TEACHER COMMUNICATION PLAN

Mr. Stephen Blum -Amherst Regional High School

English Second Language
ESL 10 (academic, 1 credit) Course code: 004202
ESL 11 (academic, 1 credit) Course Code: 004203

A. COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The Guidelines for English as a Second Language (ESL) provided by the Nova Scotia
Department of Education outline the responsibilities of school boards and schools:
 To identify the needs of students from culturally diverse backgrounds and
whose first language is not English so that they can participate successfully in
the education process.
 To provide students who have little or no knowledge of the English language
with equitable opportunities to achieve designated learning outcomes across
the curriculum.
 To build on the ESL student’s first language and culture and encourage a
positive self-image. The learning environment should value diversity and
work to bridge cultures and eliminate racism.

B. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The first step will be to identify and determine each student’s level of language
proficiency, academic profile, social/cultural and personal considerations. Like all
English Language Arts courses described in the Nova Scotia Public School Programs
document, ESL courses emphasize the development of communication skills: speaking
and listening, reading and viewing, writing, and using information, media and texts.
Some of the themes to be explored are Recreation and Leisure, Family, Friends, Daily
Activities, and Future Plans/Careers, Current Events/Issues.

Expected Competencies/Outcomes
Listening
 The student will understand the main ideas and significant details of an oral text in
English, making use of available help appropriate to the context.
 The student will be able to understand messages spoken in English at a normal or
slower than normal rate.
 The student will be able to understand an oral text containing:
o Simple, colloquial and varied vocabulary
o A limited quantity of information
o Recurring information

Speaking
 The student will be able to communicate orally in a number of everyday situations:
o In relation to the context
o Independently
o Connecting the elements of the message together in a logical way
o At an acceptable speed, despite inevitable hesitation and construction or
pronunciation errors

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 The student will be able to express herself or himself in English using basic
vocabulary and simple sentence structure.
 The student will be able to engage in a conversation in English.
 The student will be able to compensate for communication difficulties, for example
with gestures or borrowings from their first language.

Reading
 The student will be able to understand texts written in English, involving a limited
number of familiar subjects and situations from everyday life.
 The student will understand the main ideas and significant details of a written text in
English, making use of help appropriate to the context.
 The student will be able to understand a written text containing:
o Simple, colloquial and varied vocabulary
o Simple, compound or complex sentences in a limited number of examples
o A limited quantity of information
o Recurring information

Writing
 The student will be able to write in English in a limited number of everyday
situations:
o In relation to the context
o Independently
o Connecting together in a logical way the elements of the text they are writing
in spite of errors in construction using a simple vocabulary and simple
sentence structures using various reference materials, e.g. a dictionary or
thesaurus.
 The student will be able to compensate for difficulties in writing, for example with
synonyms or borrowings from their first language.

To help students achieve the outcomes they should be encouraged to develop:

 Confidence in their ability to express themselves in English

 Perseverance in their efforts to communicate in English
 Motivation to take advantage of opportunities to pursue their learning of English
outside of school.

C. EVALUATION:
ESL students will be evaluated on their improvement of these skills beyond their entry-
level ability and on obtaining the course objectives stated above. A variety of assessment
methods will be used in order to evaluate students including:
 Tests/quizzes 35%
 Response journals 20%
 Projects/In class assignments 20%
 Oral presentations/interviews 10%
 Class participation/teacher observation. 15%

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D. COMMUNICATION:
 If I need to contact a student’s parents or guardians I will try to
telephone your home, or send a note.
 You may contact me by telephoning the school at 661-2540; if
you have to leave a message, please leave your name,
telephone number, your child’s name and that it concerns the
ESL course.
 Contact me by Email: blums@staff.ednet.ns.ca
 Students will be told how to make an appointment with me if
they require extra help or need to discuss some aspect of the
course.

E. REPORTING PERIODS
First Semester mid semester reports will be distributed on or before
November 15,
First Semester Parent Teacher Interviews will take place on November
18 and 19, 2010.
First Semester Examinations: January 25, 26, 27 and 28, 2011.
First Semester final reports will be distributed on February 7, 2011.

Second Semester begins January 31, 2011.

Second Semester Mid-Semester report cards will be distributed on April
18, 2011. Parent-Teacher Interviews will take place on April 20 and 21,
2011.
Second Semester Examinations begin June 20, 2011.
The Second Semester final reports will be distributed on June 30, 2011.