Sheltered English Immersion (SEI)
Our choice for English Language Learners
What does "ELL" Mean?
ELL stands for an English Language Learner. This is a student whose native language is one other than English, and who speaks a language other than English at home. The student's English literacy proficiency is evaluated based on listening, speaking, reading, and writing and can range anywhere from beginning, early intermediate, early advanced, or advance.
Assessment Test information
The button above is for a link to the The Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA) for more information on the English proficiency test your child will take to determine if they are an ELL.
Immersion At a Glance
- Students spend 4 hours of ELD (English Language Development) outside of their core classes.
- ELD classes focus on profiency in areas of: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
- In ELD classes, ELLs are grouped into one of 4 proficiency levels and work in this group with students at a similar level as them.
- The program lasts one year to reach full proficiency.
- SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) training and evaluations are used to work with teachers certified in SEI (Sheltered English Instruction) for the greatest possible results.
- ELD classes focus on profiency in areas of: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
- In ELD classes, ELLs are grouped into one of 4 proficiency levels and work in this group with students at a similar level as them.
- The program lasts one year to reach full proficiency.
- SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) training and evaluations are used to work with teachers certified in SEI (Sheltered English Instruction) for the greatest possible results.
More Information On English Immersion
For more details on Arizona's English Immersion program please visit the above website which will explain the goals of the program, common questions regarding the classes, and what happens once your student become proficient.
Why Is Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Our Prefered Choice
- SEI creates a unified class family, teaching students the value of diversity.
- SEI prevents segregation through promoting community which carries into extra circulars and therefore allows students to get the most holistic feeling of school rather than feeling set apart and different.
- Studies have shown that SEI allows students to pick up English faster and keep their native language by speaking it at home, making them bilingual.
- SEI prevents segregation through promoting community which carries into extra circulars and therefore allows students to get the most holistic feeling of school rather than feeling set apart and different.
- Studies have shown that SEI allows students to pick up English faster and keep their native language by speaking it at home, making them bilingual.
Why We Did Not Chose Biligual Education
Bilingual Education is the second leading approach in ESL education.
-- Bilingual Education requires schools to have teachers fluent in all the other languages represented and for students to be taken apart from the rest of the class and taught differently than their peers.
- Students are taught course material in their own language, then taught English separately apart from the content they need to know, this results in students not learning English as quickly.
- Bilingual Education allows students to keep developing their native language, however studies have shown that students continue to know their language spoken at home even when it is not taught in the classroom.
-- Bilingual Education requires schools to have teachers fluent in all the other languages represented and for students to be taken apart from the rest of the class and taught differently than their peers.
- Students are taught course material in their own language, then taught English separately apart from the content they need to know, this results in students not learning English as quickly.
- Bilingual Education allows students to keep developing their native language, however studies have shown that students continue to know their language spoken at home even when it is not taught in the classroom.