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English For Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Jennifer Knopf
(603) 464-1110
This office is located at the H-D Elementary SchoolEnglish for Speakers of Other Languages, (ESOL)
As stated on the New Hampshire Department of Education's website, "The mission of the ESOL program is to ensure that all English Language Learners in New Hampshire are given an equitable, appropriate, and academically challenging education".
This program was established by a federal law, Title III. It requires all school districts to provide special English tutorial services to children, in grades K to 12, with limited English proficiency who come from bilingual homes (where a non-English language is spoken).
The purpose of the ESOL program is to help these children develop higher levels of English proficiency, enough to successfully handle the regular school curriculum. Bilingual students often come to the Hillsboro area with conversational English, but lack literacy in academic vocabulary for reading and writing due to their foreign language background. To be eligible for ESOL, parents must indicate on their child's school enrollment form the languages they speak at home. The student is then given an English proficiency test. If the test results indicate that the student has "limited English proficiency" (LEP) in listening, speaking, reading and/or writing English, the parents are notified that their child is eligible for ESOL. The parents can accept or decline permission for ESOL services.
In the Hillsboro-Deering School District, ESOL lessons are mostly conducted on a "one-on-one" (one teacher with one student) basis during "pullout" sessions from their regular class. Lessons are tailored to the individual needs of the student and in coordination with their regular teacher.
All students who tested "Limited English Proficiency" must take an annual English test called "ACCESS". It is required by the N.H. Department of Education for bilingual students, including those whose parents declined ESOL services. Once ESOL students attain sufficient English proficiency on the annual ACCESS test, they can exit the ESOL program and fully mainstream with their grade level peers.
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