The purpose of the J. L. Long Middle School Language Policy is to establish a shared understanding of how language supports teaching, learning, communication, identity, and inclusion across the school community.

As a wall-to-wall International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme campus, every student and every classroom at Long Middle School participates in IB teaching and learning. Language development is the responsibility of all teachers and is essential for students to access the curriculum, communicate effectively, think critically, conduct research, and participate fully in a global society.

This policy outlines how Long Middle School supports the development of English, additional languages, home languages, academic language, and communication skills across all subject areas.

Language Philosophy

At Long Middle School, we believe language is central to learning and personal identity. Language allows students to express ideas, build relationships, understand different perspectives, and engage with the world around them.

We believe that:

• Every teacher is a language teacher.

• All students are language learners.

• Students’ home languages and cultures are valuable assets.

• Language development occurs in every subject area.

• Students should have opportunities to read, write, speak, listen, view, and present for meaningful purposes.

• Multilingualism strengthens learning and supports international-mindedness.

• Language instruction should be inclusive, culturally responsive, and accessible.

• Students should be encouraged to communicate with confidence while continuing to develop accuracy and academic language.

• Families and community members are important partners in language development.

• Students learn language most effectively when it is taught in authentic and meaningful contexts.

Connection to the IB Mission and Learner Profile

Language learning supports the IB mission of developing knowledgeable, caring, and open-minded young people who contribute to a more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

Through language learning, students develop the IB Learner Profile attributes.

Students become:

• Communicators by expressing ideas confidently and creatively in more than one language and through multiple forms of communication.

• Inquirers by asking questions, conducting research, and developing the language needed to investigate topics.

• Knowledgeable by building vocabulary and understanding concepts across disciplines.

• Thinkers by analyzing information, making connections, and communicating reasoned conclusions.

• Open-minded by valuing different languages, cultures, experiences, and perspectives.

• Caring by listening respectfully and communicating with empathy.

• Principled by using language responsibly and acknowledging the ideas of others.

• Risk-takers by attempting new language skills and communicating even when they may make mistakes.

• Balanced by using language to support academic, personal, social, and emotional development.

• Reflective by evaluating their communication skills and setting goals for improvement.

School Language Profile

English is the primary language of instruction at J. L. Long Middle School. The school community includes students and families from a variety of linguistic, cultural, and educational backgrounds.

Some students:

• Speak English as their primary language.

• Speak one or more additional languages at home.

• Are developing proficiency in English.

• Participate in dual-language, world-language, or language support programs.

• Receive specialized services based on individual learning needs.

• Enter Long Middle School with varying levels of literacy and academic language development.

Long Middle School recognizes this linguistic diversity as a strength. The school is committed to creating an environment in which all students’ languages and cultures are respected and represented.

Language of Instruction

English is used as the primary language of teaching and learning across the curriculum. Teachers provide explicit instruction in the vocabulary, language structures, reading strategies, writing expectations, and communication skills required within each subject area.

Students are expected to develop the ability to:

• Read and understand increasingly complex texts.

• Write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

• Participate in academic discussions.

• Present ideas clearly and confidently.

• Use subject-specific vocabulary.

• Interpret visual, digital, and multimedia texts.

• Conduct research and evaluate sources.

• Listen actively and respond appropriately.

• Communicate through written, oral, visual, and digital formats.

Teachers use appropriate scaffolds and supports to ensure that students can access the curriculum while continuing to develop independence.

Language and Literature

Language and Literature instruction develops students’ skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, presenting, and critical analysis.

Students engage with a range of literary and informational texts that reflect diverse cultures, identities, perspectives, and experiences.

Instruction may include:

• Novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and nonfiction.

• Articles, essays, speeches, and historical documents.

• Digital media, film, advertisements, and visual texts.

• Research and informational writing.

• Argumentative, explanatory, narrative, and reflective writing.

• Formal and informal presentations.

• Collaborative discussions.

• Creative expression.

Teachers support students in analyzing how language is used to communicate meaning, influence audiences, reflect identity, and shape understanding.

Language Across the Curriculum

Language development is the responsibility of all teachers.

Teachers in every subject area will identify and teach the language students need to succeed in their discipline. This includes subject-specific vocabulary, reading strategies, writing structures, discussion skills, and methods of presenting information.

Language development across the curriculum may include:

• Vocabulary instruction.

• Word walls and visual supports.

• Sentence stems and response frames.

• Academic discussion protocols.

• Annotation and close-reading strategies.

• Graphic organizers.

• Modeling of written and oral responses.

• Opportunities for collaborative conversation.

• Research and citation instruction.

• Use of charts, diagrams, maps, symbols, and other visual texts.

• Structured opportunities for reflection.

• Oral presentations and demonstrations.

• Writing in all content areas.

Teachers will provide opportunities for students to use language to inquire, explain, analyze, argue, justify, compare, evaluate, and reflect.

World Language Learning

Long Middle School values the study of additional languages as an important part of developing intercultural understanding and global citizenship.

