Multilingual Learner Program
The Multilingual Learner Program (MLL) provides a learning environment that encourages student pride in cultural heritage and provides the cognitive and affective support for Richland Two's growing population of linguistically and culturally diverse students.
Overview
This program, beginning in Kindergarten and continuing through high school, provides each Multilingual Learner (ML) the opportunity to be successful in academic areas and to become proficient in the English language. MLP instruction is aimed at increasing English proficiency in the domains of listening, speaking, reading and writing. The WIDA English Language Development Standards are used to guide the lessons that are taught in the ESOL classroom. These standards are created by using the Model Performance Indicators (MPIs) listed in the WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards and Resource Guide. The language standards are meant to provide a bridge to the content-area standards
Richland School District Two currently has over 28,565 students of which 1,230 are identified as Multilingual Learners (MLs) by Federal and State guidelines and another 700 students who have met exit criteria as determined by the State Department of Education and are currently in their four year monitoring period. Our Richland Two students speak 38 different languages and represent 71 different countries and/or territories outside of the United States. The top five languages spoken in our district (other than English) are Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Hindi, and Korean.
Student Placement
Richland School District Two has a process of identifying Multilingual Learners (MLs) in its schools. The Home Language Survey (HLS) is used to identify students whose have a home language other than English for possible eligibility in the MLP. Parents of every newly-enrolling student in a South Carolina school district will be asked to complete this survey in all grade levels from 3K-12th grade.
After a completed HLS indicates a language other than English, MLP staff will look at incoming student records to see if a state-approved English language proficiency assessment has been completed within the last calendar year. If no placement can be determined based on incoming student records, ESOL staff will administer the appropriate and state-approved WIDA Identification Screener to the student to determine their English language proficiency. Richland School District Two uses the WIDA English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards assessment system to determine ML classification. South Carolina is one of 37 states to adopt this model and use its foundation for ML instruction and assessment. The score on this assessment will determine if the student is eligible for MLP services or not.