English Language Learners
English Language Learners are challenged to meet high standards of proficiency in all core subjects under NCLB, even as they develop their English Language skills. The New Century Learning System provides the extra support that can make the difference in student’s progress. New Century addresses the five key elements recommended by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
Screen and Monitor Progress
New Century provides both initial diagnostic assessments and ongoing formative assessments. These integrated tools provide teachers with a clear picture of each student’s needs and their progress in developing skills. Formative assessments also automatically adjust their individualized instructional path to closely match the student’s developing needs.
Provide Reading Interventions
IES recommends supplemental instruction that is direct and explicit, with frequent review of skills and clear corrective feedback. New Century’s early reading lessons systematically develop the relationship between letter sounds and written words, introducing the vowels, the consonants, and blends. The curriculum incorporates a systematic, synthetic phonics approach that is tailored to each student’s skill proficiency. Each student progresses at their own rate and the software allows students to replay aural instruction to help learn pronunciation of phonemes, words, and phrases. The software is infinitely patient in repeating aural instruction the student may wish to revisit. Lessons contain controlled practice to achieve fluency, including passages, stories, and subject area content. The development of fluency is enhanced by aural instruction and continuous feedback.
Teach Vocabulary
New Century introduces vocabulary systematically in the context of reading topics. Lessons often include a vocabulary review prior to reading passages; many reading passages include a Key Words glossary. Separate spelling lessons, which teach meaning in context, are embedded in the reading curriculum, and also contribute to vocabulary development.
Develop Academic English
Beginning at the third grade equivalent, reading passages are primarily expository, including topics from science, social studies and the humanities. Mastering English lessons teach students the basics of grammar, and a complete Writing Curriculum prepares students for further academic success and real world communications needs.
Schedule Peer Learning
New Century’s reports help teachers to group students by ability level. Pairs of students can work independently on New Century lessons, with higher performing students assisting a struggling student. The Writing curriculum includes a structured process wereby the teacher assigns peer readers to review and comment on writing exercises by other students. The teacher also can review and comment on writing samples at any time.
Success with ELL Students
The New Century reading curriculum is both research based and the subject of randomized controlled studies with independent investigators among students with large ELL populations. These formal studies confirm that teachers who used New Century as part of their curriculum achieved astatistically significant and large improvement in student learning on state proficiency and norm-referenced tests. For this reason, the New Century Learning System is used heavily in South Texas, Florida, and California with English Language Learners to help them successfully migrate to English proficiency.