Elementary ESL

The Office of Other Languages cultivates a practice of providing equitable educational opportunities for the advancement of all English learners. Together with educators, parents and community members, the Office of Other Languages promotes an appreciation of the unique cultural and linguistic attributes English learners bring to enrich the learning environment. ​

Goal 1: Affective - Emergent bilingual students in an ESL program are provided instruction using content-based language instructional methods in English to introduce students to the school environment and to develop academic language skills, which instills confidence, self-assurance, and a positive identity with their cultural heritages. The program is designed to incorporate the students' primary languages and learning experiences and incorporates the cultural aspects of the students' backgrounds.

Goal 2: Linguistic – Emergent bilingual students in an ESL program are provided targeted and intentional academic language instruction to develop proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the English language. The instruction in academic content areas is structured to ensure that the students master the required essential knowledge and skills and higher order thinking skills in all subjects, providing individualized linguistically accommodated content instruction commensurate with the students' language proficiency levels. The ELPS student expectations are provided for English development in conjunction with the TEKS.

Goal 3: Cognitive – Emergent bilingual students in an ESL program are provided instruction in English in reading and language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies using content-based language instructional methods. The instruction in academic content areas is structured to ensure that the students master the required essential knowledge and skills and higher-order thinking skills.

Katy ISD offers content-based ESL and ESL pull-out models​​​.  All Katy ISD ESL students will develop English proficiency through content-based instruction.  ESL is an integral part of content instruction.  ESL students are eligible to receive ESL accommodations to provide the support needed to comprehend the grade level content material while acquiring the English language.  ESL students may receive ESL instruction from:

• A grade level ESL-certified classroom teacher (advanced/advanced high proficiency level students)
• An ESL ISST (Instructional Support Specialty Teacher) who may provide instruction in the grade level classroom (intermediate proficiency level students)
• An ESL ISST who may provide instruction through "pull-out" for 1st year recent immigrants who are non-English speaking (beginning proficiency level students)

The ESL ISST and the grade level classroom teacher(s) collaborate to provide the best learning environment for English learners as English language proficiency develops his/her English language.