Philosophy

Coconino High School serves a diverse multilingual community, including those represented among our staff, student body, and wider school community. We have an awareness and appreciation of how language enriches us culturally. We value and support the different heritage languages of our students and staff members. As such, we 

• encourage students to learn about a variety of world languages in an effort to promote multiculturalism, international-mindedness and global citizenship; 
• offer opportunities for all students to become exposed to other cultures and languages; 
• support, wherever possible, the maintenance and development of heritage languages; 
• ensure, as required by state law, that all students attain proficiency in English;
• nurture an environment in which diversity, equity, and inclusivity are valued; 
• require, as part of our IB Diploma Programme, that students study at least one language other than their heritage language
  
  

Language Profile

Students at Coconino High School can be grouped linguistically by: 

• heritage language English speakers with little or no exposure to a second language (monolingual native English speakers); 
• heritage language English speakers with some exposure to a second language in school (native English speakers with some exposure to a second language in their schooling); 
• heritage language English speakers from families that speak another language (native English speakers with significant exposure to a second language). 
• bilingual students who speak English and Spanish fluently; 
• students whose heritage language is a language other than English and who have limited proficiency in English
  
  

Language A

Coconino High School offers a complete Language A curriculum in English with a variety of available study options to meet the diverse linguistic and cognitive needs of our students. In addition to our direct Language A curriculum, English is used as the primary language of instruction for all courses except those dedicated to teaching a Language B. English is also used as the response language that students are expected to use during class time for written assignments and examinations (except for Language B courses). Finally, English is used as our school’s primary working language for official meetings, school policies, public announcements, class syllabi, student handbooks, professional development, and material posted online.

Language B

Coconino High School offers a Language B program that ensures that students have the opportunity to become proficient in at least one, second language. Beginning in freshman year and continuing through to the DP, Spanish is offered as a course of study. Spanish is also used in communication with families whose heritage language is Spanish. Document translation is used when necessary.

The Diploma Programme

Coconino High School requires that IB diploma candidates study a second language at the ab initio, standard, or higher level. Currently, only Spanish is offered.

English Language Learners (ELL)

When educating students whose heritage language is a language other than English, Coconino High School is required by state law to follow the specific legislated policies which are articulated in detail under Title 15, Article 3.1 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. 

Students whose heritage language is a language other than English are classified as Primary or Home Language Other Than English students (PHLOTE). PHLOTE students who demonstrate limited English proficiency as determined by the Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA) are classified as English Language Learners (ELL). ELL students are classified, from lowest proficiency to highest, as Pre-Emergent, Emergent, Basic, Intermediate and Proficient. 

Arizona state law mandates that ELL students attend English Language Development (ELD) courses for four periods per day until they reach Fluent English Proficient (FEP) status by retaking the AZELLA. These four periods concentrate on reading, writing, listening and speaking, and grammar. Upon reaching FEP status, students are placed into on-level English classes. Some students take additional reading classes to further aid them in their transition to on-level English classes and other subject area classes. 

ELL students are only able to participate in the full IB Diploma Programme once they have achieved FEP status because the required ELD classes take up time slots in a student’s schedule where they would otherwise take IB courses. However, ELL students are able to take individual IB courses while enrolled in ELD courses. 

Heritage Language Support (Native Language Support)

Coconino High School values and, whenever possible, supports the maintenance and development of our students’ heritage languages. As such, we 

• offer Language B Spanish courses so that students can develop their capacity to speak, read, and write in their native language; 
• offer Navajo (Diné) courses available to both native speakers of Navajo as well as students learning Navajo as a second language;
• offer a Navajo (Diné) history course to connect students to their indigenous heritage and to educate students in the history of an indigenous culture native to our region;
• sponsor after school language clubs for languages other than English; 
• provide opportunities for students to attend language fairs and other cultural events so that they may explore their native tongues; 
• provide access to multimedia resources in other languages in our library and computer labs; 
• use school and community resources to communicate directly with families in their heritage language