English Language Learners:

Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers

At Ontario (Oregon) High School, one-quarter of the student body is made up of English language learners. This school and others in the Pacific Northwest are enrolling a growing number of youngsters who speak English as a second language. In fact, ELL students represented more than 9 percent of the nation’s total public school enrollment in 2000–2001 and researchers predict that number will continue to climb for at least the next two decades.

How best to serve these students in mainstream classrooms is the focus of the latest addition to NWREL’s popular By Request series. English Language Learners: Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Classroom Teachers examines effective instructional methods and important theories of second language acquisition. The publication also provides a brief overview of major legislative changes in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and profiles Northwest schools using different approaches to ensure success for ELL students.

Authors Bracken Reed and Jennifer Railsback point out that the passage of NCLB essentially brings ELL students into the same context of standards and accountability as their native English–speaking peers. That fact has enormous implications for mainstream teachers who must link core academic instruction to content standards set by each state.

Reed and Railsback provide a useful summary of the major program models used to educate ELL students. These range from using the ELL’s primary language for lessons in core subjects to programs employing native language support and Sheltered English instruction. However, the emphasis is not on the models, but on strategies mainstream classroom teachers can use to ensure that their students become proficient in English and meet academic content standards.

For early to intermediate language learners, teachers should consider using nonverbal clues such as pictures, objects, demonstrations, gestures, and different intonations. As students become more competent, they should be encouraged to use their language skills in real-life situations with study buddies, project-based learning, and one-to-one teacher/student interactions. For all students, cooperative learning, games, storytelling, and using both multimedia and cross-cultural materials are recommended.

In conclusion, Reed and Railsback note "it is pivotal that mainstream teachers work seamlessly within the overall ELL program plan as developed by the school or district. To do this, teachers must be committed, well-informed, and provided with the necessary resources."

For a free copy of this By Request publication, phone 503-275-9720 or e-mail info@nwrel.org. The booklet is also available online at www.nwrel.org/request/2003may/.