World-language instruction provides opportunities for students to develop communication skills and learn about cultures, communities, traditions, and perspectives beyond their own.

World-language learning may include:

• Listening and speaking.

• Reading and writing.

• Vocabulary and language structures.

• Cultural study and comparison.

• Authentic communication tasks.

• Projects, presentations, and performances.

• Connections to real-world and global contexts.

Students are encouraged to take risks, communicate meaningfully, and view mistakes as a natural part of language development.

Language acquisition instruction will be aligned with campus, district, state, and IB expectations.

Support for Emergent Bilingual Students

Long Middle School is committed to ensuring that emergent bilingual students have equitable access to the curriculum and opportunities to succeed.

Teachers will provide appropriate language supports while maintaining high academic expectations.

Support may include:

• Visuals, models, and demonstrations.

• Sentence stems and language frames.

• Explicit vocabulary instruction.

• Opportunities for structured conversation.

• Repetition and clarification.

• Small-group instruction.

• Bilingual resources when available.

• Use of students’ prior knowledge and home language.

• Extended processing time.

• Graphic organizers.

• Peer collaboration.

• Differentiated texts and assignments.

• Technology-based language supports.

• Coordination with language support staff.

Teachers will distinguish between a student’s language development needs and possible learning difficulties. Students will not be identified as having a disability based only on their level of English proficiency.

Home Language Support

Long Middle School recognizes that maintaining and developing a student’s home language supports identity, family relationships, cognitive development, and the learning of additional languages.

Students are encouraged to value and continue developing their home languages.

The school may support home languages by:

• Encouraging students to discuss learning with family members in their home language.

• Allowing students to use their home language as a bridge to understanding when appropriate.

• Providing bilingual or translated resources when available.

• Including culturally and linguistically diverse texts and perspectives.

• Encouraging multilingual displays, projects, and presentations.

• Recognizing language skills as an academic and cultural strength.

• Communicating with families in a language they can understand when possible.

• Connecting families with interpretation and translation services.

The use of a student’s home language should support learning and access without replacing the development of English proficiency required for academic success.

Language and Inclusion

Language instruction at Long Middle School is designed to be inclusive and responsive to individual student needs.

Students with Individualized Education Programs, Section 504 plans, dyslexia services, language support plans, gifted and talented services, or other documented needs will receive appropriate accommodations and supports.

These may include:

• Accessible texts and materials.

• Read-aloud or text-to-speech supports when permitted.

• Speech-to-text tools.

• Audiobooks.

• Alternative response formats.

• Extended time.

• Chunked instructions.

• Repeated or clarified directions.

• Reduced language complexity without reducing the learning objective.

• Visual supports.

• Assistive technology.

• Small-group instruction.

• Oral responses or presentations.

• Modified materials when required by an individualized plan.

Teachers will collaborate with special education staff, language support staff, counselors, administrators, and families to ensure appropriate access to learning.

Academic Language

Academic language is the language students need to understand instruction, participate in discussions, complete assignments, and demonstrate learning.

Academic language includes:

• Subject-specific vocabulary.

• Formal speaking and writing.

• Complex sentence structures.

• Language used to compare, analyze, explain, justify, evaluate, and reflect.

• Language used in assessments, research, and presentations.

• Transitional words and organizational structures.

• Symbols, visuals, graphs, charts, and discipline-specific representations.

Teachers will explicitly teach academic language rather than assume students already understand it.

Students will have repeated opportunities to use academic language in meaningful contexts.

Reading

Reading is essential to success in every subject area.

Teachers will support students in reading literary, informational, visual, digital, and discipline-specific texts.

Reading instruction may include:

• Activating prior knowledge.

• Previewing vocabulary.

• Identifying purpose and audience.

• Making predictions.

• Asking and answering questions.

• Summarizing.

• Making inferences.

• Analyzing text structures.

• Evaluating evidence and credibility.

• Comparing sources.

• Annotating.

• Using context clues.

• Interpreting graphs, maps, images, and diagrams.

• Reflecting on meaning and perspective.

Students will be encouraged to read a wide variety of texts for academic learning, personal growth, information, and enjoyment.

Writing

Writing is used across the curriculum to develop thinking, communicate understanding, and demonstrate learning.

Students will have opportunities to write for different purposes and audiences.

Writing may include:

• Explanations.

• Arguments.

• Narratives.

• Research reports.

• Reflections.

• Laboratory reports.

• Design specifications.

• Mathematical reasoning.

• Historical analysis.

• Creative writing.

• Presentations and scripts.

• Journals and process logs.

• Digital and multimedia compositions.

Teachers will support students through the writing process, including planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, and reflecting.

Students will receive feedback that helps them improve both the content and communication of their ideas.

Speaking and Listening

Students need frequent opportunities to develop confidence and skill in oral communication.

Teachers will create structured opportunities for students to:

• Ask and answer questions.

• Participate in discussions.

• Explain their thinking.

• Collaborate with peers.

• Debate and defend ideas.

