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Bilingualism & EL

Dual Language Program

Antonia  Pantoja  Charter School prides itself in its Dual  Language Program whose intended outcome is to graduate bilingual,  bi - cognitive,  bi-literate and multicultural students.  Parents enrolling their children in the Antonia Pantoja Charter School must complete a Home Language Survey.  Proficiency in two languages is deemed the most important mission of the Antonia Pantoja Charter School as this would provide our students with a decided advantage in today’s highly competitive global workplace.
 
 
Pantoja Charter school serves 82 English Learners (ELs) in grades K-8 in a range of language proficiency levels (1.0-6.0). ELs make up 13% of the school’s student population and they come from 2 language backgrounds--Spanish and Haitian-Creole.
 
Identification Process
  • When students enroll at Antonia Pantoja Charter School, they complete an application packet which includes a Home Language Survey (HLS) as required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  • Families also complete a form asking for all previous schools attended.
  • Parents/guardians may be asked additional questions in their language to examine multiple criteria to determine if formal assessment of the student’s level of English language proficiency is warranted.
  • If a language other than English is indicated, student transcripts are reviewed and the student’s previous school is contacted to determine whether the student is eligible for ELD services. If the school cannot determine whether or not services were previously received and there is no evidence of standardized test scores and grades determining proficiency, or if this is the student’s first school experience in the United States, the W-APT is administered to kindergarten students and the WIDA Screener is administered to students in grades 1-8.
  • If students qualify for a language instruction educational program (LIEP), parents/guardians receive an entry letter indicating the language proficiency level of the student and that the student qualifies for services. Parents/guardians are also informed of the criteria to exit the program. 
Click below to download the EL Manual for Antonia Pantoja Charter School and to learn more about language learning at the school: