Over the past decade, the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) enrolled in U.S. schools has increased significantly to over 5 million students. Because ELLs are in the process of acquiring English as their second language, they have special academic needs that need to be addressed by teachers if they are to be successful in school.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB, 2002) expects all students in the United States to demonstrate mastery of the same academic content and achievement standards and to be technologically literate by grade eight. All states are required to:
- Administer standardized tests in math and reading in grades 3-8 and in high school
- Report students' test scores
- Implement strategies to help under-performing students demonstrate proficiency
The No Child Left Behind Act further mandates that ELLs:
- Take yearly English language proficiency tests
- Demonstrate annual learning gains
- Take standardized tests in math and language arts in grades 3-8 and in high school
- Take standardized tests in math and language arts in English after three years of continuous enrollment in a U.S. school.
It is therefore crucial for teachers who teach ELLs to use classroom strategies that accommodate specific language needs; support language and academic development; enhance learning experiences; and support success. In particular, teachers should always:
- Assess students' prior knowledge on a topic
- Make content more understandable to students through the use of nonverbal clues (e.g., pictures, graphic organizers, concrete objects, demonstrations, and hands-on activities)
- Build on students' cultural knowledge and experiences into teaching and learning
- Incorporate students' native language into teaching to make content more understandable to students
- Create opportunities for students to use their language skills by interacting and collaborating with peers
- Use a variety of teaching methods, language scaffolding strategies, and classroom activities
- Use varied materials and resources (e.g., visual aids, hand-outs, manipulatives, realia, photographs)
- Exercise students' higher-order thinking skills as their language competencies increase
Many of the above strategies can be implemented using a variety of technology tools such as:
- Integrated Learning Systems
- Tutorials
- Drill-and-practice
- Simulations
- Educational software
- Application software
- Webquests
- PowerPoint presentations
- Electronic portfolios
- Videos
- Graphics
- Audio and podcasts
- Websites
- Blogs
- Wikis
- Online journals
- Digital storytelling
Learn more about how technology can promote academic successamong ELLs.
References
BethelSchools.(2018). Digital learning helps English Language
Learners excel. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/uhwBKX5Dbt8
Maloy, R., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Park Woolf, B. (2017). Transforming learning with new technologies (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson.
NCES (National Center for Education Statistics). 2020. English
Language Learners in public schools. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgf.asp
Information from this post may be used provided credit is given to Dominique Charlotteaux
