IB MYP Language Policy

At Restoration Academy, we believe language development is essential for the academic growth, social awareness, and identity formation of our FUTURE Leaders.  We understand that language teaching and learning is the foundation for the acquisition of knowledge (through inquiry-based reading, listening, and viewing opportunities) and for communicating knowledge gained (through oral, written, and visual presentation). We understand that language teaching and learning is not isolated to one classroom but happens across all content areas and schoolwide; therefore all educators participate in the language development of our students.  All teachers are language teachers.

Primary Language Instruction

Instruction at Restoration Academy is delivered primarily through American English, with additional language support offered based on need. Language instruction is driven by required English Language Arts state standards for reading, writing, speaking and listening and reflect MYP Language and Literature aims/objectives.  Although the core of this instruction occurs within the Humanities coursework, priority language standards are incorporated in instruction across content areas. Language proficiency is developed through:

• Inquiry-based learning approach that promotes student voice, choice, and ownership throughout the learning process. 
• Differentiation in learning process to support various levels of language proficiency; as well as differentiation of the learning product
• Project-based learning offers multiple opportunities and methods for expressing what was learned
• Interdisciplinary thematic units that allow students to explore global context and observe conceptual connections. 
• Guided Reading: Read aloud, small group reading, partnered reading
• Independent reading
• Partnered, small group, and whole class discussion
• One-on-one reading conferences
• Oral Presentation and Debate
• Peer Review/Feedback

Language Intervention

All students are assessed periodically through the MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) Growth Assessment to measure areas related to grade level standards requirements.  MAP Growth uses the Rasch Unit (RIT) scale to measure and compare academic growth. The scale measures levels in academic difficulty. Since the RIT scale extends equally across all grades, we are able to compare a student's score at various points throughout his or her education.  This also allows us to organize students into Reading Intervention Programs that reflect their individual needs despite grade level.  Students are assigned to one of four intervention programs:  Phonics 1, Phonics 2, STARI, and Debate.  MAP Growth Assessments are proctored three times during the school year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) allowing for modifications to a student’s assigned intervention services based on growth.   

• MSQI, Phonics Program

Students who performed in the lowest percentile of the TOSWRF are assigned to the Phonics 1 course.  This focused intervention is geared toward increasing the student’s phonemic awareness and reading fluency. Students in the second lowest percentile are assigned to the Phonics 2 course. 

• STARI Reading Program

The third tier of learners are assigned to the STARI book club.  Through read alouds, partnered and independent reading students are able to build fluency skills, comprehension skills, and deepen their understanding of how language is used to tell a story or convey an idea.  The discussion component of the book club encourages students to express their ideas verbally and in writing. 

• MSQI Debate League

The highest performing students participate in the Debate League.  In Debate, students are given the opportunity to utilize the spoken language to express ideas, argue claims, and persuade an audience.  They also deepen their understanding of how language is used to influence social action and change and how to express their ideas verbally and in writing.

Other Language Intervention Services:

• Lexia Power-Up Online Literacy Program

This online reading program is designed for students in grades 6-12.  When registering, students begin by taking a placement test that determines their performance level.  Students are then assigned activities that correlate to that level. Lexia PowerUp Literacy “accelerates the gains” of students through focus on foundational skills like phonics practice to more advanced grade level comprehension and analytical skills.  All students at Restoration Academy are registered users of Lexia Power Up Online Literacy Program and are required to utilize the program at school and at home.  Each week students get a weekly goal of 25-45 minutes in each of the three areas of the program: Word Study, Grammar, and Comprehension. This weekly goal decreases over time as students make progress.

• IEP Mandated Intervention Services

All students may need some assistance when they are first learning a new concept or skill. Special Education Teachers create special instructional methods and materials, and collaborate with General Education Teachers to deliver educational programs in the mainstream and work towards inclusion. Accommodations do not take the place of essential knowledge and skills but enable students with disabilities to show what they know and can do.  In ICT and Bridge classes, accommodations may include modifications, differentiation, and scaffolding. We believe learning in smaller settings (such as a Bridge class) allow students to focus and to build their knowledge and proficiency in language skills.

As mandated through Individual Educational Plans (IEP), some students receive scheduled speech therapy and occupational therapy.  These services support individual student language development. 

