District Language Development Program
The District Language Development Program, located at Central Community School, is a fulltime, intensive instructional program for students with a diagnosis of significant language-based learning disabilities and for whom the language impairment is the primary condition interfering with the acquisition of academic skills. Elementary school students from School District #43 may be considered for the program if they meet the entrance criteria.
When accepted into the program, students leave their home-school for 1 year to attend the class at Central. Each student's placement is reviewed by the committee in the spring to decide about further placement options. Transportation is provided for these students. Students are provided with instructional support in a small group setting. There are usually up to 10 students in the class. Although the students are in a small class with a language focus for their basic instruction, they are fully integrated into all other aspects of the school, such as being connected to buddy classes, intramurals, and all other school-wide activities.
The program is structured so that language is the foundation and driving force behind instruction. Students continue to be taught a full range of curriculum, including language arts, math, science, social studies, art, P.E. etc. Curricular units provide a framework to teach specific language skills as well as facts and knowledge. A variety of teaching methods are utilized in order to develop language and age-appropriate skills.
Referral Process
In consultation with the school-based Speech-Language Pathologist and the student services staff member working with the student, the School-Based Team may refer students with significant language-based learning disabilities to the District Screening committee. This committee consists of the District Coordinator of School Programs (chair), 2-3 Speech-Language Pathologists, a school psychologist and the program teacher(s). The screening for this program takes place in April for admission the following September. Those students being considered for placement should first be a priority for school-based support and should have been receiving direct speech/language intervention for at least 6 months before the screening.
