Approximately 600 students receive English language instruction in Orland Park School District 135. The students in Orland Park schools speak 45 different languages. Our top three languages are Arabic, Spanish and Polish.

To meet academic grade level goals while becoming proficient English speakers.

Per Illinois Administrative Code 228.30, the following programs and supports must be in place for English learners to access their education. 

 

TPI (Transitional Program of Instruction)- Also known as ESL (English as a Second Language). During ESL classes, teachers differentiate grade-level instruction in order to make it comprehensible to English Learners. It involves teaching both Academic and English instruction at the same time. The program is taught by teachers who have an ESL or Bilingual endorsement. Students are placed in a general education program for the majority of the day with the TPI teacher working collaboratively to meet the needs of the students alongside the classroom teacher. This program is offered at all 10 buildings in Orland SD 135.

 

TBE (Transitional Bilingual Education)- Bilingual programs are offered when 20 or more students have qualified for services and speak the same native language in a building. Instruction is delivered in the native language as well as English. The amount of native language used varies according to the needs of the child. These students are in a general education classroom for the majority of the day and also work with a Bilingual teacher.  The teacher is certified as a Bilingual teacher, which includes being a fluent speaker of the students’ native language. This program is currently offered at 9 buildings in Orland SD 135.

 

Sheltered English- Sheltered English programs group English Learners from the same or different backgrounds together in the same class. English is used for providing content-area instruction, adapting the language to the English proficiency level of the students. Teachers are Bilingual and/or ESL certified.