Students who are not fluent in the English language are constantly faced with the obstacles of a language barrier. They are confused by unknown words, lost during lectures and unable to form questions or convey certain thoughts about material. However, there is a program offered in all Prince William County schools aimed toward breaking down this barrier – English for Speakers of Other Languages, more commonly known as ESOL.

This program provides students with limited English proficiency an opportunity to increase their ability to understand English and learn about the many different cultures at Hylton. They are placed in different levels of ESOL after being assessed by the Home Language Registration to determine their fluency in English. ESOL classes are actually very similar to English speaking classes.
 
“They’re called sheltered classes which are basically just classes made up of all ESOL students. They are taught in English with the same subject material, but with some adjustments made. Sometimes the material will be condensed or more time will be spent on it,” said history teacher Juan Sampedro.

While ESOL classes are all taught in English, the students in the classes are extremely diverse. Students come from all around the world and speak many different languages. This can offer new perspectives on another country’s culture and language, while also giving ESOL students the opportunity to gain better verbal and written English skills.

“Hylton’s ESOL program has a lot of languages. There’s Spanish, Arabic, Farsi, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese,” said senior Carlo Valdivia.

There are four different levels of ESOL, the most proficient being ESOL 4. After completing that level, the students are moved to regular classes, having reached the goal of an expanded knowledge of the English language.

“It helped me a lot with the language and to understand English better. They take their time and help you,” said freshman Kenia Diaz.

However, this class does not only assist speakers of other languages with subjects in school; by enhancing their skills to read, write and speak English, students will be better prepared for the real world.

“An ESOL student is usually not only learning a new language, but also navigating a new life in a new country. ESOL teachers are able to help not only their students, but the students’ families as well. Frequently the questions students have for us are beyond schoolwork; we help them figure out the entire school system and beyond,” said English and ESOL teacher Jordan Millner.

The most recent achievement in the ESOL program has been the scores received by students in the Achieve 3000 lab. Achieve 3000 is software use for one-on-one instruction, catering to each student’s reading and writing comprehension level. It focuses on literacy, reading improvement and reading enrichment. Hylton’s ESOL students have earned top scores both in Virginia and nationally.

The opportunities provided by the ESOL program are numerous; it prepares students whose first language is not English for regular classes and the real world, while also letting them view many different cultures. The real achievement is being able to enter regular classes, indicating that they have a better understanding of the English language and the necessary knowledge to succeed.