Language Philosophy: Le Monde was founded on a belief that beginning foreign language instruction early sets the stage for students to develop advanced levels of proficiency in one or more languages, with enhanced capacity for native or near native pronunciation and intonation in new languages. Further, immersion learning increases critical thinking skills, creativity, and flexibility of mind in young children. We hope that by engaging in immersion learning, our students will receive the cognitive benefits of early second language acquisition, as well as embrace global perspectives and be good global ambassadors.
Languages of Instruction: Le Monde is operated on an immersion model with French as the target language. The language of instruction for all subjects is French, though in kindergarten and at the start of the year in lower grades as students acclimate, teachers use a mix of English and French to assist the students in transitioning into a new environment and to ensure an understanding of expectations. Classroom teachers will have native or near native proficiency in the French language. The intention is to slowly build the students’ base of knowledge, using French where feasible without translation, to create an immersive experience and quickly build conceptual understanding.
Starting in the 1st grade, students receive daily English Language Arts instruction with an English Language Arts subject-specific teacher.
In grades four through middle school, some use of English is at times combined with French, especially with respect to subject-specific vocabulary in Math and Science, to ensure that students are able to complete state-required tests and would be able to transition easily to an all-English environment. Books in both English and French are made available in classroom libraries to ensure access to relevant materials.
Where feasible, specials (art, music, physical education) are conducted in French; however, the school prioritizes ensuring that the specials instructors are subject matter competent, as opposed to fluent in French. Third Language: Students start the study of a third language, Spanish, in the third grade. This continues throughout their remaining tenure at Le Monde, and the focus of such instruction is on speaking and listening. Home Languages and ELL Support: Students are admitted to Le Monde subject to Oregon public charter school laws regarding enrollment. Students are not admitted after 2nd grade. Students enter the school with a number of different home languages.
Third Language: Students start the study of a third language, Spanish, in the third grade. This continues throughout their remaining tenure at Le Monde, and the focus of such instruction is on speaking and listening.
Home Languages and ELL Support: Students are admitted to Le Monde subject to Oregon public charter school laws regarding enrollment. Students are not admitted after 2nd grade. Students enter the school with a number of different home languages
Identification
All families at Le Monde complete a home language survey. This is our primary form of identifying English Language Learners. We will rely on the home language survey, transfer records from other schools and teacher recommendation in requesting the IDEA Oral Language Proficiency Test (IPT) or the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) (collectively and/or each individually, “Assessment Testing”) for students at Le Monde.
Assessment
All new families will complete the home language survey, and those whose students are identified as potential English Language Learners will be required to take the applicable Assessment Testing through the district. Students who transfer in with a recommendation for assessment will also take the Assessment Testing. The results from the test will be used to place students in ELL programs the following autumn. Testing results will be used to inform and guide ELL services to ELL identified students.
Service
Le Monde does not offer English Language Arts to students in Kindergarten. However, students in all grades who are identified as ELL will receive ELL support on all instructional days, beginning the autumn after they are assessed. Students who are already identified as ELL upon transfer to Le Monde will begin receiving services within 10 school days of beginning classes at Le Monde. ELL support will be provided by an English Language Arts teacher or other staff member with appropriate ESL experience and credentialing. The ELL instructor will use various curriculums and approaches (including but not limited to the Journeys curriculum, and the Orton-Gillingham instructional approach, a multisensory, structured, sequential and prescriptive way to teach literacy) as teaching resources. The ELL instructor will use the assessment materials provided in these programs, as well as the DIBELS benchmark assessment, to track student progress and offer interventions as appropriate. The pedagogical leadership team meets regularly to determine the need for further interventions. Students who are recommended by the team for additional services will be referred for Special Education identification per district procedures.
While no one who is identified may opt out of the Assessment Testing, students whose parents refuse ELL services will not be required to attend ELL instruction. Le Monde will monitor student progress and keep parents informed of their option to have additional services provided for their child.
Goals
Le Monde will work toward seeing 85% of ELL students advance at least one ELPA level per grade with the knowledge that Le Monde is a total French Immersion school program with limited English Language Arts instruction hours per day with the exception of grade K whereby no ELA instruction is provided at all. Le Monde will integrate ELL into other curriculums (for example, art) to enhance learning and keep instruction enjoyable for the students. Le Monde will keep ELL students integrated in their class setting as much as possible and during all core content instructional time.
Proficiency: All students are regularly assessed in the four language proficiency domains of speaking, listening, reading and writing, in French and in English. Students not at benchmark in English may receive tiered support using one-on-one or small group instruction with the Early Literacy Specialist or English Language Arts teachers in lower grades, including use of primary curriculum and alternative methods like Orton-Gillingham and Kendore. Students are granted access directly to physical curriculum materials as well as through online resources and assessments on chromebooks or other technology devices. Students not at benchmark in French may receive additional focused support during class from the primary classroom teacher and/or any educational assistant. Le Monde believes that literacy support in any language will support literacy in other languages.