FAMILIES

Welcome

Thank you for visiting Ms. Shaffield's English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom website!
Please review the following information to learn more about your student's ESL course:

If your student has already enrolled, please choose their class and review the information
Feel free to contact the instructor―Ms. Shaffield is bilingual in Spanish and English, so contact her in either language
Continue reading the important information for students' families featured in the sections below

Note: If you are having difficulty accessing this website in English, please select "ES" for español in the top-right corner

Nota: Si Uds. tengan dificultad con el acceso del sitio en inglés, por favor, seleccione "ES" en el menú en la esquina superior derecha

Frequently asked Questions

What is ESL?

The acronym "ESL" stands for "English as a Second Language" (p. 81)―this program typically involves:¹

Learning how to listen, speak, read, and write in English, especially in "the academic register"¹
Receiving "intensive English instruction for part of the day" in addition to students' placement "in regular classrooms"¹
"Receiving assistance from an ESL resource room in a pull-out program schedule” with other ELLs¹
Allowing "frequent opportunities for peer interactions" to promote speaking and make content "comprehensible"¹

How do I learn more?

If you would like to learn more about your student's specific course or curriculum, please review the
syllabus they received at the beginning of the semester or by viewing their course's dedicated web page

What can I do?

If you would like to support your student, please consider participating in one or more of the following ways (pp. 394-401):¹

Continue First Language Development: Please consider "reading, telling stories, and conducting conversation in... everyday activities"―"a strong foundation in their first language provides a foundation for learning" English¹

"In-Class Participation": Consider a "volunteer assignment"―"assist with a holiday party..., demonstrate
a particular craft or skill, or read stories to" the class; please contact if you are interested¹

Note: Due to the school district's rules in the time of social distancing, visitors are not permitted inside of the ESL classroom

Visit the Library: Encourage your student's budding English literacy by checking out books from the library

Attend Conferences and PTO Meetings: If you receive notification of a parent-teacher conference, please let the instructor or the school know if you can attend; alternative arrangements and an interpreter can be made available

If you have additional suggestions for family involvement or would like to discuss volunteering, please contact the instructor

How Do I Contact You?

If you have a question or concern about the teacher, the course, or your student, please do one of the following:

Visit the Contact page and send a message directly to the instructor's email inbox with your contact information
Message the teacher directly through the ClassDojo phone and web application after joining Ms. Shaffield's class
Schedule an appointment for an in-person meeting with the teacher or team of teachers at the school campus
Contact the receptionist of the school in which your student is enrolled to leave a message for the teacher

Reference

¹ Otto, B. (2014). Language development in early childhood education (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.