• Conduct interviews.

• Present research and projects.

• Listen actively.

• Respond respectfully.

• Give and receive feedback.

• Reflect orally on their learning.

Students are expected to communicate respectfully and consider different perspectives.

Viewing and Presenting

Language includes more than written and spoken words. Students must also learn to interpret and create visual, digital, and multimedia texts.

Students will have opportunities to:

• Analyze images, videos, charts, maps, advertisements, and digital media.

• Evaluate how visual and design choices influence meaning.

• Create presentations, videos, infographics, posters, and other multimedia products.

• Use visual evidence to support ideas.

• Select appropriate media for a specific audience and purpose.

• Present information clearly and ethically.

Teachers will provide guidance on the responsible use of images, media, and digital sources.

Language and Assessment

Language is an important part of assessment in every subject area.

Teachers will design assessments that allow students to demonstrate both subject knowledge and communication skills.

Assessment practices may include:

• Written assignments.

• Oral presentations.

• Projects and performances.

• Discussions and conferences.

• Visual and multimedia products.

• Research tasks.

• Portfolios.

• Self-assessment and reflection.

• Formative and summative assessments.

Teachers will clearly identify whether an assessment is measuring subject knowledge, language proficiency, or both.

Students will receive appropriate language support and accommodations in accordance with their documented needs.

When language accuracy is not the primary objective, teachers will avoid allowing minor language errors to prevent students from demonstrating their understanding of the content.

Academic Integrity and Language Use

Students are expected to use language honestly and responsibly.

Students must:

• Submit original work.

• Acknowledge the words and ideas of others.

• Use quotations and citations appropriately.

• Avoid plagiarism.

• Follow teacher expectations for collaboration.

• Use translation tools responsibly.

• Follow expectations for artificial intelligence.

• Accurately represent their own language ability and understanding.

Teachers will provide age-appropriate instruction in paraphrasing, summarizing, quoting, citation, research, and ethical technology use.

Use of Translation Tools and Artificial Intelligence

Translation tools and artificial intelligence may be used only when permitted by the teacher and when their use supports the purpose of the learning task.

Students must not use technology to misrepresent their language proficiency or replace their own thinking.

Students are expected to:

• Ask permission before using translation or artificial intelligence tools.

• Verify the accuracy of translated or generated information.

• Protect personal and confidential information.

• Acknowledge assistance when required.

• Be prepared to explain the meaning of submitted work.

• Use technology as a support rather than a replacement for learning.

Teachers will clearly communicate which tools are permitted for each assignment or assessment.

Role of Students

Students are expected to:

• Participate actively in language learning.

• Read, write, speak, listen, view, and present in all subject areas.

• Use academic and subject-specific vocabulary.

• Ask questions when language is unclear.

• Take risks and learn from mistakes.

• Respect the languages and cultures of others.

• Use feedback to improve communication.

• Maintain and value their home language.

• Follow academic integrity expectations.

• Reflect on their language development.

• Set goals for improvement.

• Seek support when needed.

 

Role of Administrators and the IB Coordinator

Campus administrators and the IB coordinator will:

• Support implementation of the Language Policy.

• Promote the belief that every teacher is a language teacher.

• Provide professional learning related to language development.

• Ensure access to appropriate instructional resources.

• Support collaboration among teachers and support staff.

• Promote multilingualism and international-mindedness.

• Monitor student language development and academic progress.

• Support family communication and access.

• Ensure alignment with IB, district, state, and federal requirements.

• Review and update the policy regularly.

• Communicate the policy to the school community.

 

Communication With Families

Long Middle School is committed to communicating important information to families in an accessible manner.

When possible, the school will provide:

• Translated documents.

• Interpretation at meetings and conferences.

• Multilingual family resources.

• Clear and family-friendly language.

• Digital and printed communication.

• Assistance with accessing school systems and information.

Families are encouraged to notify the school when language assistance is needed.

Policy Communication

The Language Policy will be communicated through appropriate campus platforms, including:

• The school website.

• Staff professional learning.

• Student and family handbooks.

• New-student orientation.

• Parent meetings.

• IB information sessions.

• Department and team meetings.

• Classroom instruction.

Teachers may establish additional language expectations that are consistent with this policy.

Policy Review

The Language Policy will be reviewed regularly by campus leadership, teachers, students, families, language support staff, and the IB coordinator.

Revisions may be made based on:

• IB requirements.

• Dallas ISD policies.

• State and federal requirements.

• Student language needs.

• Changes in the school’s language profile.

• Assessment and achievement data.

• Feedback from students, families, and staff.

• Current research and best practices.

Conclusion

Language is the foundation of learning at J. L. Long Middle School. Through intentional instruction, inclusive practices, multilingual support, and shared responsibility, students are empowered to communicate confidently, think critically, understand different perspectives, and participate successfully in their school and global communities.

Long Middle School is committed to honoring every student’s language, culture, identity, and voice while developing the communication skills necessary for academic success and lifelong learning.