2014-2015 ESL Teaching Assistants Melisa Everhart Ashley Jarrell Tiffany Howard Assists at Ashey HS and tests across the district Assists at Williston MS and tests across the district Assists at Hoggard HS and tests across the district [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ESL teaching assistants support ESL students in middle and high schools. They provide academic support across the curriculum. In addition to providing tutoring support for ESL students, these professionals are an important part of the ESL testing program. ESL teaching assistants are trained to administer the following two types of English proficiency tests to students whose home language surveys name a language other than English: • W-APT tests* for initial placement of newly enrolled K-12 students who have not been previously tested with the W-APT or WIDA ACCESS tests, and to K-12 students who have previously tested out of the ESL program, but who now exhibit indications that there are still academic difficulties that seem to indicate the continued probability of second-languageacquisiton difficulties, and • Pre-LAS tests to Pre-K students for fall baseline and spring growth measurements. During the annual testing window, ESL teaching assistants may also assist in adminstration of the WIDA ACCESS test to K-12 students previously identified as LEP at their base schools. *Requests to test individual students with the W-APT must be made to the ESL lead teacher. Test administration requires both lead teacher approval and the existence of a Home Language Survey.