As an ELL teacher, you’ll have the opportunity to help students from diverse backgrounds improve their English skills, which can open doors to academic success and greater opportunities in their future.

Understanding the Role of an English Language Learner Teacher

An ELL teacher is responsible for teaching English to students whose first language is not English. The primary goal is to help these students develop proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English. This role involves not only language instruction but also cultural education and support.

Responsibilities

• Language Instruction: Teaching English grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversational skills.
• Cultural Education: Introducing students to the cultural nuances and practices of English-speaking countries.
• Student Assessment: Evaluating students’ progress and adapting lessons to meet their individual needs.
• Collaboration: Working with other teachers and school staff to support the overall educational goals of ELL students.

Steps to Become an English Language Learner Teacher

Obtain a Relevant Bachelor’s Degree

To obtain English language learner teacher jobs, you typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in education, English, or a related field. Some universities offer specific programs in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or English as a Second Language (ESL).

Complete a Teacher Preparation Program

Many states require prospective teachers to complete a teacher preparation program. This program usually includes coursework in educational psychology, lesson planning, and classroom management, as well as student teaching experience.

Gain Certification

To work as an ELL teacher in public schools, you’ll need to obtain a teaching certification or license. Requirements vary by state but generally include passing a series of exams and completing a certain number of classroom hours.

Specialize in ELL/Dual Language

Consider pursuing a specialization in ELL through additional coursework or a master’s degree. This specialized training will provide you with deeper insights into language acquisition and the unique challenges faced by ELL students.

Develop Key Skills

• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential for teaching and interacting with students and parents.
• Cultural Competence: An understanding of and respect for different cultures helps create an inclusive classroom environment.
• Patience and Empathy: Teaching ELL students requires patience and the ability to empathize with their struggles in learning a new language.

Gain Experience

Gaining practical experience is crucial. Consider volunteering or working as a teacher’s assistant in an ELL classroom. This experience will not only enhance your resume but also provide valuable insights into the day-to-day responsibilities of an ELL teacher.

Exploring Career Opportunities

Job Outlook and Opportunities

The demand for English language learner teachers is expected to grow as more non-English-speaking students enter schools. Opportunities exist in various settings, including public schools, private institutions, language schools, and adult education centers.

Advancement and Specialization

With experience, ELL teachers can advance to lead teacher roles, curriculum developers, or administrative positions. Further specialization in areas such as literacy or bilingual education can also enhance career prospects.

Networking and Professional Development

Joining professional organizations, such as TESOL International Association or the National Association for Bilingual Education, can provide networking opportunities, resources, and professional development to stay current in the field.

Challenges and Rewards

Challenges

• Language Barriers: Overcoming communication challenges with students and parents can be difficult.
• Diverse Needs: ELL students come from various backgrounds with different educational experiences, requiring tailored teaching approaches.
• Resource Limitations: Some schools may have limited resources for ELL programs, requiring teachers to be resourceful and creative.

Rewards

• Student Success: Witnessing students’ progress and success in learning English is incredibly fulfilling.
• Cultural Exchange: Engaging with students from diverse backgrounds provides unique insights and enriches the teaching experience.
• Impactful Work: ELL teachers play a crucial role in helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.

Becoming an English language learner teacher is a meaningful and impactful career choice. By following the steps outlined above, you can embark on a journey that not only enhances your professional growth but also positively impacts the lives of students.

With dedication, patience, and a passion for teaching, you can succeed as an ELL teacher and help your students achieve their fullest potential.

Are you a teacher interested in further education, or interested in stepping into ELL education in general? Check out our dual language graduate programs and get started today!

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ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages. ESOL education is for those students who are identified as English language learners (ELLs) or English learners (ELs). These are students who enter the U.S. school system and indicate on enrollment forms that a language other than English is spoken at home. When this is stated, ESL teachers will screen these students to see if they qualify for ESOL services. If they do, they will be identified as an ELL and placed in the ESOL program.

There are several different types of ESOL programs across the country. There is no federal mandate as to what type of program a school district needs to have. Furthermore, states leave it up to individual school districts to choose the type of program that best fits their needs or staffing levels. Four typical program models are: English immersion; push-in, pull-out; sheltered immersion; dual Language/bilingual.

