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English As A New Language (ENL)

The English as a New Language (ENL) program at The East Ramapo Central School District offers intensive instruction to students whose first language is not English and who have limited English proficiency. Students learn to understand, speak, read and write English via academic subjects in a supportive and non-threatening environment. The program allows our English language learners (ELL) students to learn English and make the necessary academic and social adjustments. The goal of the program in the high schools is to prepare the ELL students to meet the academic challenges of mainstream in English, math, science and social studies, leading to successful completion of the New York State high school diploma

requirements.

Courses in English as a New Language (ENL) are offered at the “Beginning 1” “Beginning 2”, “Intermediate” and “Advanced” levels. These multi-level courses are specifically designed to develop English proficiency skills as they apply to the New York State English as a Second Language Standards.

Beginning 1 Math, Science and Social Studies Prep Classes The Beginning 1 Math, Science and Social Studies Concept classes are taught by ESL teachers. These classes are designed to provide the ELL students with the background, vocabulary and understanding of the concepts and skills necessary to successfully meet the challenges of the content area sheltered classes.

Beginning 2 and Intermediate Math, Science and Social Studies Sheltered Classes The ESL sheltered (math, science and social studies) classes are taught by a licensed content teacher working with an ESL/SIOP coach. These classes are designed to provide the ELL students with the content necessary to successfully meet the requirements of the content classes for the Regents examinations and for graduation.

The English as a New Language (ENL) Student with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE) Program

The SIFE Program is designed for ELL students who:

  • come from a home where a language other than English is spoken and enter a school system in the United States after grade two;
  • upon enrollment, have had two years less schooling than their peers;
  • function at least two years below expected grade level in reading and in mathematics; and
  • may be preliterate in their first language. 

In addition, SIFE students may be offered one additional period of Native Language Arts, which provides them with opportunities to further develop and increase their native language literacy skills through intense practice of the four language modalities (listening, speaking, reading and writing) in their native language. Once mastered, the SIFE students are taught to transfer those skills to English.

The ENL SIFE Program in the High Schools 
Our SIFE Program in the high schools integrates the four language skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing) in all the ESL classes that the students attend. An ELL student placed in our SIFE program receives six periods of English as a second language that covers the needed literacy skills as well as the content-area subjects (English, mathematics, science, and social studies).