gaps in their education.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN ESL AND ELD PROGRAMS
Creating a welcoming and inclusive school environment for English language learners is a whole-school activity requiring the commitment of administrators, teachers, support staff, and other leaders within the school community. The reward for this committed effort is a dynamic and vibrant school environment that celebrates diversity as an asset and enriches the learning experience of all students.
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