Colorín Colorado A Resource For Educators And Families Of English

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 30, 2025, 1:01 AM

colorín colorado a resource for educators and families of english

This article highlights the diverse leadership experiences of ELL educators and shares ideas for identifying and honing your own leadership capacity. Do you know a teen reader who loves a scary story? These books highlight the things that can make someone feel welcome in a new place. These stories for middle grades are set in schools across the country. Colorín Colorado is an educational service of WETA, the flagship public broadcasting station in Washington D.C., and receives major funding from the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association. Colorín Colorado provides free research-based information, activities, and advice to parents, schools, and communities serving educators and families of English language learners (ELLs) in Grades PreK–12.

ColorinColorado.org, a collaboration of PBS station WETA and the AFT, is the nation’s most widely accessed website serving educators and families of English language learners (ELLs) with information on how to help ELLs succeed... The resources on Colorín Colorado are used in professional development and for family outreach by schools across the country and reach more than three million users each year. Several new literacy resources are now available. They’re all specifically designed for educators and families who are hungry for culturally responsive, multilingual tools to support student success, school-family partnerships, and professional growth. The collection “Using Diverse Books with ELLs: A Guide for Educators” offers numerous practical tips for expanding access to books for ELLs and immigrant students—including how to choose books that reflect students’ diverse experiences,... Visit this collection to learn more about why students need access to diverse books and how these books can support writing instruction, and to get specific recommendations for high-quality books across grades, subject areas,...

Another valuable resource is the family literacy video series, which has three new projects available in multiple languages. “Being Bilingual Is a Superpower!” is an engaging animation developed for family members of ELLs, with practical and easy recommendations to support language and literacy development at home. “Family Literacy Tips” is a series of short public service announcements featuring an early childhood educator with practical tips for supporting reading at home regardless of adults’ reading levels. Tips include ideas for families of young children, school-aged children, and teenagers. Lastly, the “Indigenous Family Engagement” series was developed to share culturally responsive messages for Indigenous families from Latin America. The first culture highlighted is the Mam culture, with educator Henry Sales discussing in English, Spanish, and Mam the importance of preserving family language and culture and of families’ rights for language access.

Washington’s schools are home to over 130,000 English language learners. In recent years, the most common five languages spoken by ELLs in Washington have been Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Somali, and Chinese. (U.S. Dept. of Education, National Center for Education Statistics) Note: For additional state-by-state data and information, see New America's English Learner Accountability Hub.

Note: Regulations change with time. If you see something that needs updating, please send an e-mail to Colorín Colorado. For more detailed information regarding ELL guidelines and policies at the state and federal levels, please see the following: U.S. Department of Education. Our Nation’s English Learners.

Most Common Non-English Languages Spoken by English Learners. The bilingual site ¡Colorin Colorado! , for families and educators of English language learners, is a rich resource from the PBS station WETA in Washington, D. C. The site is filled with useful information, strategies, activities, and resources, whether for the ESL teacher or a content area teacher with one or two English learners in class. Although many of the activities have been designed for children in PreK-3, most can be adapted for children in upper elementary, middle school, and high school, including the Reading Tip Sheets for Educators.

And while information was developed with Spanish-speaking students in mind, many strategies are applicable to all students, no matter what their primary language. The Educators’ Section, a collaboration between WETA’s Reading Rockets and the American Federation of Teachers, shares the exciting but sometimes difficult challenge of teaching English, literacy skills, and academic content. The site also offers Hispanic heritage booklists organized by topic and genre, that focus on the experiences of Latinos and Latin American youth for grades 4-12. Main areas in the educator section include: Colorín Colorado is the premier national website serving educators and families of English language learners (ELLs) in Grades PreK-12. Colorín Colorado has been providing free research-based information, activities, and advice to parents, schools, and communities around the country for more than a decade.

This section includes a number of resources focused on English Language Learners (ELLs) in middle and high school. Topics include reading instruction for older students, content instruction, social and emotional issues, and college readiness. To see great ELL instruction in middle and high school classrooms, take a look at our classroom video library! This week, Shanna and Fuzz explore the invaluable resources available on Colorin Colorado, a website dedicated to supporting English learners in the classroom. They highlight the site's wealth of tools designed for teachers, parents, and administrators, making it easier to meet the diverse needs of students learning English. Listeners will learn about key features such as grade-level support, bilingual resources for families, and a comprehensive resource library filled with books, articles, and videos.

Shanna emphasizes the importance of these tools for fostering an inclusive learning environment, especially for new teachers or those welcoming English learners into their classrooms. Tune in for practical insights and tips on effectively utilizing Colorin Colorado to enhance student learning and engagement. Tech Tools for Teachers is part of the Education Podcast Network. https://www.edupodcastnetwork.com/ 01:53 - Exploring Resources for English Learners 05:31 - Exploring Educational Resources for English Learners

Colorín Colorado A Resource For Educators And Families Of English

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