Newcomers are students who are in their first year in the United States and they are classified as Non-English Speakers or they are at the beginning level of language proficiency.  The term Newcomer is the overarching nomenclature for different types of recent immigrants. In Garland ISD, newcomers can have one or more indicators in their profile which will help appropriate the support students receive. 

Through GISD’s compliance procedures, Emergent Bilingual students (also called English Learners) who are identified as Newcomer EBs are provided the opportunity to participate in the different programs designed to support English Learners/Emergent Bilinguals who are at the beginning level of language proficiency.

Newcomer programming

Our Newcomer Programming supports:

• Correct identification of Newcomers
• Appropriate program placement
• Teacher training on Newcomer-specific strategies
• Providing resources specific to Newcomers

Elementary

At the Elementary Level, newcomers are recommended to participate and are supported in either our Dual Language (Spanish or Vietnamese) or in traditional classrooms as Emergent Bilingual students. Teachers and staff receive training on Sheltered Instruction.  Newcomers are also supported by the Newcomer Ambassadors who are our EB Paraprofessionals in each school.

Secondary

Newcomers at the secondary level have the option to attend the Newcomer Center housed at Memorial Pathway Academy. The Newcomer Program for middle school and high school Newcomers at Memorial Pathway Academy is specially designed for our newcomers, with classes that are distinctly offered to reinforce second language acquisition for newly-arrived emergent bilinguals. Teachers also get extra training and support that are catered toward teaching and supporting Newcomer EBs.

Though most newcomers go to the newcomer center, they can also opt to go to a traditional middle school or high school depending on their circumstances. When they opt to go to their traditional campus, they will have additional support via the Newcomer team and Newcomer Ambassadors, LPAC, Secondary Team, and the Sheltered Instruction team.

The main goals in supporting Newcomers are to ensure that by correct identification, program placement, teacher training, and provision of resources, the district will be able to:

1. Help ease the transition of newcomers in their first year in US schools
2. Grow them to at least one language proficiency level in TELPAS at the end of the school year.

The first year for newcomers is so crucial as it usually paves the road for how our Emergent Bilingual students will continue to thrive and become successful in their next years as students in the United States. Thus, Garland ISD’s Department of Multilingual Programs is dedicated to providing a welcoming and nurturing environment for all Emergent Bilingual students.