The English immersion program model separates ELLs from their native English-speaking peers. They learn all content areas and language with other ELLs. The Push-In, Pull-Out model is the most common programming for ESOL education. ELLs attend content classes with their English-speaking peers and then are pulled out of the classroom by the ESL instructor to receive English language instruction.

Sheltered immersion programs provide the same content that English-speaking students are receiving yet at a language level appropriate to the ELLs proficiency. Finally, bilingual/dual language programs have goals to create bilingual students. Half of the day is taught in one language while the other half is taught in English.

All students identified as ELLs benefit from ESOL education. Newcomers will have the time to learn survival English to communicate their needs in and outside of school, while ELLs with higher proficiency levels will be learning the academic and social language to succeed in school. Additionally, SLIFE (students with limited or interrupted formal education) ELLs gain the knowledge that they need to fill in any gaps in their education.

The Benefits of ESOL Education

The goal of ESOL education is to teach students English in the domains of listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Students need these skills in order to communicate with their peers and teachers and to succeed in school. ESOL education allows ELLs to learn academic language that general education teachers use throughout their instruction yet may never stop to explain what the terms fully mean. ESOL education helps break down the barriers that exist between ELLs and their other teachers.

ESOL education also promotes social and economic inclusion. ESL teachers can present to the school staff about the backgrounds of the ELLs in their schools. They can provide training on how to adapt curriculum for the various language proficiency levels of ELLs. ESOL education helps not only the ELLS in the school building but also the school as a whole.

Breaking down the walls between cultures and creating a welcoming environment will encourage ELLs to become part of the school. ELLs will want to share their cultural experiences with their classmates and teachers and make connections to what they are learning. By becoming active members in their school communities, ELLs will learn the language and find academic success

The Importance of ESOL Education in the 21st Century

ESOL education is more important than ever right now. It is predicted that one in four students enrolled in the United States by the year 2025 will be identified as and English language learner. School districts, administrators, teachers, and staff need to be ready to welcome these students and understand the unique and complex needs that they have.

Twenty-five percent of students will require specialized instruction to meet their language needs. These students are learning both content and the language of instruction at the same time; this is a challenging task. ESOL education prepares all for a globalized future. Educators should value the cultural experiences that ELLs bring into their classrooms every day.

Teachers have to take the time to learn about the countries and cultures that their ELLs are coming from. Then, educators can make connections with their curriculum to the ELLs’ cultures. American-born students will become global citizens by understanding that there are many different ways to exist in the world and that the main goal is to appreciate and learn from one another

Have a passion for ESOL education and would like to advance your career? Check out our dual language graduate programs and get started today!

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Improve Language Skills

“After the bell” ESL after-school programs provide students with additional opportunities to practice speaking, reading, and writing the English language. With regular, daily practice and repetition ESL students can improve their language skills so they will feel more confident in their ability to communicate in English. These programs often also provide students with individualized instruction, which allows students to receive more focused attention from the teacher, which can help students improve their language skills more quickly.

Boost Academic Performance

Students who participate in ESL after-school programs are subjected to daily practices that help improve their English language skills which can in turn lead to better academic performance. With improved language skills as well as the ability to communicate more effectively with others, students will have the increased confidence to participate more in classroom discussions. This increased confidence can lead to improved grades and test scores.

Help Develop Students Social Skills

ESL after-school programs provide a safe and supportive environment for students to interact with their classmates and build social skills. This can lead to greater self-confidence and a sense of belonging among peers. Oftentimes after school programs provide immersive learning experiences where students are surrounded by English-speaking students and are encouraged to use English in all aspects of the program. This can be a helpful way for students to develop their language skills more quickly and effectively as well as learn how to better interact with their peers.

Increase Student Confidence

Another benefit of an ESL after-school program is that it provides English learners with opportunities to practice their English language skills in a safe learning environment where students don’t feel judged. This type of atmosphere can help students build their language proficiency and feel more confident about their ability to communicate effectively in English. Since most programs offer personalized learning, students can feel more confident about their ability to learn and improve their English language skills.

