Bilingual Online Resource Center
Click on one of the following drop-down menus to find more resources:
Parent Resources
The Bilingual Department believes that parents are children’s first and most important educators. In an effort to support bilingual parents in this important task, we:
Conduct a parent orientation and interview of all parents of newly enrolled bilingual students, to assess their needs and to provide links to community resources at our Bilingual Intake Office
Translate and disseminate important information in the most commonly spoken languages in our district. Visit translated materials.
Monitor Bilingual Language Lines in 7+ languages where parents can call, request information, and seek assistance for non-emergencies in their native languages.
Create and update essential information in the 
Multilingual Learner Family Guidebook.
Support parent-teacher conferences by training and scheduling Bilingual Assistants and Cultural Brokers who speak multiple languages as well as involve community partners to share out translated resources and services with interpretation support.
Provide multiple Parent Engagement Opportunities
Please visit the Adult Education page for services available to parents of our Multilingual Learner students.
Student Resources
The Bilingual Department helps support Multilingual Learner students in the Lansing School District in a variety of ways, including:
Student support from Bilingual Assistants placed in the 6 highest need district schools
Multilingual Learner Before & After School Tutoring (AST) Programs
Programs offered at all LAP schools
Bilingual Education Summer Tutoring (BEST) Summer Camp
6-8 week summer program supporting students in grades K-12
Social and emotional support.
Students who are struggling with strong emotions, peer conflict, behavioral issues, grief, or trauma can receive support from our ELD Mentoring Liaison.
Please visit the Multilingual Learner Student Opportunities page for current services available to Multilingual Learner students.
Teacher Resources
Lansing School District’s Bilingual Department provides support to teachers and other school personnel who are educating our Multilingual Learners.
Teachers are encouraged to reach out to the department to:
Request translation/interpretation services
Access translated materials
Submit Social/Emotional Support Referrals to the Multilingual Trauma Mentoring Liaison
ELD Handbook
Newcomer Toolkit
The Newcomer Toolkit is designed to help U.S. educators; elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and other school staff who work directly with immigrant students — including asylees and refugees — and their families.
Visit NCELA Website to download Newcomer Toolkit
WIDA Standards
A framework that distinguishes five levels of language proficiency which are defined by specific criteria: Entering, Emerging, Developing, Expanding, and Bridging. Level 6 (Reaching) represents the end of the continuum rather than another level of language proficiency.
Please download the WIDA Standards Guide.
ESL Steering Committee
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can support EL students in your building and/or classroom, you are invited to join the ESL Steering Committee by emailing Heather Hoisington: heather.hoisington@lansingschools.net
And join the ESL Steering Committee Google Classroom to have constant access to resources to support EL students in your school.
Professional Development Opportunities and Professional Associations
Professional Development Opportunities
Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP)
The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model was developed to facilitate high-quality instruction for MLs in content area teaching. It is used in hundreds of schools across the U.S. as well as in several other countries.
The Lansing School District provides SIOP workshops each year.
Professional Associations
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Michigan Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MITESOL)
National Association of Bilingual Educators (NABE)
Michigan Association of Bilingual Educators (MABE)
School Resources
Lansing School District Bilingual Department provides support to teachers and other school personnel who are educating our Multilingual Learners.
School Staff are encouraged to utilize the following resources:
- Request translation/interpretation services
- Access translated materials
- Submit Social/Emotional Support Referrals to the Multilingual Trauma Mentoring Liaison
- Utilize and share the Multilingual Learner Family Guide
- Download the Classroom Words in Multiple Languages Booklet
- Download the
How to Use the Bathroom Booklet - Reference the ELD Handbook
- Check out the Cultural Calendar
WIDA Standards
A framework that distinguishes five levels of language proficiency which are defined by specific criteria: Entering, Emerging, Developing, Expanding, and Bridging. Level 6 (Reaching) represents the end of the continuum rather than another level of language proficiency.
Please download the WIDA Standards Guide.
Professional Development Opportunities and Professional Associations
Professional Development Opportunities
Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP)
The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model was developed to facilitate high-quality instruction for MLs in content area teaching. It is used in hundreds of schools across the U.S. as well as in several other countries.
For the past three years, the Lansing School District has provided four-day workshops to over 60 school educators. For more information please see
Professional Associations
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Michigan Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MITESOL)
National Association of Bilingual Educators (NABE)
Michigan Association of Bilingual Educators (MABE)
Community Resources
Resources from Local Community Organization
Capital Area District Library - Language Learning
Capital Area Michigan Works - Resources
IRRC (Immigrant & Refugee Resource Collaborative) Resource Page
Other Websites with Resources
Including Resources available in a variety of Translations
ALCU (American Civil Liberties Union) - Know your rights
CORE (Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange)
Switchboard - Resource hub for refugee service providers in the United States
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