DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR ENGLISH LEARNER INSTRUCTION AT THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL LEVEL: A CHALLENGE IN SAMPSON COUNTY SCHOOLS

Abstract

This study utilized Professional Learning Communities (PLC) of English Learner (EL) teachers in a collaborative process in the Union sub-district of Sampson County Schools to develop an EL Plan of Instruction. This group of educators utilized the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for English Language Arts (NCSCS: ELA) as the basis for this plan of instruction. Data from North Carolina End of Grade exams (EOGs) from the 2017-2018 school year, and NC Check-Ins 1 and 2 from the 2018-2019 school year provided detail to ascertain the early effectiveness of the program. These data indicated positive growth in proficiency among the EL population at the feeder schools for Union High School. The possible introduction of several programs of EL instruction utilized in school systems around the United States were discussed and eliminated as potential improvements to the system of EL instruction used by Sampson County Schools. As predetermined by the Local Education Agency, consideration was given to the prohibitive costs associated with these programs and the lack of personnel to implement them in developing the EL Plan of Instruction, but major consideration was given to the major effectiveness of this plan. The implications indicated by the study included: the impact of economic limitations of the district; the effect of personnel changes on the implementation of new educational programs; the impact of weather on the school calendar; and the length of the program study.