Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Introduces English Language Development Program
Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt will launch a new
English language development program next year designed to help
intermediate-grade students enhance their English language skills.
The Escalate English program will
include a number
of listening, speaking, reading and writing exercises and activities
with both
print and digital components.
Aligned
with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's existing
English-language arts curricula, Journeys and Collections, Escalate
English is
intended to increase proficiency in both oral and written English
language with
daily instruction. Teachers can make adjustments in individual programs
to
match students' level of language proficiency.
Escalate
English provides a teacher dashboard
that has a central location for resources, a planning tool, student
assessment
reports and professional development materials. There is also a student
dashboard that includes myWriteSmart, a digital workspace, and a note
taking
tool.
Students
will have access to young adult fiction,
graphic novels, blogs and NPR podcasts and videos. There are also
videos that
model language usage in real-world scenarios.
"Long-term
English learners face a greater risk
of dropping out, especially if they are unable to achieve the fluency
levels
required to become confident speakers," said Elena Izquierdo, principal
investigator for Project LEAD and program consultant. "With this
program, Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt is expanding the reach of its quality content and
helping
school districts across the country close the achievement gaps faced by
long-term English learners."
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.