The terminology that we use to refer to English learners has shifted over the past two decades, from "limited English proficient" to "English language learner" to what is now the preferred term in California and, increasingly, other states: "English learner." Yet, what has not changed is how this category continues to…

Research has shown that language and literacy skills in a first language (L1) are related to performance in a second language (L2) and that these relations are reciprocal. However, cross-linguistic skills related to word reading are influenced by numerous factors. These include linguistic factors such as the specific language and literacy skills…

The population of emergent bilingual students (EBs, or English Language Learners, ELLs) is growing steadily in the United States. One common approach to language instruction for EBs is to expose students to a lesson's content vocabulary before teaching the lesson to build students' word banks and background knowledge. An example of this is the…

When the COVID-19 pandemic triggered shelter-in-place orders and school closures, many turned to remote schooling as a means for delivering vital instruction while observing public health guidelines. However, the swift shift to remote schooling highlighted an area of significant educational inequity across the United States, especially in urban…

In this paper, we address a lack of assessments of partner language development in dual language immersion (DLI) programs. We propose several important considerations that are necessary for the creation of research-based assessments of partner language development in DLI programs, focusing on Spanish as an example. We first discuss what these…

The student-teacher conference has been established as a pedagogical tool in composition courses, and teachers and students typically view the student-teacher writing conference as an effective way of providing feedback. However, most previous research on conferencing has been carried out with first language (L1) writers or advanced multilingual…

Supporting multilingual learners' access to equitable and socially just language education requires more from teachers than a critical stance and language awareness. Teachers of multilingual students must understand how their awareness and ideologies drive their actions and how their actions can generate new awareness both inside the classroom in…

This working paper provides insights into how all teachers can provide linguistically and culturally responsive and equitable education for all students by orchestrating instruction to meet their varying socioemotional, cultural, linguistic and academic needs. Grounded in social justice, the Cultural, Linguistic, Equity, and Responsiveness (CLEAR)…

English learners (ELs) are one of America's fastest-growing student groups, and their numbers are most concentrated in the country's Great Cities. In addition, the academic needs of these school children are complex and varied, especially as they are developing knowledge of multiple language systems. This document is continued evidence of how…

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) prepares an annual report on graduates and dropouts in Texas public secondary schools. This report includes state summaries of the annual dropout rate, longitudinal graduation and dropout rates, and state attrition rates. In addition to statewide statistics, the report provides historical information about dropout…

The purpose of this article is to describe the development of writing in young dual language learners, who are children under 5 years old who are learning the dominant language and another language at the same time. Early writing has been associated with literacy outcomes in the later years of elementary school. The article presents samples of…

The National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention (NCLII), a consortium funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), prepares special education leaders to become experts in research on intensive intervention for students with disabilities who have persistent and severe academic (e.g., reading and math) and behavioral…

Multilingualism is widespread in the world today and English is, in many cases, one of the languages in the multilingual speaker's repertoire. English as a lingua franca (ELF) is used by multilingual speakers who can also communicate in other languages and use their multilingual and multicultural resources in creative ways. This paper aims at…

Use the practical suggestions offered here to ease the transition when a newcomer emergent bilingual student comes to your school.

When a newcomer arrives, classroom teachers may wonder what to do. This article provides seven practical tips for getting started with a newcomer, nurturing healthy relationships, and facilitating learning experiences. Teachers can ease the transition for newcomers by attempting to perceive situations from the student's perspective. Awareness of…