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Teacher Resources

Language Proficiency Standards

For English Language Learners Pre-K-12

Pennsylvania Language Proficiency Standards for English Language Learners (ELPS for ELLs) is a valuable resource for planning instruction, assessment, and curriculum for English language learners in pre-school through high school. Educators are provided with the academic standards that guide instructional planning for  ELLs in the content areas of Social & Instructional English (ESL), Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies as well as  example topics and themes, CAN DO Descriptors, and language performance definitions  The ELPS for ELLs also include formative and summative frameworks for classroom instruction and large scale assessment. 

Click on the links below to view or print a copy of these standards for ELLs.

PDE Standards Aligned System

The Standards Aligned System is a comprehensive approach to support student achievement across the Commonwealth. The standards aligned system (SAS) supports the goal of PDE to ensure that all students, including every English Language learner in the mainstream classroom, can succeed in their core competencies. The ELL Overlay provides classroom/content teachers with instructional support in meeting the academic needs of ELLs.

 The components of SAS:

  • Clear Standards
  • Fair Assessments
  • Curriculum Framework
  • Instruction
  • Materials and Resources
  • Interventions 
In order to access the ELL component of the SAS follow these steps:
  • Visit the PDESAS website
  • Click on the heading ‘Curriculum Framework’
  • Click on the tab ‘ELL Overlay’
  • Navigate this page to read about the specific performance indicators in the areas of mathematics and literacy.