Supporting English Language Learners in Charter Schools

In 2021, more than 5.3 million public school students in the United States were considered "English language learners," and that number grows steadily each year. As educators and parents, it's our duty to make sure every student has an equal opportunity to become successful. Let's look at this unique student demographic and how charter schools like NDCHS are uniquely equipped to give English language learners the support they need to graduate alongside their peers.

Who are English language learners?

Generally, this term is used in educational contexts to describe students whose first language is not English and who are actively learning English as a second language. English language learners are a diverse group of students, with different language, academic, and social-emotional needs. ELLs may come from diverse cultural backgrounds and are often supported through specialized programs and instructional strategies designed to facilitate their language development in English.

How does NDCHS provide support for ELLs?

New Dawn has a more detailed criteria for identifying these students:

A student should be identified as an English language learner (ELL) if he or she:

1. Was not born in the United States and/or has a native language other than English.
2. Comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant.
3. Is a Native American or Alaska Native and comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on his or her level of English language proficiency.
4. Indicates on the Home Language Survey that English is not spoken at home.
5. Has already been identified by the New York City Department of Education as an ELL.
6. OR, upon interview with a school staff it is deemed the student does not have the requisite English skills necessary to participate fully in a classroom learning environment.

The English Language Learner Immersion model at NDCHS

At New Dawn, students who need English language support are fully immersed into the general education program. In other public schools, students are often left behind if they're unable to quickly and adequately assimilate to an entirely-English curriculum. This isn't the case at New Dawn. The smaller class sizes at NDCHS provide the opportunity for a more personalized approach to education, even with the English language full-immersion model.

If students need further language resources to manage their academics, teachers are able to identify these struggles early on and refer students to the appropriate supplemental support. Support services may include individual counseling, group counseling, home visits, or parental counseling.

Not only that, students are able to learn alongside peers who share similar struggles and frustrations. Our school programs are particularly tailored for students and parents who feel disenchanted with their previous educational experience. We have a unique opportunity to get students excited about the opportunities afforded by earning a high school diploma, no matter what their first language might be.

Resources for English language learners

In the modern age of technology, language barriers are no longer the hurdle they once were for aspiring high school graduates in the US educational system. Many online ELL programs can help young people with English language acquisition. The New York Public Library has an entire page dedicated to this kind of language curriculum. Here, you'll find free ESOL websites, listening practice, pronunciation practice, and lots more activities to boost English language skills, no matter what level. Many local community centers and adult education programs also have resources for English Language Learners.

English language learners are set for success at New Dawn

New York City is a hub of multilingualism, and at New Dawn, we celebrate our linguistic and cultural diversity. While we've found our English language immersion model to be most effective, we also work to make sure every student has appropriate English language learning strategies in place.

If you have an ELL high school student who is over-aged and under-credited, New Dawn Charter High School could be the solution. At NDCHS, students aged 15-21 who have already attended at least one other school are able to obtain a high school diploma through a rigorous NYSED standards-based education program. New Dawn Charter Schools operates two New York City Transfer Schools. Our first school is in Brooklyn and our second school opened in Queens. Ready to find out more? Check out our enrollment page and fill out an interest form.