Strategies For Supporting English Language Learners

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 28, 2025, 8:47 PM

strategies for supporting english language learners

Supporting English-Language Learners (ELLs) goes beyond language. It’s about creating an environment where every student can access content, engage in learning, and feel valued. Whether you teach in a district with a large ELL population or have just a few multilingual learners in your class, intentional instructional strategies can make a significant difference in their success. Let’s look at a few. Many ELL students may not have the same cultural or academic reference points as their peers. Therefore, it’s important to help them build background knowledge so they can connect new content with what they already know.

English-Language Learners aren’t just trying to understand what is being taught. They’re also working to decode how it’s being communicated. If content is presented only through dense text or fast-paced lectures, ELL students can easily miss critical concepts. Integrating academic vocabulary practice is critical for ELL students because vocabulary is the bridge between language and content mastery. Without a strong grasp of the words used in instruction, students may struggle to comprehend texts, follow directions, or express their understanding. Regular, intentional vocabulary practice helps ELLs internalize new words, recognize them in context, and use them confidently in both speaking and writing.

Vocabulary development is a key driver of academic success across all subjects. To integrate academic vocabulary practice: This article provides classroom teachers with ideas for supporting their ELLs' language development. This article is part of our Strategies for ELL Success guide. If you are a classroom or content-area educator trying to figure out how to teach English language learners (ELLs), you are not alone! You are off to a good start by looking for ways to support your students!

There are many things you can do that will make a big difference to ELLs, and they often prove helpful for other students in the class as well. Here are some ideas to help you begin. Look for a few ideas you can try and one or two topics where you would like to learn more information. Note: This article also includes some research-based recommendations offered by Dr. Diane August in her 2018 American Educator article, Educating English Language Learners: A Review of the Latest Research. Having worked in Title 1 schools for almost a decade, I had the privilege of being surrounded by language learners in all my classrooms.

It proved to be a humbling, eye-opening, and fascinating experience in many different ways. Because state laws required my classrooms to be conducted only in English, I prioritized creating spaces where students of color and from varied cultural backgrounds could share the best of their communities through experiential... In challenging political and educational climates, educators hold the power to create classrooms which allow students to shine in ways that are true to themselves, their families, and their communities and to support them... Students are the greatest assets to diverse learning environments, and they bring many experiences, cultural backgrounds, and languages to their classrooms. While it is up to the educator to provide space for these students to bloom and grow, one of the greatest and most common challenges in facilitating these spaces is in supporting English language... Providing these students with the tools and resources they need can be daunting, especially when working to personalize learning and differentiate in other ways.

While a bilingual classroom is preferable for language learners of all kinds, this blog offers support for teachers delivering instruction in English in classrooms with ELLs. Have you ever learned a new language in an immersive environment? If not, it might sound like an impossible task that only the most daring person would try. If you have, you know the challenges in this kind of learning - the intimidation to engage with native speakers, fear of making a mistake in what you are saying or writing, and fear... These mentalities are typical for adults when learning languages, but kids generally have a more resilient and brave approach. In my classroom experience, I have come to appreciate that English language learners are masters of learning, taking risks, and maximizing coping strategies.

Some ELLs are also shy and fearful of engaging for various reasons. Both those willing to engage and those who are more hesitant can grow their language skills exponentially with the right tools and in a supportive environment. As an adult, I learned to speak Thai, and because foreigners don’t usually learn the language while they are in Thailand, I was an anomaly in most Thai social circles. I could formally introduce myself, tell jokes, and engage in casual conversation. I became an expert at politely ending a conversation when it reached beyond my comprehension. I would usually leave conversations having impressed Thai people by effectively covering up my language deficits.

I used my Thai language toolbox regularly and became fluent with it, but this was only a small fraction of the language that a native speaker uses. Our students can do the same on a regular basis. Sometimes this leads educators to assume students are fluent and comfortable speaking, reading, writing, and listening, when in reality, English language learners are using the tools they have repeatedly and are not supported in... Students who engage in content using their non-native language demonstrate their brains are capable of highly complex processes, and as their teachers, it is our job to support them in reducing that cognitive load... There are a number of structures that educators can use in their classrooms that not only build out their teaching tool belt and skills, but, more importantly, support students in building confidence and expertise... hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(428371, '7d6c411c-0458-4547-b158-e3360b7e4a03', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"});

Teachers of any subject can use these tips to help English language learners be more engaged and at ease in class. While we bring the mental health needs of our students into laser focus this year, it’s still crucial that we keep the social and emotional world of our English language learners (ELLs) front and... Just like their peers, ELL students come to our classrooms with the burning need to be seen and acknowledged for their unique personalities, life experiences, and talents. But language challenges can obstruct all these amazing facets of their personalities. Additionally, the social pressures of suddenly being in person again and needing to communicate may make them feel anxious, isolated, and embarrassed. Because of the often-obvious communication difficulties, grade-level and subject-area teachers understandably often rely on ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers to step in and help these students.