Build a Sense of Community

These after-school programs can help build community by bringing together students from diverse backgrounds. Oftentimes students who participate in these programs are from different cultures and backgrounds. By bringing these students together in a safe learning environment, the program helps to promote mutual respect and understanding. It can also help to foster a sense of belonging. Some students may feel isolated in their regular classroom setting, so these programs can help students to feel connected to others who share similar experiences and challenges as they do.

Increase Parental Involvement

Parents of ESL/ELL students often find it difficult to play an active role in the lives of their children’s education mainly due to the challenges of their language barrier. ESL programs provide parents with opportunities to be involved in their child’s education and to learn more about the school system by offering them workshops to help parents understand the school system and support their child’s language development. They also provide opportunities for parents to be involved by offering volunteer opportunities to help parents feel more connected with their child’s education.

Improve Communication with Teachers

Some teachers may find it difficult to communicate with their ESL students during their regular classroom hours. Therefore, a benefit of an after-school program is having a dedicated space to help teachers and students communicate effectively. This space can be used to discuss student progress, address concerns anyone may have, or even share any resources that may help better communication. Some programs offer teachers professional development opportunities to improve their communication skills, while others utilize technology as translation services to help overcome language barriers and facilitate communication.

Expose Students to Other Cultures

English as a second language and English language learners “after the bell” programs are often a multicultural learning environment where students from different countries and cultures learn and practice the English language together. This type of learning environment provides opportunities for students to learn about and experience different cultures, helping to broaden their perspectives and understanding of the world. By interacting with students from different backgrounds, students can learn about different traditions, customs, and languages. It also provides opportunities for students to practice their language skills with native speakers allowing them to improve their language skills.

ESL after-school programs offer numerous benefits to students who are learning English as a second language. These programs provide a safe and supportive learning environment for students to practice their language skills, build their confidence, and develop meaningful relationships with their peers and teachers. Through engaging activities, students can improve their language proficiency as well as their academic performance. Additionally, ESL programs can also offer benefits to families.

By supporting students’ language development, these programs can help parents better communicate with their children and help them become more involved in their child’s education. Moreover, as students become more proficient in learning English, they are better equipped to navigate not only while they’re at school, but the world around them.

Do you have a passion for ESL learner education? Check out our dual language graduate programs and take your next step today!

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Our understanding of English learners and how to best serve them educationally is much deeper and wider. There are many myths and misconceptions that, unless otherwise informed, will hinder academic growth and achievement and create harm to English learners.

Even teachers who are student-centered with instruction, create engaging learning opportunities, utilize data, and other pedagogical best practices can still miss the mark with English learners if they are not culturally competent and responsive.

We know from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs that all humans need to feel safe and experience a sense of belonging before reaching their full potential academically.

School cultural norms have evolved little over centuries unless purposefully redesigned by school leaders and teachers who are willing to challenge these norms.

Recognizing that everything we do in schools reflects culture and that we, as educators, are transmitters of culture ourselves has led many educators and researchers to realize that continuing to function as we always have is not creating a sense of inclusion and belonging for students of other cultures.

Furthermore, research shows that valuing and affirming the identities and cultures of others has a positive correlation to academic achievement in the classroom.

Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education

This is where culturally responsive-sustaining education comes in when teaching English learners. The Education Alliance at Brown University cites the work of Gloria Ladson-Billings, credited with the theory of culturally relevant pedagogy, in their definition of culturally responsive teaching as “a pedagogy that recognizes the importance of including students’ cultural references in all aspects of learning.”

It is an approach to teaching English learners that makes meaningful connections between school and the students’ cultural experiences, languages, and life outside of school.

What are Cultural Identifiers?

Cultural identity refers to identification with, or sense of belonging to, a particular group based on various cultural categories, including nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, and religion. While we often think of food, music, holidays, and language as primary cultural examples, there are actually many more ways that culture impacts students in schools.

Additional examples of cultural identifiers include gender roles, how parents view their role in education, generational roles, religious beliefs, discipline and behavioral expectations including what respect looks like, personal space, facial expressions, tone of voice, concept of time, notions of courtesy and manners, attitudes toward authority, and more.

