Aligning with New London Public Schools’ vision, United in Excellence, English as a Second Language (ESL) and Bilingual programs are designed to meet the needs of our English Learners.  NLPS acknowledges and supports the Connecticut State Board of Education’s (CSBE) belief that to acquire English language proficiency and academic proficiency for students who are English Learners (ELs) we must provide high-quality, comprehensive and effective English as a Second Language (ESL) and Bilingual Education programs utilizing research-based instructional practices that support ELs in general education classrooms.

New London Public Schools provides ESOL and Bilingual Education programs as mandated by State and Federal statutes; both have specific entry and exit criteria.

The goal of the ESOL program is to provide students with instructional supports in order to access the curriculum by developing both basic interpersonal skills (BICS) and cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP).  School-based services are provided by teachers certified in TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) and EL Tutors, following the Connecticut English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards. Students work to develop proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.   Students are provided direct instruction in basic English language skills with visual and technical supports. As students’ English proficiency increases, students begin to develop reading and writing skills within the grade-level academic content. All instruction is in English and schools provide a combination of push-in services within the classroom and pull-out, small group, direct instruction.

The State of CT mandates that bilingual education is offered to all identified English Learners in any school where there are twenty or more students who share the same native language. A Bilingual Education program is a transitional program where academic content is initially taught in the student’s native language while English language skills are developed. As the English language skills improve, the use of the native language decreases. Students may not exceed 30 months in a Bilingual Education program, unless an application for an extension is approved by the state.  If an eligible student does not meet the English mastery standard at the end of the initial thirty months or at the end of an extension of the bilingual education program for such student, the local board of education shall provide language transition and academic support services to such student. Such services may include, but need not be limited to, English as a second language programs, sheltered English programs, English immersion programs, or other research-based language development programs.

Dual Language is an bilingual enrichment program that allows students to learn a second language through academic content. Dual language programs promote bilingualism and biliteracy for ALL students, not just English Learners. Students in the Dual Language Program receive classroom instruction, including reading, writing, science, social studies, and math, in English and Spanish. Students spend 50% of their day in both languages. The Dual Language Education Program is an inquiry-based approach to education, where students are provided with the diverse skills and multicultural awareness that our increasing global community demands.  Dual Language students display greater academic, cognitive, and social skills than those in all-English classes.  To ensure success, native English speakers are taught academics in Spanish with strategies that support second-language acquisition and Spanish speakers maintain their first language while learning English as a second language. CB Jennings Elementary offers Dual Language programming for grades K-5.

Developing proficiency in a second language, being able to communicate in a meaningful and functional way, and appreciating diverse cultures are the aim of the World Language Program. The emphasis is on fostering genuine communicative skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing to guide the language learner from structured practice to open-ended, personalized communication.  The language program also encompasses the National Standards for World Language Learning: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. The World Language Program offerings include sequential courses at the secondary levels and up to Advanced Placement Spanish at the high school.

World Language teachers strive to promote learning a foreign language and enable students to communicate effectively in the target language (Spanish, French, or Chinese). At the high school level, students are eligible to receive the Seal of Biliteracy based on evidence of achieving the designated level of language proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. The Seal of Biliteracy recognizes a student’s academic efforts and the value of biliteracy. New London Public Schools is home to over 3500 students representing more than 25 language backgrounds. We are proud to have awarded the Seal of Biliteracy to many of our graduates.