ELD/ESL Department
English Language Development
Harrisburg School District has 900 PHLOTE (Primary Home Language Other Than English) students -- 1575 Current ELs, of which 260 are Immigrants, representing 32 different countries and 26 different languages.
English Language Development Program Description
The Harrisburg School District shall provide an appropriate planned instructional program for identified students whose dominant language is not English. The goal of the ELD Program is to provide English Language Learners (ELs) with instructional support that will enable them to participate fully in their educational experience in our schools and in their social lives in our community. The objectives of the ESL program are to develop both basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS) and cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP), as described in the Basic Education Circulars for ELs. The ELD program will assist students in developing proficiency in the language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, to develop competence in intercultural interactions, and to encourage participation in the full range of instructional activities in the regular education curriculum and in extracurricular activities in our schools.
Mission:
The mission of the English Language Development Program in the Harrisburg School District is to provide instruction and support in English language development to foster the linguistic, academic development, personal and social growth of English Language Learners.
Vision:
The English Language Development Program in the Harrisburg School provides equitable access for English Language Learners to receive meaningful, comprehensible instruction in all content areas.
ELD Goals:
The goal of Harrisburg School District Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP) is to facilitate the acquisition of English language skills for students whose native or first language is not English. Core program instruction in social and academic English and appropriate supports ensure that English learners are empowered with the skills and content knowledge necessary to become independent and successful students and to fully participate in Harrisburg School District’s educational opportunities.