How Do They Impact Our Classrooms?

In my role as LIEP Supervisor, I provide professional development to educators around how best to meet the needs of English learners in the classroom. The first thing we discuss are misconceptions that relate to English learners, specifically about culture. In the geographic area that we are in, the primary home language of English learners is Spanish.

When I ask what strategies teachers are using to help English learners in the classroom, their most frequent response is, “I partner the English Learner with another student who speaks Spanish.” While this may be a support to some students, what it really displays is a lack of cultural understanding on the part of the teacher.

There are over 20 countries whose primary language is Spanish. All these countries have varying dialects of Spanish, and other languages are spoken within them as well.

For example, a student may come from Guatemala so it would be natural to assume that they speak Spanish, but it is not uncommon for Guatemalan students to speak one of the other 18 languages spoken in Guatemala instead of Spanish.

It is also essential to understand the implicit hierarchy of power between Hispanic/Latino cultures, as discrimination among native countries of origin is rampant.

Another way that cultural identifiers impact our classrooms is through discipline. It is not uncommon for teachers who lack cultural understanding of familial and gender roles to inadvertently cause harm or escalate a disciplinary situation out of ethnocentrism. In Haitian homes, it is common for young men to be seen and treated as the head of their household.

When that same 15-year-old male student comes to school, they are treated as a child who falls under the authority of the classroom teacher. This role reversal upon entering the school building daily can be hard for a teenager to grasp and frustrating to a teacher if they misinterpret this cultural identifier in their student.

Often, small and simple situations can escalate to a point where the teacher and student both perceive that they are being disrespected.

Lastly, some cultures find it disrespectful for students to not look the adult in the eyes when the adult speaks to them. In other cultures, looking the adult in the eyes is disrespectful. This frustrates adults who do not understand cultural differences around communication.

These are only a few examples of how culture can play a role in the classroom with English learners. It is important to note that culture matters in schools and classrooms with students who are not identified as English learners, as well.

We all carry culture with us every day. It’s not an option to leave it behind, and no one should have to drop their own culture or assimilate to another to succeed and achieve at work or school.

It may also be easier for some of us to code-switch at work or school depending on the degree to which the culture of our school varies from our own and the degree to which a purposeful sense of inclusion and belonging is fostered, and cultural responsiveness is prioritized.

Have a passion for ELs/ELLs education or already work with them and want to advance your career? Check out our graduate education dual language programs today!

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Culturally Responsive Teaching

It is extremely important to know the students sitting in your class. This is especially important with ELLs. An ELL teacher may have 25 students from nine different countries in their class. By being culturally responsive, that teacher will make sure they are educated on their different cultures. An action or saying may be accepted in one culture but can be very offensive in another. By knowing these ahead of time, a teacher will not insult or make any of their students uncomfortable.

Additionally, a culturally responsive teacher will also make it a point to vary the different texts used in class. They will find authors from other countries or themes from different cultures and use them in the curriculum. When students can relate to those in a story, they will be able to understand it better and want to interact with the text.

ELL teachers need also to acknowledge other cultures; be aware of the celebrations, artwork, happenings of a country, and talk about them in class. Embrace cultures by encouraging students to teach their classmates and the teachers about important times for them and their families. Bringing students’ cultures into the class helps create a welcoming environment that is very conducive to language learning.

Building Relationships with Students

Names

Nothing is more important to a person’s identity than their name. It is a travesty when teachers do not take the time to learn how to pronounce all their students’ names correctly. ELL teachers can make this as part of their first-day assignment encouraging all their students to introduce themselves to the class. The ELL teacher should write it down phonetically in their role book if she does not think she will remember. Pronouncing a student’s name incorrectly over and over again can destroy the child’s confidence and desire to come to the class.

Family Connections

Family connections are also essential to building relationships, especially with families of ELL students. Calling families and welcoming them into the school for various events (with translators on hand) will increase student performance in school. Families who can know about their child’s education will encourage them to do well in school and interact with the language and content. ELL teachers will see more engagement from students whose family they know.

