Supporting English Language Learners In Schools Strategies For Success

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 30, 2025, 6:01 AM

supporting english language learners in schools strategies for success

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. Last week, I started Macbeth with my 10th-grade English class; usually, the start of this unit brings much excitement and anticipation to my teaching.

Students usually love studying Macbeth and grow to appreciate the universality and timelessness of Shakespeare as we read, act, and discuss the text. This year, however, I was filled with worry. I have six English learners (EL) in my class. Typically, when I teach native Spanish speakers, I feel confident and ready for the challenge because I am bilingual myself. My ELs this year are all Asian, mostly Mandarin speakers and this has given me a glimpse of what it is like for many monolingual teachers who face classrooms filled with ELs and do... I quickly realized that ensuring their success would require thoughtful planning, strategic scaffolding, and intentional support.

It feels as though the number of English learners or Dual language learners (DL) in our classrooms increases every year. The variety of languages they speak has also seemed to increase. In another blog we published, we look at a historical overview of this phenomenon as well as the theoretical foundation for language learning and provide a number of strategies for fostering a learner-centered culture... Establishing a positive culture in your classroom is a crucial first step. And then what? And how on earth was I going to get my Mandarin-speaking 10th graders reading Shakespeare?

Supporting ELs starts with the planning process. They may need a head start on the content, additional resources, and longer times to process. They may struggle to find an inroad to connect to the content. Here are the top tips to consider in the planning process: Consider how you will not only develop vocabulary lists for them but also how they will engage with the vocab rather than just being given a list. Boost ELL student success with differentiated lessons, visual aids, peer tutoring, and tech tools for inclusive classrooms.

Imagine a classroom where students from diverse linguistic backgrounds are not only present but thriving. With the growing diversity in our schools, the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) is steadily increasing. But how can educators effectively support these students in mainstream classrooms? Supporting ELL students requires intentional strategies that address their unique needs and promote an inclusive learning environment. By integrating these practices, teachers can help ELL students succeed academically and socially. This post explores various support strategies for ELL students, the benefits of these practices, and practical tips for implementation.

Through real-world case studies and actionable advice, discover how schools can transform their instructional methods to better support ELL students. Join us as we delve into the powerful impact of effective ELL support in education. English Language Learners (ELLs) are students who are learning English in addition to their native language. These students often face unique challenges, including language barriers and cultural differences, that can impact their academic performance and social integration. Historically, ELL education focused on separate, specialized programs. However, there has been a shift towards integrating ELL students into mainstream classrooms to promote inclusivity and equal opportunities for all students.

This evolution reflects the growing recognition of the importance of inclusive education and the benefits of diverse learning environments. 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. 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: English learners represent one of the fastest-growing student groups in U.S. schools, yet educators consistently report that they feel underprepared to meet these students’ needs.

This forum will explore the training teachers receive, the policies shaping instruction, and the classroom practices that best support multilingual learners. Attendees will walk away with strategies and practical solutions to ensure equity and opportunity for this diverse group of students. First time K-12 Essentials Forum attendee? Learn more about our free virtual forums. 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. 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. 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. This provides students with a way to continue to reference language and access meaning without having to memorize everything in one single lesson. Example: The word “colony” has different meanings depending on the context, and it might be a challenging word for your MLLs. If you’re teaching about colonies in social studies, a visual representation of the colonies or what a colony looks like allows your students to connect the word and meaning with their native language and...

Supporting English Language Learners In Schools Strategies For Success

People Also Search

English Language Learners (ELLs) Are Diverse Students Who Struggle To

To Achieve Success, Schools Need To Embrace The Following Key

Students Usually Love Studying Macbeth And Grow To Appreciate The

It Feels As Though The Number Of English Learners Or

Supporting ELs Starts With The Planning Process. They May Need