Additional settings for Safari Browser.
Multilingual Learners
Multilingual Learner Program Overview
The Multilingual Learner (MLL) Program provides English Language Development (ELD) services for students whose primary language is other than English and who qualify for services based on a measurement of their language proficiency using the Washington State approved screener. The goal of the program is to provide supplemental or additional services to eligible students to support their academic success.
Students who qualify for services take the annual WIDA English Language Proficiency. This test is administered each year in the early spring and measures each student’s proficiency across the four language domains of reading, listening, writing and speaking. Students must demonstrate a minimum English language proficiency level across the four domains to exit the program.
MLL Program Models
Supportive Mainstream Grades K-8
Students receive supplemental grade level academic content support by MLL staff inside the mainstream classroom. The focus of support is English Language development.
Content-Based Instruction/Sheltered Instruction Grades 9-12
Students receive instruction delivered by teachers specially trained in the field of second language acquisition and instructional strategies to support English Language development and access to grade-level academic content. These classes are primarily made up of students receiving MLL services.
MLL Program Frequently Asked Questions
-
Every student enrolling in a Washington State school is required to complete the Home Language Survey to identify their primary language. If a language other than English is indicated, the student undergoes the state-approved language proficiency placement test. This assessment evaluates the student's overall ability to communicate and understand English through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
-
Exited MLL students are monitored for two years to support their academic success. Those who do not meet the standards based on state and district assessments will receive support from an MLL teacher.
-
All MLL students take an on-line English proficiency test, the WIDA Access, annually. They exit the MLL program when they demonstrate a proficient score on the four domains of the assessment: listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English.
-
The length of time to gain proficiency and exit the program based on meeting proficiency on the annual test varies child by child. Students who are just beginning to learn English typically spend between three and five years in the MLL program. More advanced Multilingual Learners may exit in one or two years.