next photo

prev photo

There was no denying the blissful excitement that pervaded the room. Children skipped down the aisle in their native country’s outfit, by turns erupting in innocent laughter and flashing polite smiles–a mark of pride and relief after completing a challenging year of ESOL classes.

Last month, Montgomery County Public Schools held an ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) Awards Day. The event was in recognition of the hard work it takes for international students to adjust to American schools. More than 157 local primary and secondary schools were honored.

“I was an ESOL teacher for 25 years, so I could identify with the rush of adrenaline the students and parents felt as they saw their daily growth,” said Lois Wions. “It’s a very heartwarming feeling.”

Wions is currently the county’s Supervisor of Instruction, and develops the pre-K to 12th grade ESOL curriculum. ESOL is a fairly new program and was elevated five years ago as a core curricular area. Wions’s Montgomery County team was first to house an ESOL specialist and was the first district in Maryland to develop a standards-based curriculum. The unprecedented program was instrumental in bringing the ESOL framework to the state level.

The current ESOL/Bilingual program has four global standards, which include listening, speaking, reading and writing. These standards are defined and measured by proficiency levels that students meet to complete the program. New students enter ESOL at level 1 and can go up to level 5, or advanced-level classes that teach complex language structures. Wions said international students readily take on the ESOL classes.

“ESOL gives them the language and cultural boost to be academically successful,” said Wions. “(The students) are captive audiences. They work hard and always pay attention because they know everything is helping them.”

State Senator Ida G. Ruben (D-Dist. 20) presented the ESOL awards after encouraging each student personally. “It’s exhilarating and so special to the community,” she said. “These awards show how individual parents are able to help their children keep their native language and roots, while learning English to succeed in America.”

Maria Siburian is one of these students. Dressed in traditional Indonesian wear, Siburian showed off her award to her extended family, which attended the event to cheer her on. Siburian, 9, moved from Indonesia less than a year ago to attend Beall Elementary School, and already speaks proficient English.

“I’m thrilled to receive an award," she said, adding it would spur her to work even harder in her ESOL classes.