Middle School

Bilingual Aide Provides Many Services at AMS

by Valerie Vander Schaaf

January 26, 2006

The Alliance Middle School has a new member on their team. Ruth Escamilla has joined the staff as a bilingual aide for the English as a Second Language Program. Ruth previously worked as a family service worker for Panhandle Community Services. She brings a multitude of skills and her own personal experiences and as Second Language Learner to her new position.

Her role as a bilingual aide includes a variety of activities. Probably her most important role as an aide is to be a welcoming face in a world of confusion for our Non-English speaker. Ruth accomplishes this by translating at enrollment, orientating the new students to their classes and communicating important school information to the students and parents.

Ruth also works together with the classroom teachers to coordinate classroom assignment that need to be explained or completed by the new students.

There are two levels of students Ruth works with during the year: Non-English Speakers and Limited English Speakers. These students are identified by an entrance test. Presently, Ruth works with the Non-English speaking students, under the guidance of a teacher, teaching English using the Language for Learning Program and The Rosetta Stone computer program. The Limited English Students receive additional help with classroom assignments and make-up work. Some of her other responsibilities include communicating with teachers and monitoring students by quarterly sending out monitor sheets, helping with the ELDA testing and translating school documents.

Ruth is a great addition to the Alliance Middle School team. Her work as a bilingual aide will literally open up a new world for many students and improve the quality of education in the Alliance School District.