EGUSD earns Central Valley Foundation grant for English learnersJune 19, 2009 The Elk Grove Unified School District has been awarded a $500,000 over three years to fund an after school program for English Learners at Kennedy, Prairie and David Reese elementary schools through a grant from the Central Valley Foundation. The grant-funded program is designed to boost the academic language skills of English learners in grades 3, 4, and 5. Academic language, such as the language found in math, science and history text books, can present a challenge to English learners even after they are fluent in everyday English. Teachers in the after school program will be trained to use high-interest, expository materials, such as youth magazines, to assist students with their oral and written language skills. Each school will serve approximately 45 students. Classes will be held three days per week for two hours each day. The program will begin the second week of school and run throughout the year. “We were thrilled to be awarded this grant. It will give us the opportunity to extend instruction for English learners with a laser focus on academic language. Districts across the state face the challenge of teaching English learners the very dense and formalized language of textbooks. We are confident that we’ll see real results in our students,” said Vanessa Girard, the Director of Instructional Support and district administrator in charge of implementing the grant. The Central Valley Foundation was established by the late James McClatchy of the newspaper publisher McClatchy Company to help the children of immigrants learn English. The foundation has enlisted Dr. Kenji Hakuta, a nationally-known researcher and the Lee L. Jacks Professor of Education at Stanford University, to evaluate the grant.
|