Language Acquisition: Mandarin Classes

Global Exploration and Innovation is our Magnet theme at Restoration Academy.  With this focus, we recognize the importance of becoming linguistically proficient in a second language. Developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a second language not only opens avenues of communication, but always deepens appreciation and understanding of other cultures.  Mandarin Chinese is the second most widely spoken language in the world, following English.  Our goal is to set a foundation for developing proficiency in English and Mandarin, as we understand this combination could empower an individual to communicate with half of the world’s population. All FUTURE Leaders begin Mandarin courses in grade 6 and will continue through grade 8, building toward proficiency: 

• Grade 6: Intro level, students will be learning basic vocabularies and simple expressions.
• Grade 7: Intermediate level, students will continue with grammars and more complex vocabularies.
• Grade 8: Advanced level, students will be able to express themselves in different ways using more advanced structure and grammar.

All students will utilize language skills and their understanding of cultural practices acquired in Mandarin and all other content areas.  Through field trips and real world immersion experiences, such visiting restaurants, cultural museums, and participating neighborhood exploration students will be able to explore big questions and develop even bigger questions about the world around them to expand their world view.  

The majority of our FUTURE Leaders’ mother tongue is English.  However, as a diverse community, we recognize that some of our students are balancing English and a “Mother Tongue” that is spoken in the home.  We believe students should continue to develop their “Mother Tongue” while at home and encourage students to incorporate it, where possible, in their classwork and unit projects. 

Home Language Support

As needed, many communications regarding tasks and assignments are translated into non-English languages.  For example, an individual student may receive directions for an activity in both English and their home language.  Bilingual glossaries and dictionaries are available as resources for students and teachers.  Included in our multilingual staff are speakers of second languages willing to assist when called upon to translate when conferencing with parents/guardians. Since our student population also reflects a multilingual community, during project-based activities students have the opportunity to enrich their understanding of their own language and the languages of others as they work collaboratively.  

English Language Learners

All parents and guardians of newly enrolled students will complete a Home Language Identification Survey to let school staff know which language the student speaks at home. If their responses show that the student speaks a language other than English at home, the school will give the student the New York State Identification Test for English language learners (NYSITELL Test).  This test measures the student’s knowledge of English and shows whether he/she needs support programs and services. If the test shows that the student needs support learning English, he/she will be identified as an English Language Learner and assigned to corresponding programs based on their current level.

Our school provides English as a New Language (ENL) program or English as a Second Language (ESL) program for our English language learner population. It provides instruction in English with support in the students’ home language so that they can learn to read, write, and speak English. Students from many different language backgrounds are taught together, and English may be the only common language among them. The goal of the program is to provide instruction in English with additional support in the student's home language until they become proficient in English.

• Stand-alone English as New Language (pull-out)

ELLs of Entering and Emerging levels receive stand-alone ENL instruction. Entering and Emerging level ELLs are pulled out for 180 minutes of stand-alone ENL instruction. These minutes are evenly distributed between Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Typically, according to the plan, they will work on reading and listening assignments for 90 minutes per week, and on their schoolwork from other core content areas with teacher's assistance for another 90 mins. The ENL teacher also provides necessary assistance to ELLs. Both online and paper dual-language material are being utilized, students can understand the material in their home language and learn the English language at the same time.  Some educational technology tools are also used, if there are some new words that students don’t understand, the teacher will show the word in their home language through translation tools like Google translate to help them learn the new words. In addition to the scheduled group instruction time, ELLs can visit the ENL classroom to get support on work from any content area.

• Integrated English as New Language (push-in)

The ENL teacher and ELA teacher work cooperatively to provide instruction for students through a variety of co-teaching methods and materials. Teachers exchange ideas, review ELL’s classwork and work out a plan for ELLs to improve and thrive. Teachers set up expectations and goals, or use the data and student performance level in the class to adjust teaching strategies and utilize more intervention methods to help ELLs learning. The ENL teacher pushes into ELA classes and WIN classes to aid ELLs and extend the ELA content into ENL stand-alone instruction. ELA teachers also set up specialized instruction for certain students, and the ENL teacher covers this content with ELLs in the ENL classroom to make sure ELLs understand most of the instruction. Students also work on integrated tasks and assignments with appropriate scaffolds provided by teachers.

All common branch and content area teachers are working hard to ensure that supports for ELLs should be made available through daily instruction. The ENL teacher works with teachers of other core content areas to provide instruction using multiple platforms, Google Classroom, Nearpod, Epic reading, Lexia PowerUp Literacy,  KhanAcademy, etc., ENL and co-teachers understand and use multiple platforms to support small group instruction. All teachers are familiar with and are actively using scaffolding strategies and methods to support planning for ELLs.