The Watertown Public Schools has a comprehensive educational program for English Learners that provides English language instruction in an interactive setting, where students are taught strategies to help them master English for both academic and social settings.

The ESL program in Watertown uses an integrated Sheltered English Instruction model in all schools. At the elementary level, English Learners are integrated into classrooms and participate in the general curriculum, as well as working with ESL teachers when needed. At the secondary level, English Learners take English as a Second Language as a content area, and can receive support in some of their content classes.

Watertown has a very diverse (37% first language not English) population. Our vibrant community has many different native languages being spoken at home, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Pashto, and Armenian. Of those families, almost 20% have students who are English Learners. These students have a variety of cultural backgrounds, English abilities, and prior educational levels.

Watertown’s ESL Program is integrates skills and concepts of the mainstream curriculum in order to develop the English language in context. This interactive instruction allows teachers to support learners at their current level and help integrate them into the schools.

Massachusetts is a part of the WIDA Consortium, with 42 U.S. member states and territories. All English Learners, from K-12, complete the annual state assessment, ACCESS, to determine their growth in Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing English. This assessment occurs in January, with results available in May.
 

If you have any questions or concerns about this process, feel free to contact:

Kate Phillipson
English Language Education Director

Watertown Public School
30 Common Street
Watertown, MA 02472
617-972-4297

kathryn.phillipson@watertown.k12.ma.us