ELL teachers ought to create projects and assignments that allow them to get to know who their students are, what their likes and dislikes are, and where their strengths and weaknesses lie. By knowing all of these, you can make connections with content and the students by bringing their likes into the lessons. They will be interested and, most importantly, use the language.

Differentiation

ELL teachers may have varying proficiency levels in their classrooms. Because of this, the teachers need to be able to differentiate their lesson so that all of their students can access the content at their English proficiency level.

ELL teachers can differentiate activities based on the different English proficiency domains: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Essential ELL teaching strategies consist of providing multiple means of engagement. For example, following the principles of Universal Design of Learning (UDL) can greatly benefit English language learners.

There are additional ways to differentiate within an assignment or lesson:

• Chunk reading passages
• Read-aloud directions on tests or assignments
• Focus on essentialized vocabulary and reduce answer choices on tests and quizzes
• Use sentence starters or guides to help newcomer writers

Simplifying directions, using repetition, and modeling are all great ways to ensure that different proficiency level students can understand what is being asked of them.

Use of Native Language

In the past, many schools and ELL teachers thought “English-Only” was the only way ELLs could learn the language. We know now that is not true. By allowing L1 (first language) in the classroom, students can learn complex ideas or thoughts quicker. Additionally, L1 use can help when building or assessing background knowledge.

Allowing a student to respond in L1 can open the doors to more learning, because they won’t get stuck on a word or phrase and give up. It is also beneficial to provide outside resources in L1. If you are reading a novel and you find it in your students’ languages, encourage them to read it at home. They will find a deeper understanding of the text while interacting with it in English in your class and in their native language.

Comprehensible Input

ELL teachers must reflect on the language they use in their classrooms.

• Be sure not to use figurative language or idioms
• Do not use slang or colloquial terms (they may go right over your students’ heads and confuse them)
• Teachers should use a slow rate of speech
• Be careful not to drop parts of words
• Using non-verbal communication also can increase comprehensible input

These are great ELL teaching strategies to use as an ELL teacher and for teachers who have ELLs in their content classes. Creating a welcoming environment and opportunities for ELLs to share who they are will allow them to interact with the language and be successful academically.

Are you a teacher interested in further education, or interested in stepping into ELL education in general? Check out our dual language graduate programs and get started today!

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With this increase in English language learning student population, teachers sometimes struggle with how to engage their ELs in the content they are teaching. Misconceptions can arise in the field over time, and teachers must make sure they are not falling into certain misconceptions about ELs. Graduate programs also need to ensure they are dispelling these misconceptions in their curriculum.

If teachers believe these myths about English learners at any point, not only are they going to struggle teaching the students, but the ELs will also not receive the instruction that they deserve.

Misconception #1:

I hear my EL speaking English in the hallway. He must be pretending not to know English in my class.

Teachers might have heard other colleagues complaining about their English learners in the teacher’s lounge. These colleagues are frustrated because they have an EL in their class who is not performing well, may constantly say that they do not understand English and, therefore, the content. However, the teacher hears the student using English well to speak and interact with their peers in the hallways. In moments of frustration, the teacher might believe the student is fibbing and does know English.

This is a prevalent misconception and must be stopped as English learners acquire language at all different speeds. Additionally, these students do not master the four domains of English (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) simultaneously. Hence, the reason for hearing a student casually speaking English as a second language and him not being able to write or read in the language. Fluency in English can take four to seven years; reading and writing fluency tend to be acquired after listening and speaking skills.

Misconception #2:

I can just give my English learner the special education version of a test.

All English learners, by law, must have their curriculum modified to meet their language needs. If a teacher does not do this, they cannot fail the student because they did not provide them with the resources needed to overcome the language barrier.

Unfortunately, some teachers believe they can simply do the same modifications and accommodations that they use for their special education students by eliminating choices and providing extended time or alternative assignments.

For the most success, teachers must use strategies that are specific for English learners and their challenges. These include:

• Simplified language
• Read-alouds
• Essentialized vocabulary
• Additional wait time
• Reduced answer choice
• Sentence starters
• Slow rate of speech
• Repetition and modeling
• Increased visual support
• Simplified directions

Eliminating some choices does not mean that it will help your EL. Be aware of language support and modify the curriculum with those support systems.

