ELD PAVES THE WAY Inside look on the English Language Development program

By: Emily Neri, Carmesi Editor

The English Development Program (ELD) involves more than 230 students in their pursuit to be reclassified during high school. Reclassification is the process where students demonstrate language proficiency in order to be successful in their academic studies. These classes are offered to help the students learn English and provide support to welcome them into the school’s environment.

Florentino Aleman teaches two newcomer classes. The 2021 school year marks Aleman’s second year teaching at PRHS but has taught the ELD program for over 20 years. In his experience he has found that maintaining a positive connection with students has fostered their success in the program.

“If the teacher speaks Spanish then the students have a good relationship [with them]. If they don’t, it becomes difficult for them to communicate,” Aleman said . “The main purpose of this program is to get students to be successful in learning English and also complete and be successful in their academic classes.”

Along with Aleman, Elizabeth Cordoba, Humberto Cera ,Deborah McPherson, and Tyler Useda also teach the ELD cirriculum.

“The Goal of the ELD program is for them to practice their english. One of the most difficult things is talking. I have given them an environment to feel comfortable speaking and making mistakes that

ELD Department Assignments

way they can do it in other classes,” said Aleman.

Student Nathaly Hernandez is a senior who joined the program two years ago. With her family, she immigrated from Honduras to Paso Robles three years ago in hopes of challenging herself in her academics. The ELD program gave Hernandez the opportunity to learn a new language, culture, and environment.

“My goal for the ELD program during and after is to help all students who came from other countries learn how to communicate in English, and that they feel comfortable and welcomed in this new place. [This program] helped me with my transcripts, and I made new friends from different countries which helped me to understand their culture.”

Through her involvement in the program, Hernandez has been reclassified while maintaining a 4.0. Hernandez was particularly noticed as being a great achieving student by the new college and career counselor Cesar Barajas.

“He comes and talks to them here in class. I know he’s trying to start a club just like me and our goal is to try and make them feel comfortable, know what we have to offer, and for them to be successful,” said Aleman.

Along with the great strides of the ELD program, there are a few minor setbacks. Some of the issues with the ELD program is the lack of help students receive in a classroom where teachers aren’t familiar with their second language. It is also difficult for some students to practice pronunciation due to fear of embarrassment. Barajas has been working dilifently to make improvements on the program.

“One of the things we can do to help them is allow them to use the app during class so they can listen to the teacher and understand what they are learning. A lot of newcomers don’t know what’s available at school so having an opportunity for them to see what electives there are, so they can try something different, is important,” said Aleman.

“I feel that the program can be improved by introducing beginners reading books to the students, where they can see the grammar of English and also so that they have an idea of how and when to use the words,”

Hernandez said. “The improvement that I would like to see is to encourage our students to practice each other’s pronunciation.”

In response to these shortcomings, Aleman is starting a new club called Makerspace. In this club participants will have the opportunity to practice their vocabulary. Students will also be able to learn real world skills as Aleman will even teach them how to fix cracked phone screens. Barajas is also advising the Expedition Club , which he has created to unite all students to get involved into the PRHS community and create a welcoming environment.

ELD is slowly growing in numbers and currently teaches 10% of the school’s student population. This program has aided in welcoming students from different backgrounds into our community and campus, simultaneously opening doors of cultural appreciation and representation. ELD is paving the way for teachers, students and families by diminishing the language barrier and allowing room for educational opportunities.

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