English Learner Language (ELL)

English Language Learner (ELL)

  • WELCOME to The Highland Park Senior High School Multilingual Learner (MLL) program! Our department was known in the past as the English Language Learner (ELL) Department. Currently, the department name has changed throughout the entire District to MLL.

    Highland Park's Department of Multilingual Learning assists students whose primary language at home is not English. Students are assisted in language development, particularly in listening and reading comprehension, and language production - speaking and writing. 

    Highland Park Senior High School is the only high school in St. Paul Public School's Area F to have a newcomer program for level 1 and 2 students. We are very pleased to be able to offer these services. Due to staffing constraints we are unable to offer a level 1.5 class for students.

    The MLL department carefully follows the WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards as well as the MN Science and Social Studies Standards for grades 9 - 12. Additionally, MLL uses the Literacy standards in the Common Core to help plan instruction.

    Currently, the MLL department is able to offer services for our newcomers in the Language Academy, as well as services for more advanced learners using a combination of co-taught and support classes.

    Classes currently offered in the MLL Department for the 2020-2021 school year include:
    Language Academy (levels 1-2; for Newcomer students)

    • Language Academy English Literacy and Language Development
    • Language Academy Newcomer Science and Language Development (Level 1)
    • Language Academy Social Studies and Language Development (Level 1 and 2)
     
    ELL Service Level Decision
    In examining the numbers of the students in levels 1, 1.5 and 2 in the 2019-2020 school year, we realized that in levels 1 and 1.5 there were a combined 11 students.  To split this cohort into 2 separate cohorts of fewer than ten students each was not possible as it would prevent us from offering necessary services to level 2, 3, 4 and dually identified students.  Therefore, both level 1 and 1.5 students are cohorted into one level 1 group and students who will need extra time in level one to build thier skills and be ready to proceed to level 2 and beyond.  This decision was not made lightly and was taken in consultation with the EL team, the counseling department, and the administrative team. 
     

    Intermediate and Advanced offerings:

    • Co-taught English 9-12
    • English Language Development 9-12
    • Co-taught Chemistry (Levels 2 and up)