Misconception #3:

I translate everything into the student’s first language, so he should understand what I am talking about.

Good-hearted teachers may go out of their way to translate content into a student’s first language, thinking that could solve all of their problems. But, many times, this can backfire. Although this idea is very thoughtful, it will not help the student learn the content easier in the language that it is being taught.

It can be beneficial to translate a word here or there, but in no way should all the content be translated unless you teach in a bilingual school. The other major problem with doing this is that the student might not be literate in their first language.

Therefore, they will not be able to read the language that the teacher translated it into and will build the frustration level for both the student and the teacher. If you think that translating might help, try doing certain essentialized vocabulary words or other strategies.

Misconception #4:

I speak loudly and slowly, so the ELs should be able to understand me.

Just because you are speaking slowly does not mean that you have changed what is coming out of your mouth for the students. Teachers need to be able to use simplified language; that means no slang, idioms, or similar phrases. Because even if you are speaking slowly and loudly, you are still not providing comprehensible input at a student’s language proficiency level.

Misconception #5:

I am a math teacher. I do not teach language.

All teachers teach language no matter what subject area they are in. Science, social studies, English language arts, algebra, health, physical education, and art all use the English language.

Teachers in these areas should be assisting their ELs in gaining the English language of that topic. They can explicitly teach language through their content area. Teaching the English language does not just fall on the ESL teacher and the one with the ESL degree. All teachers and staff should be working with the ELs in their school to help them gain academic and social language skills.

Misconception #6:

I use the same strategies with all of my English Learners.

Unfortunately, just like every other student in schools, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for English learners. They all have had different upbringings and school experiences before arriving in your school and class.

They have varying background knowledge and learning difficulties. Some ELs may have learning disabilities, while some are gifted learners. Over time, teachers will find the right strategy that works with each EL in their class. It takes time and effort, but both the EL and teacher will find success in the long run.

Interested in impacting ELLs specifically in the classroom? Check out our available dual language graduate programs which includes ESL master’s degree, doctorate programs, and more!

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We also know that rates of parent engagement can be lower in families of English language learners (ELLs). Several important factors contribute to this, including intimidation, cultural factors, availability due to working-wage jobs, transportation, and language barriers. It is also essential to define what parent and family engagement can look like.

Multiple researchers contributed to the work entitled Exploring the Educational Involvement of Parents of English Learners and state, “(Joyce) Epstein’s multidimensional framework of parental involvement includes the following types: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community.” This framework allows us to think open-mindedly about what engaging families of ELLs is and can be.

Strategies for Engagement

Provide Low-Stress Opportunities

For families of ELLs, specific family engagement opportunities can be highly intimidating. In most circumstances, the family members of ELL students also have limited English proficiency. In my career, I have come across situations where students have been sent from their country of origin to live with fluent English-speaking extended family members here in the United States. Still, those situations occur infrequently. Families are often invited to parent engagement events hosted by schools that mirror the American culture of English-speaking, middle-class educators. This naturally creates a set of barriers for families who have limited English proficiency.

Imagine living in a new country in which a language foreign to yourself is spoken, then going to your child’s school for an event where everything is written and said in the language you do not yet know. Not only will you not receive messages clearly, but you also will not be able to communicate confidently to school staff. This scenario plays out in parents’ minds with limited English proficiency before engaging in school events and can be intimidating.

Consider committing to creating low-stress opportunities for interaction with parents in their home languages first. These opportunities should provide environments that allow parents to listen and observe without the pressure of speaking English. For example, host a family movie night before parent-teacher conferences. This will let families step inside the school building without the pressure of confrontation, possible discomfort, or expectation to speak or respond.

Frequently Communicate in Home Languages

If your school or district receives Title I Federal Funding, you are required to provide all parent communication in home languages under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). This helps tear down walls and barriers that keep parents and families from engaging in their student’s education. It is also important to go beyond minimum expectations of translation and interpretation of report cards, flyers, pamphlets, and legal documents. Teachers and school staff should communicate with families using free resources that automatically translate to home languages for parents.

