Madison staff describe multilingual learner supports, outreach and translation tools

Madison School District staff gave the Student Development Committee an overview of services for multilingual learners, describing identification, instruction, family outreach and technology used to communicate with families.

Staff members said about 30 different languages are spoken in Madison homes and that 140 students currently have another language spoken at home. They reported 31 students were identified as multilingual learners receiving district support, and 43 students have exited ESOL services after meeting proficiency criteria. Staff described annual English proficiency testing (referred to in the meeting as the district’s “last links” assessment), which measures listening, speaking, reading and writing; staff said students are exited when they reach high intermediate levels in overall English and in reading and writing, and are then monitored for two years.

Presenters described how services are tailored to student needs: teachers provide daily support for beginning learners, small-group or pull-out instruction as language skills develop, and classroom “push-in” support aligned to grade-level content. High school staff said they initially meet new arrivals individually and later provide in-class support to clarify instructions, teach key vocabulary and help with reading.

Staff described family outreach events — art nights, fall and spring field trips, and library visits — designed to connect families to school and community resources. Presenters said these events helped raise participation in summer library programs (from zero to five participants in one year, then to 11 for the upcoming summer) and improved awareness of recreational and educational opportunities.

On communication tools, staff said Google Translate is widely used for quick communications and that Google Classroom can present assignments in parents’ languages; district staff also use the TalkingPoints messaging app to translate messages between teachers and families automatically. The presenters said the district also uses a licensed text-leveling tool (referred to in the meeting as Diffit) to adapt reading materials and match Lexile levels for multilingual learners. Presenters noted some limitations: scanned documents do not translate automatically and many textbooks are not available in other languages.

Funding for consumable materials and family events comes from a small grant within a LERN collaborative, presenters said; the teachers’ positions are funded through the district budget. Presenters and committee members praised staff outreach and recommended continuing these community-building events. No policy or budget action was taken at the committee meeting.