Instructional Model
Bethel offers a variety of EL instructional models in order to meet the language and academic needs of our English Learners. The English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPs) provide teachers with learning targets for these students who are learning English language literacy skills along with their grade level content knowledge and skills.
Elementary Schools
Supportive Mainstream
Consistent, focused, and effective language development instruction is provided to elementary English Learners through a pull-out/push-in model. Students in this model access grade-level academic content through participation in their mainstream classrooms. Language instruction is developed and monitored by teachers who have been specifically trained in the field of second language acquisition and strategies. Instruction may occur either individually or in small groups within the mainstream classroom (push-in) or separate from the mainstream classroom (pull-out) with the focus on supporting English language development.
Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program
A Dual Language program is offered at Thompson Elementary. Candidates selected through an admissions process develop multicultural competence as well as linguistic proficiency in both Spanish and English. Entry for the program will begin at the kindergarten level with continuous grade level expansions in subsequent years. At kindergarten and first grade, approximately 90% of instruction will be in Spanish and 10% will be in English to facilitate early Spanish language acquisition and literacy development. As students transition to higher grades, more of the instruction shifts to English, so that in the upper grades there will be an equal division (50/50) of Spanish and English instruction. For more information on the Spanish Dual Language Immersion program, click here.
Secondary Schools
Sheltered Instruction
Spanaway Middle School and Spanaway High School offer Sheltered Instruction. This model integrates English language development with academic content learning using English as the language of instruction. Classes where Sheltered Instruction is used are made up of primarily English Language Learners. The instruction is delivered by teachers specially trained in the field of second language acquisition and instructional strategies to support both English language development and academic grade level content.
Supportive Mainstream
Secondary schools, other than Spanaway Middle School and Spanaway Lake High School, offer language development instruction to English Learners through a pull-out/push-in model known as Supportive Mainstream. Students in this model access grade-level academic content through participation in their mainstream classrooms. Language instruction is developed and monitored by teachers who have been specifically trained in the field of second language acquisition and strategies. Instruction may occur either individually or in small groups within the mainstream classroom (push-in) or separate from the mainstream classroom (pull-out) with the focus on supporting English language development.