Jun
18
Karla Galicia searched for a marker in her last kindergarten art class Wednesday.
“Where’s the blue at? I like to use blue because my favorite color’s actually blue,” she said to a classmate in the Hilltop Elementary classroom.
Almost 10 months before, when she started at the Glen Burnie school, Karla didn’t speak that much English the entire day.
As a child of Guatemalan immigrants who moved to the United States about eight years ago, she speaks Spanish at home and hadn’t had much experience with English before kindergarten. But she improved by the end of the year — reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in the morning, chatting with other students in English and following along with classroom activities and instructions.
“She’s really made some steps forward, not just with her English, but as a student and English Language Learner,” teacher Cindy Hoyle said. “We’ve been lucky to have her.”
During story time Wednesday, teacher’s aide Lauren Worsham read about an old woman who swallowed a shell. Karla put her arm around a friend and listened.
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Later, Worsham said Karla tells her she looks cute every day. “I’m going to miss you,” Worsham told the 5-year-old.
Karla hugged her and said, “Me too.”
She’s one of 742 students in the county school’s English Language Acquisition program graduating from kindergarten, according to officials. There were 810 on the first day of school, but withdrawals decreased the number, officials said.
KELCIE PEGHER It’s official: The Board of Education has committed to start school later beginning in the 2016-17 school year. It’s official: The Board of Education has committed to start school later beginning in the 2016-17 school year. ( KELCIE PEGHER ) –>
According to 2012 Census figures, there are more than 5,600 children ages 5 to 17 in the county who speak Spanish at home. Last year, county schools spent more than $2 million helping those students and their families.
Kindergarten has the largest group of English as a Second Language students, making up about 10 percent, officials said at the beginning of the year.
Counting on progress
“1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7… 8,” Karla counted on a math worksheet while pointing to pictures of sausages.
“Good,” Worsham said.
ESOL teacher Joanne Darling sees Karla three times a week to help with language development.
“There is a lot of growth in kindergarten,” Darling said. “She started to participate a lot more. She took (school) more seriously and was ready to learn. She really came out of her shell.”
In January, English Language Learners are tested on their skills and scored between 1 and 6. The test incorporates listening, speaking, reading, writing, oral language, literacy and comprehension.
Kelcie Pegher ‘Quantum step forward’ would cover later start times, but change would not happen until 2016-17 at the earliest ‘Quantum step forward’ would cover later start times, but change would not happen until 2016-17 at the earliest ( Kelcie Pegher ) –>
Karla scored 1.4, but Darling said that doesn’t reflect how much she has improved because she learned a lot in the last six months of the school year. Her oral language portion of the test was stronger even in January, at 3.5. Darling said. The reading and writing portions brought down her overall score.
Usually the most progress is shown in the second test, which Karla will take this January, Darling explained.
In the summer, language learners typically have some regression if they don’t practice, she said. There are summer programs to help, although Karla won’t be taking part, said bilingual facilitator Diana Rivera.
In art class, Karla drew a picture of her summer plans.
“I have me swimming,” she explained to the class as her drawing was projected overhead.
Karla’s favorite thing in kindergarten was coloring, she said later while eating pizza and pretzels at an end of the year picnic.
She’s excited for first grade because “I get to learn something.”
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