Support English Learners 4 Proven Strategies For School And District

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 1, 2025, 2:55 PM

support english learners 4 proven strategies for school and district

Supporting English learners goes beyond vocabulary lists and pull-out instruction. In today’s classrooms, school and district leaders need sustainable, scalable strategies that ensure EL students thrive in every content area. We recently hosted an Ask Me Anything session focused on a topic top of mind for many school and district leaders… Our Head Data Scientist, Mimi Newton, and Teaching & Learning Lead, Alexa Catao, shared real-world insights and student outcomes that showcase the power of high-dosage tutoring when designed intentionally for multilingual learners. Here’s a quick recap and actionable takeaways from the session. When asked about common misconceptions, Alexa jumped in to debunk a narrative often heard in schools:

Most school systems in the United States struggle to meet the needs of students identified as English learners (ELs) because they were not designed with these students in mind. From research-based instructional practices to professional development for educators to effective school leadership, EL-specific needs and approaches are often penciled in at the margins of pedagogic practice. And when narrowly designed education systems fail to meet EL needs—as they inevitably do—some states take drastic actions. Historically, states across the country have implemented restrictive policies as a “solution” for the perceived underperformance of EL-identified students.[1] The late 1990s and early 2000s were fraught with policies that were misaligned with what... California, Massachusetts, and Arizona, for example, enacted English-only laws under the misconception that immersing students was the only way to get them to learn English and succeed academically. These laws pushed out bilingual education programs even though EL advocates and researchers warned that doing so would have a detrimental effect on ELs’ academic outcomes.

In 2022, Alabama legislators concluded that ELs were unfairly bringing down school ratings and decided to exclude their academic assessment scores from the academic achievement indicator used to measure a school’s performance (on an... But while it is true that ELs’ academic abilities cannot be gauged accurately with a test administered in English, there are more inclusive and additive ways to address this data issue than simply rendering... Indeed, deficit-oriented and exclusionary policies run contrary to decades of research showing that ELs learn best when provided with language instruction that is integrated into academic content and connected to their home cultures and... In California, a 2010 report by Laurie Olsen, a prominent EL researcher, found that nearly 60 percent of secondary EL students in surveyed school districts were labeled long-term English learners (LTEL)—meaning they had not... schools. Such a high LTEL rate is concerning considering subsequent research has found that LTEL students often do not receive adequate language instruction services and lack access to the full curriculum, which can increase their...

In response to the deficit-oriented policy environment in California, Olsen created the SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language) model in 2008 (for more on the model, see sidebar below). Today SEAL is a statewide nonprofit whose work has been implemented in 367 elementary and preschools across California. According to a 2021 report by Enrique Romero and Heather Lewis-Charp about SEAL’s implementation, Olsen was inspired to create the model because she believed that California’s English-only policy was harming students. She said, “The research was just increasingly clear that what was going on in California schools was flying in the face of what research suggested and what we knew were the right things to... 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. As classrooms across the United States continue to change, it is critical that educators are able to successfully address the unique language and learning needs of English learners (ELs) and provide efficient and high-quality... This brief describes some best practices that educators can use in their classrooms to help ELs acquire the language and literacy skills needed to succeed academically. Direct and Explicit Instruction Focusing on Key Aspects of Literacy

All students should receive comprehensive, evidence-based language and literacy instruction as part of their core curriculum. This is especially critical for ELs. Effective core instruction for ELs should target the key components of literacy, including phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, oral reading fluency, comprehension, and writing. Core classroom teaching should be explicit, systematic, and differentiated for students’ language and learning needs. It is important to provide extensive and varied vocabulary instruction to ELs. Research suggests that you carefully choose a set of academic vocabulary words to teach intensively across several days using a variety of instructional activities (Baker et al., 2014).

An academic vocabulary word is one that is used when talking or writing in academic settings but not usually when talking or writing in social settings. There are four ways that you can carry out this recommendation in your classroom: Choose a brief, engaging piece of informational text that includes academic vocabulary as a platform for intensive academic vocabulary instruction. Find a short, interesting piece of text with the words that you want to focus on. Select a text that is motivating to students and carries content-rich material that will allow you to provide deep instruction and vocabulary. High-quality instruction is only one part of supporting multilingual English learners (MELs) to thrive in schools.

As student populations continue to diversify, educators, administrators, and district leaders must work together in systems of continuous improvement to ensure the success of MELs and their families. In this blog, we look at the process, tools, and results from a REL West collaborative project with Tooele County School District (TCSD) in Utah. The collaboration sought to strengthen the capacity of district and school leaders and the systems for supporting the academic growth and well-being of MEL students in the district. Many initiatives targeting the needs of MEL students have concentrated solely on teaching practices, suggesting that disparities in achievement are merely a result of instructional strategies rather than a structural issue.1,2 School leaders play... The project built on an existing Leadership Framework to guide TCSD leaders and educators through three interconnected evidence-based practices to support MEL students: using data for student advocacy, empowering shared leaders, and implementing instructional... To guide the work, REL West and TCSD utilized tools and processes from the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) practice guide, Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School5 and...

To realize their shared goal, the TCSD/REL West collaboration moved beyond the current district models of isolated professional learning toward implementing systemic collaboration in service of a unified goal. Rooted in mutual trust, school leaders, educators, and specialists were positioned by REL West staff as expert professionals with deep knowledge of their students and communities. This approach ensured that the content and activities were not only grounded in theory but also tailored to meet the unique needs of the educational community being served. One TCSD Area Leader captured the essence of the collaborative efforts--where personalized professional learning and a human-centered approach lay the groundwork for a transformative professional learning experience: Conditions for Success: What conditions existed in TCSD that bolstered their success? The collaborative project was amplified by pre-existing conditions in the district that were conducive to shared goals.

Prior to the collaboration, TCSD had established a framework of shared leadership and capacity-building structures, which included a dedicated team of specialists and teacher advocates at each school site, as well as an English... REL West staff Sandra Leu Bonanno remarked on the synergy between these foundational elements and the project's objectives, "The systems that district leaders set up prior to our collaboration really align with the evidence-based... Discover the fun and safe way to use video in elementary schools. Create engaging and inspiring classrooms for middle school students. Set every student up for success by maximizing in-class time and targeting gaps in understanding. Take control of video and equip your teachers with safe, classroom ready videos and resources.

Find video solutions tailored to your state’s standards and needs. Multilingual learners (MLs), especially those who are developing proficiency in English, benefit from intentional, targeted support. However, most educators don’t receive the kind of training needed to effectively deliver this kind of targeted support during core instruction. All too often, this results in fewer opportunities for MLs to show what they know and advance their ability to explain their understanding in English. The GLUE framework, outlined below, synthesizes research related to equitable instruction and universal design for learning (UDL) for MLs and any students working on learning the language of the curriculum. Oracy (i.e., speaking and listening) builds the foundation for literacy (i.e., reading and writing), especially when students are learning a new language.

Helpful strategies to develop MLs’ oracy include: MLs bring rich language and cultural resources that can be used to deepen learning in their new language. Honoring students’ background knowledge and skills by providing opportunities for them to share what they already know improves MLs’ learning. All students have a unique combination of learning preferences, background knowledge, and ways of processing. By providing multiple entry points and ways to engage in learning, educators can enhance access to rigorous, grade-level skills and knowledge. 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"});

Support English Learners 4 Proven Strategies For School And District

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