Hristinka Tsanova - Email Hristinka Tsanova - Department Chair

Marcela Shiflett - Email Marcela Shiflett 

Vanessa Ortiz -  Email Vanessa Ortiz

English Leraners Identification and Placement

When students enroll in Loudoun County Public Schools and register with a language other than English, an English language proficiency test is administered at the Welcome Center.

The test helps determine the student’s proficiency level and their eligibility for EL services.

The Welcome Center also reviews transcripts and awards credits as needed.

the Welcome Center recommends course placement for students at the secondary level.

WIDA Can Do Descriptors

ELL Literacy 1 
In this course, Proficiency Level 1.5–2.0 ELL students will develop their literacy skills through a variety of reading and writing activities. Students will learn strategies to support their development as active and critical readers and will explore a variety of text types, including both fiction and nonfiction. Students will also create original compositions of varying lengths, styles, and types to support their growth as writers in core content and elective study areas.

ELL Literacy 2 
In this course, Proficiency Level 2.1–2.9 ELL students will expand their literacy skills in order to become more mature readers and better writers. Students will apply a variety of reading strategies as they become more active and critical readers of increasingly challenging fiction and nonfiction texts. Students will also create original compositions of varying lengths,styles, and types as they expand their skills as writers. 

Newcomer English
In this course, Proficiency Level 1.0–1.9 ELL students learn English vocabulary,grammar, and sentence structure to assist them in the development of academic, cultural, and life skills. Students will develop their literacy skills through a variety of reading and writing activities while exploring various text types including fiction and non-fiction.All four language domains (listening,speaking,reading, and writing) are incorporated in order to support students’acquisition of academic English.

English as a World Language 
In this course, Proficiency Level 2.0–2.9 ELL students learn to expand their communication skills in the four language domains (listening,speaking,reading, and writing). Complex vocabulary, grammatical, and sentence structures are used to extend students’development of academic English.

Advanced English Language Learners 
In this course, Proficiency Level 3 ELL students engage in the four language domains—listening,speaking,reading, and writing—around a variety of topics and themes as they refine their academic English. This course must be taught by a teacher with VA licensure in 9-12 English.

Newcomer ELL Mathematics Concepts 
In this course,Newcomer ELL students (Proficiency Level 1.0- 1.9) learn the language of mathematics along with key concepts of the grade-level mathematics curricula of Algebra I and Geometry.The Newcomer ELL Math Concepts course can be taken concurrently with a grade-level mathematics course to provide additional support for ELL students.This course is most appropriate for students at low levels of English proficiency who possess limited background in mathematics and/or have had limited or interrupted prior schooling.

Newcomer ELL Science Concepts
In this course,Newcomer ELL students (Proficiency Level 1.0–1.9) learn the language of science along with key concepts of the grade-level science curricula, including general science theory, earth science, and biology.The Newcomer ELL Science Concepts course can be taken concurrently with a grade-level science course to provide additional support for ELL students. This course is most appropriate for students at low levels of English proficiency who possess limited background in science and/or have had limited or interrupted prior schooling. 

Newcomer ELL Social Science Concepts 
In this course,Newcomer ELL students (Proficiency Level 1.0- 1.9) learn the language of social science along with key concepts of the grade-level social science curricula, including World History and United States and Virginia History.The ELL Social Science Concepts course can be taken concurrently with a grade-level social science course to provide additional support for ELL students.This course is most appropriate for students at low levels of English proficiency who possess limited background in social science and/or have had limited or interrupted prior schooling