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Ferris Independent School District

Multilingual Education

MISSION

The mission of the Multilingual Education Program in Ferris ISD is to preserve English Learners’ (ELs’) linguistic and cultural heritage while developing the knowledge and skills they need to achieve academic success, as well as full integration, individually and socially, within the mosaic of a global culture.  The Multilingual Program is committed to the promotion of bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism and to the support of all languages as equally valued.

Program Philosophy

Ferris ISD believes that multilingual education programs help all English Learners (ELs) acquire the necessary skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English so they may achieve academic excellence and succeed beyond graduation in an interconnected society.  We will meet the cognitive, affective, and linguistic needs of ELs within a culturally supportive environment in order to promote student achievement.  FISD Multilingual Education Programs are committed to educational excellence and continuous achievement for all English learners by embracing bilingualism and biculturalism as valued resources.

Program Design

Ferris ISD will promote a consistent district-wide Multilingual Education Program that focuses on meeting the individual needs of students through a challenging, affective, cognitive, and linguistic curriculum.  Classroom instruction in the Bilingual program shall utilize the student’s native language as a foundation for teaching academic content that reflects the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and higher-level thinking skills, while building English proficiency to a level that will ensure successful English transition.  Instruction in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program will take place primarily in students’ general education classrooms.  Teachers will employ sheltered instruction strategies and other research-based instructional approaches to support English language development.

Goal Statements

The Ferris ISD Multilingual Education Program will:

  • Provide challenging instruction that supports mastery of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) and includes collaborative professional support and integration of effective educational technology;
  • Enable ELs to develop fluency in comprehending oral and written English as well as in speaking and writing English through the integration of linguistic, cognitive, and academic support;
  • Ensure ELs show progress each year in their mastery of TEKS and ELPS and in their development of Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP);
  • Promote bilingualism and biliteracy with the ultimate goal that each student will master the English language skills necessary to be successful during their educational experience and while pursuing goals for their future;
  • Bring ELs to academic parity with the district’s non-EL students with regard to student performance on state assessments, college, career, and military readiness and graduation.