ترحيب  Taŋyáŋ yahípi – Bienvenido – chào đón – добро пожаловать – आपका स्वागत है willkommen – ברוך הבא – bamukelekile – 환영 -vítejte – Yá’át’ééh – ยินดีต้อนรับ

“We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community – and this nation.”
Cesar Chavez

About Lincoln Public Schools ELL Program:

Lincoln Public Schools is proud of its diverse student population and is committed to the goal of meeting the needs of ELL students at all grade levels. We currently serve approximately 2200 English Language Learners in our K-12 program. Our students and their families represent 64 different countries and 56 different languages.

ELL Program Goals:

Teaches students listening, speaking, reading and writing in English.
Helps students to develop important knowledge in many subject areas.
Teaches students strategies necessary for success in other curriculum areas.
Orients students to the culture of the school and community.
Helps students maintain respect for their culture and use of their first language.

About the Instructor:

My name is Robie Sprouse and I will be one of the English Language Learning (ELL) instructors at Goodrich Middle School this school year. I originally hail from the East Coast of the United States but have grown to love my adopted home of Nebraska. My wife and I moved to Nebraska so that I could attend graduate school at the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL). I graduated from UNL with a Masters in Political Theory. My graduate work at UNL focused on immigration and refugee policy. Most recently, I attended Doane College where I obtained my teacher certification. I am currently working towards my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction at Doane College.

My philosophy for life and learning has always been that communication is the fundamental building block in all relationships, and this is especially true in education. Everything hinges on the relationship between students and teachers. Good classroom management, student success, and parent-teacher communication all depends on the relationship a teacher builds with their students. Education is a partnership, and I encourage student and parent feedback to assist in gauging how best to meet the needs of all my students.

In the past, students have enjoyed my inclusion of multicultural issues and topics. My focus has been primarily on Native American history as well as histories of displaced persons.  I believe knowing more about the world around helps one become not just a better student, but a better citizen. I expect all my students to gain new knowledge and respect of cultures and people from around the world.

I encourage you to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have at any time throughout the year.

Thank you,

Robie Sprouse