However, even if you aren’t an ESL teacher, there’s a plethora of strategies you can use to help these incredible students feel comfortable sharing their strengths and unique perspectives on the world. 1. Closed captioning isn’t just for the hearing impaired. If you’re showing video content, turning on closed captioning supports ELL students’ comprehension as well as everyone’s literacy skills. According to a 2017 study, the simple act of using closed captioning improves learning, even for students without learning challenges. 2.

Voice typing in Google Docs (under the Tools menu) provides students with a voice-to-text option that can help learners who have some oral language but struggle with spelling and writing. By clicking the arrow next to the language, students can even dictate a text in their native language, if need be, and then use Google Translate to translate it. Get a year of membership🎃PLUS A FREE BONUS MONTH🎃 Teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) can sometimes feel overwhelming, but with the right strategies, you can create a classroom where every student feels seen or supported. Whether you’re new to working with ELLs or looking to refresh your approach, these seven, simple, effective strategies will help you build a more inclusive and engaging learning environment. Visual aids, like anchor charts and labeled classroom items, help ELLs understand and retain information.

Quick Win: Try adding simple labels to classroom objects using both words and pictures. For example, label the door, windows, and supplies with visuals alongside the words in English (and students’ home languages if possible). This small change can make your classroom more language-friendly in minutes! Provide sentence starters that help guide ELLs to write more complete and detailed responses. Imagine trying to learn a classroom lesson when you don’t understand the language in which it is being presented. Teaching English language learners requires specialized strategies; and at the most basic level, one of those strategies is to “put yourself in their shoes.”

More than 5 million children in U.S. schools are classified as English language learners (ELLs), according to the Department of Education. These students face the dual challenge of learning the material while also learning the language, as their teachers face the added challenge of using the right educational strategies to help them succeed. Some of the most effective English language learner strategies start with common sense and respect for cultural differences. Simply getting to know the students is considered to be an essential part of the process. For educators who teach English language learners, developing a deeper understanding of their unique needs and the best practices for teaching them has many benefits.

These include: Here, we will review a range of time-tested English language teaching strategies that benefit students and educators alike. English language learners (ELLs) are diverse students who struggle to communicate or learn effectively in English as their second language. They often come from homes where English isn’t the primary language and require special instruction in both English and their academic courses. The achievement gaps between ELLs and their non-ELL peers pose a significant challenge within the educational system. Bridging these gaps is crucial for ensuring ELLs have equal opportunities to succeed academically.

Here are key strategies and responsibilities schools can undertake to support English language learners and narrow these achievement gaps. Supporting ELLs is crucial for schools as they strive to provide an inclusive and enriching educational environment. To achieve success, schools need to embrace the following key responsibilities: Schools should use teaching methods proven to be effective when teaching ELLs. For example, teachers can use fun activities like games and pictures to help ELLs learn new words and concepts or encourage ELLs to practice speaking English by engaging in conversations with classmates. When creating lesson plans and classroom materials for an English learner, schools should rely on strong pedagogical principles and teaching practices.

This means developing a high-quality curriculum that aligns with these principles and helps ELLs learn better. In today’s diverse classrooms, it’s important to implement strategies designed to support multilingual learners (MLLs), also referred to as English language learners (ELLs), in the general education classroom. When considering instructional strategies to use throughout the day, choose the ones that engage students and leverage their strengths. Using a combination of whole-group, small-group, and 1:1 strategies to support MLL students creates a language-rich environment that encourages continued growth and builds an inclusive learning environment. This allows your MLLs to feel supported and confident in the classroom. To support MLLs in groups, it’s best to use simple strategies you can weave into the instructional strategies you’re already using in the classroom.

These strategies shouldn’t be seen as “in addition to” or “in place of” what you’re already doing. The whole-group strategies below are simple yet effective ways to further engage all students in language instruction without requiring extensive planning time. Visual aids, such as photographs, sketches, icons, data, artwork, and videos, are a simple way to make content easier for MLLs to understand. They help MLLs make connections between the English language and their native language. The wide range of ways that visual aids can be used helps ensure that your instruction doesn’t become too predictable or too boring for students while still providing them with engaging ways to learn... While you’re teaching each unit, keep your visuals posted around the room during your instructional unit so students can continue to reference and connect with the visual content.

Strategies For Supporting English Language Learners

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