Acronyms
YRDSB Resource
Who are our MLLs?
ESL/ELD and Special Education Lens
Program Models
100

ESL

What is English as a Second Language?

100

Originally launched in 2019, this document was updated and revised in September 2025.

What is Factors Influencing Language and Learning: An Asset-Based Model to Support Multilingual Language Learners?

100

Most MLLs can function well in social situations and in visually contextualized classroom activities within this time frame.

What is within a year or two?

100

This plan may be developed for students not making the expected progress in one or more areas. The intent is to focus on strengths and needs.

What is a Growth Plan?

100

For Grades 1-8, these are considered as part of the STEP continua.

What are oral, reading, and writing?

200

MLL

What is Multilingual Language Learners:?

200

The number of phases in the Asset-Based Inquiry Model.

What is three?

200

Most MLLs take this amount of time to catch up to their peers in using the language to communicate complex academic concepts.

What is 7 years or more?

200

Students can receive ESL/ELD support and Special Education support simultaneously.

What is true?

200

Educators should access this to review Learner Portraits and STEP data as starting points for responsive instruction.

What is MLLNet?

300

ELD

What is English Literacy Development?

300

An action plan, based, on student’s STEP continua and specific to the English language acquisition needs of the student.

What is the MLL Learning Plan?

300

A live document, co-created with students and their families to capture their unique strengths, experiences, and identities, including personal, cultural, linguistic, and academic strengths.

What is the MLL Learner Portrait?

300

A student must be in Canada for this amount of time, or have achieved a certain level of English proficiency before starting their ISTM process.

What is there is no certain amount of time?

300

These three approaches can be used in combination to build responsive ESL/ELD programming for students.

What are Inclusive Integration, Co-Teaching Model, and Tutorial Model?

400

STEP

What is Steps to English Proficiency?

400

The three parts to each phase of the Asset-Based Inquiry Model.

What are Plan, Implement & Monitor, and Analyze & Interpret?

400

The percentage of MLL students at Aurora Heights PS.

What is 25%?

400

This YRDSB resource will support educators to determine if an observable behaviour is an ongoing learning challenge versus a second language acquisition needs.

What is the YRDSB’s Understanding How Processing Affects Learning (revised Waterfall) document?

400

The timeline for the collection of evidence when a new MLL starts at our school.

What is a minimum of 2-3 weeks?

500

CPD

What is Community Partnership Developers?

500

Factors influencing language and learning - three areas of guiding questions within the document.

What are Environment, Learner, and Learning?

500

Not including English, the top three languages spoken by students at Aurora Heights PS.

What are Farsi, Chinese, and Russian?

500

Students not proficient in English would be able to complete an academic assessment.

What is not necessarily?  If someone is available to translate for the student, then yes, they can complete the assessment. In this case, it is not about having an identification, but about gathering information to support a student. 

500

As cited in research, a reductionary approach for simplification, remediation, or the systemic withdrawing of MLLs from their home room contexts can lead to this.

What is marginalization or patterns of underservice?

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