English Language Learners

English Language Learners or also referred to as ELL, are students who come from non-English speaking homes and who are learning English. While in most cases these students have mastered basic communication, they still need assistance to develop academic language. The topic of English Language Learners is an extremely important topic within education as the number of ELL students across the United States is growing rapidly. As stated by NPR, no matter where these students go to school, they are struggling because they are not receiving instruction tailored to their needs. It is important that teachers are able to scaffold instruction for English Language Learners and develop a curriculum that fosters academic, social, and emotional growth. Teachers and other employees within the educational field should also be aware of the ways to support English Language Learners in the mainstream classroom. Teachers can support these students through making information visual, building in more time for group work, allowing scaffolding with their native language, respecting "silent time", and learning more about the cultural background of their students.

Teacher assisting a class of
English Language Learners 
through technology tablets.

I believe understanding how to support English Language Learners as a future educator is essential. Most likely whichever school teachers are placed in, there will be English Language Learners with a variety of languages. It is our job as teachers to promote an equitable classroom and learning environment, where every child feels valued and supported. Through my experiences at an inner-city school, 12 out of our 18 students are English Language Learners. They are pulled for intervention twice daily, where they practice academic vocabulary, specifically focusing on written language. In the classroom, it is our responsibility to cater tasks, roles, and responsibilities for every child. Within this experience, I have learned a lot about how to differentiate my teaching style for English Language Learners and also about various cultures. Various cultures and languages create a diverse classroom that benefits everyone.