English-Learners Are a Diverse Group. How Can Schools Meet Their Needs?
English-Language Learners

English-Learners Are a Diverse Group. How Can Schools Meet Their Needs?

By Corey Mitchell — August 08, 2018 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Copy URL

The research arm of the federal Education Department has released a how-to guide for educators who work with English-language learners.

The eight-page report from Regional Education Laboratory Northwest is designed to help educators identify the strengths and needs of ELLs—whether they’re a newcomer to the United States, a long-term English-learner struggling with the language, or a student who is somewhere in-between.

“We have a tendency to treat English-learners as one monolithic group,” said Tim Blackburn, a senior adviser for English-learner projects at REL Northwest. “There are many different types of language-learner students and our programs have to be designed with intentions to meet their specific needs.”

The guide also outlines the rights of English-learners and their families, details how factors such as home language and prior education can influence students’ performance in school, and offers tips for schools on selecting the best-fit English-learner program model.

Nearly 10 percent of K-12 students in the nation’s public schools are English-learners, but a 2017 report from the National Academy of Sciences found that under-resourced schools and underprepared educators have hindered efforts to help the students learn and master English.

Against that backdrop, REL Northwest sought to equip educators with a “tool to communicate not only who their language-learners are, but also the programmatic decisions that schools and districts need to make,” Blackburn said.

Here’s a look at the guide.

Related Videos and Stories

The nation’s English-learners are the fastest growing segment of the K-12 student population, and now make up 10 percent of public school enrollment. Who are these students, where are they from, and what languages do they speak? This video explains.

Schools Are Falling Short for Many English-Language Learners

Teaching English-Language Learners: What Does the Research Tell Us?

In Canada’s Public Schools, Immigrant Students Are Thriving

Canada has long been seen as a country welcoming to refugees. In recent years, there have been 10,000 refugees from Syria, settle in the Ontario province. While schools concentrate on improving their English language skills and reading and math performance, there are more than 200 settlement centers that help new immigrants integrate into the broader society. They’re often called a “one stop shop” for immigrants, where settlement workers help show families how to do everything from access the health system and apply for jobs to how to dress for the winter and use a computer. Many settlement centers have offices in schools so it is easier for families to access services.

Mispronouncing Students’ Names: A Slight That Can Cut Deep

Students at Downtown College Prep Alum Rock High School in San Jose, Calif., describe how their names get mispronounced and misspelled in school. They are taking part in "My Name, My Identity," a new national campaign to raise awareness among educators for respecting students' names and pronouncing them correctly.

Image Credit: Regional Education Laboratory Northwest

Corey Mitchell
Associate Editor,  Education Week
Corey Mitchell was an associate editor who covered special education, English-language learners and other special populations.
Related Tags:
Bilingual Education

A version of this news article first appeared in the Learning the Language blog.