Talking Points, TransAct, FlyerConnect, and other web-based applications help open lines of communication with families regularly and frequently. Talking Points and FlyerConnect are beneficial because they allow parents to send messages back and ask questions in their home language with automatic translation upon receipt to school staff. Historically, schools have leaned heavily on taking the step to communicate unidirectionally, from school to home, but have not created a ton of opportunities for families to initiate communication from home to school.

Be Culturally Responsive

It is critical to recognize that parents and families of English language learners often come from very different cultural backgrounds regarding the education system. According to an article by Colorín Colorado, “Many ELLs come from cultures which revere teaching and where the teachers are considered the experts, not the parents. As a result, parents may be reluctant to ask questions so as not to question the teacher’s authority, or they may assume that the schools don’t want them to “interfere” in their child’s education.”

For example, many Latino families see their role in their child’s education differently from non-Latino families. Colorín Colorado also states “For Latino families, the idea of educación focuses on a child’s personal and moral development, which has an important impact on the child’s academic development.”

This means that parents see their role in their child’s education as supporting the ELL’s personal character development and behavior, which will allow learning for all within the classroom. Many cultures outside of the United States also focus on their students’ ability to contribute to the group well-being rather than solely on individual achievement. This means that parents may seem disinterested in academic achievement, but their level of interest is not lower than families of students who are not ELLs.

With this understanding, schools and staff should take extra time to recognize student contribution to the group. Invite families to provide feedback through surveys, and communicate that their opinions and reflections are valuable to school and student success.

Consider Accessibility

Parent engagement activities planned for after-school hours on the school campus are not accessible to all families. Surveying parents and students on their availability and accessibility can help improve family engagement immensely.

If parents or guardians of English language learners are also immigrants with limited English proficiency, there are most likely personal barriers that prevent family engagement at school events. Lack of transportation due to lack of driver’s license or insurance is a frequent personal barrier to participation.

Consider providing opportunities for parents to be involved during the school day, such as volunteering in their student’s classroom during literacy block or reading class. This will improve the parent and students’ language capacity while acknowledging that not all parents are available in the evening. Alternately, consider moving family engagement activities from the school campus into the community, within walking distance for families without transportation.

Recognize Efforts and Achievements

It is important to recognize efforts and achievements in all areas of family engagement. Remember that the family dynamic in these students’ homes may look very different from the “typical” American family (mom, dad, daughter, son). Likely other family members contribute to your English language learners (grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, etc.).

Provide positive feedback and encouragement to families for their involvement in their student’s learning at home and parenting. Recognize healthy environments at home: evidence of high expectations, consistent bedtimes, resourcefulness, responsibility, and positive behavior. This will foster further future engagement in school and the student’s education.

*Updated November 2021

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What is Scaffolding?

In preparation to write this article, I researched many definitions of what the term ‘instructional scaffolding’ means. A concise but accurate definition of instructional scaffolding is “a teaching method that helps students learn more by working with a teacher” to enhance learning and assist in the mastery of skills and tasks. The teacher provides the students with supports that build on their knowledge and experiences as they’re learning new skills. As the students master the assigned skills or tasks, the teacher gradually removes the supports.

Why Scaffolding is Important for ESL Learners

As learners, we all come from different backgrounds. No one’s circumstances or experiences are identical. It’s what makes us uniquely ourselves and gives us each our own affinities for our individual gifts and talents. English language learners are no different, but they have even greater needs for scaffolding than most first-language English speakers. If systematically building on students’ experiences and knowledge is a key to scaffolding, knowledge of students is of even greater importance. How can we help our students get to where they need to be if we don’t meet them where they are in the beginning?

As adults, it is easy to become ethno-centric and see only through the lens of our own cultural experiences. Scaffolding can even the playing field for those who bring different background knowledge and experiences to the classroom. For example, the English language is packed with idioms, where the actual meanings of individual words do not add up to the meaning of the words collectively. Idioms are extremely difficult for English language learners to identify and interpret. This is because all language learners translate their second language back to their base/first language in order to comprehend meaning. Intention of non-literal meaning of words is nearly impossible to identify in a speaker or writer. To help English learners with this, educators must use scaffolding in every grade level and classroom.

