ESL Program (English
as a Second Language)
English
language learners in the West Chester Area School District
represent over 45 different languages and more than
55 different countries. The course is flexible and
is based on the needs of the learners in the program.
Based on a standards-based curriculum, learners will
gain proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, writing,
and comprehension. Interdisciplinary content material,
as well as material specifically designed for ESL,
is used as the medium for students to use English to
communicate in social settings, to achieve academically
in all content areas, and to communicate in socially
and culturally appropriate ways.
The program is designed to enable English language learners
to access the mainstream curriculum and to achieve their
personal best in the school setting as well as becoming responsible
citizens in the local, national, and worldwide community.
Learners can best meet this goal through a content-based
curriculum, which integrate a Cognitive Academic Language
Learning Approach (CALLA).
Furthermore, learning strategies infused into this program
enable student to become lifelong learners. Language learned
through meaningful context in an academic setting improves
the education and language acquisition of the English language
learner. ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students provides the
academic framework for the instruction.
The program is headed by Patricia
Verbovszky.
Patricia has taught English to adults and children for over
15 years.
She enjoys meeting people from different cultures and learning
from them. She has her certification in English, a reading
specialist certification, a program specialist certification:
ESL, and her supervisory certification. She also has a master’s
degree in adult education and a master’s degree in
TESOL.
The ESL Standards addresses four different
levels: beginning, intermediate, advanced, and little formal
education.
Content-based
instruction addresses the needs of the intermediate and
the advanced learners. Beginning learners need a newcomer
curriculum,
which is a work in progress at this time, and learners
with limited formal education need intensive instruction
in areas
of their need.
Resources
for ESL (pdf)*
Download a detailed program
description — English (pdf)*
Download a detailed program
description — Spanish (pdf)*
Download
the "Guidebook for Planning
Programs for English Language Learners" (pdf)*
Contact: Pat
Verbovszky
*
Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 