ESL Scaffolding Strategies to Use in Your Classroom

Here are a few strategies to help you get started with scaffolding for students.

1. Building upon prior knowledge and background:

Building means to expand, which means to grow. Growth is an important part of progressing toward understanding and proficiency in all things. Without something to build upon, students will struggle and drown by treading water without connection. Once background knowledge is built, the scaffold can be removed. A classic example of this is a math problem that uses the word “canoe.” Despite the fact that the problem could be solved without knowing that vocabulary word, most students will get stuck wondering what a canoe is and will not solve the problem. One way to build upon prior knowledge and background is through explicit vocabulary instruction.

2. Explicit vocabulary instruction:

The example above using the word canoe is one reason that explicit vocabulary instruction is an important scaffolding strategy. This is not only important to use in English language arts classes, but also in vocabulary-heavy subjects such as math and science. An eighth grade English learner will most likely know how to add and find sums, but if they do not know what the word “add” or “sum” mean, they will most definitely be stuck.

3. Use strategies that reach multiple intelligences:

As different as we look on the outside, we are also differently gifted and given strengths and weaknesses on the inside. Not all students learn the same way. Some can memorize a paragraph in 3 weeks, some can take a mental picture and recite the paragraph back immediately. Some are hands-on learners, while some students prefer to simply listen and digest information. This is the basis of work done by Dr. Howard Gardner and detailed in his 1983 book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. A quick outline of this can be found in this article from verywellmind.com. This is not only important to consider with English learners, but all learners. Keep in mind that graphic organizers are a great way to reach visual learners!

4. Teach sentence structure:

Even if an EL is strong in writing in their home language and has an advanced English vocabulary, sentence structure is extremely important to teach. The reason for this is that before we put anything on paper, our writing is born in our thoughts. ELs most likely think in their first language, which is likely to have a different sentence structure than English. Creating sentence frames or anchor charts and having them posted in the classroom will be a good reference for ELs.

ESL Scaffolding Strategies for Virtual Learning

The world turned upside down in the beginning of 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact on education was immediate. Suddenly the manner in which we had been educating students for over a century (with minimal evolution) was no longer possible. Schools, including administrators and teachers, were tasked with continuing to educate students without the ability to meet in person.

In a matter of days, we learned Zoom, Google Meet, and Google Classroom, the basic necessities to connect with each other. As educators, we knew that our best strategies hadn’t changed and quickly adjusted our delivery method. For each of the strategies outlined above, there are ways to adapt for virtual learning.

Tools such as Zoom, Loom, and Screencastify can be used to record the instructor teaching. YouTube can be used to share uploaded or recorded videos to students, but teachers seem to prefer using EdPuzzle. This program syncs with Google Classroom. It allows teachers to assign videos to specific classes and then documents which students watched a video and for how long. EdPuzzle also allows teachers to edit their videos and add questions to the video that students must answer before completing.

Teachers familiarizing themselves with the use of video tools have improved instruction as it relates to increased understanding of resources for lesson delivery and also the use of multiple forms of media within lessons. This means that students have access to more background knowledge through virtual field trips and tours, as well as clips of videos that students wouldn’t be able to visualize on their own! The use of videos through these platforms supports explicit vocabulary instruction, as well.

We know that parent engagement is key to student success. We also know that language barriers between educators and parents most often prohibit working relationships for student achievement. Applications such as Talking Points and Class Kick have without a doubt changed the game and have done much to break down these barriers.

In addition to improving parent and family communication with the school, these resources can also be used creatively to engage students in instruction. There are many applications that meet multiple intelligences and provide scaffolding to English language learners at the same time. The use of student-recorded videos through Flipgrid, Padlet, or Jamboard also allows students to practice vocabulary and conversational skills through media with or without in-person learning.

The pandemic has changed education forever, and some of the changes are positive. Engaging students using these instructional technology tools has empowered teachers and better-prepared students for their future.

*Updated May 2021

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