The Fastest Growing Subgroup Of The Nation Are English Language Learners

• Test scores comparing ELL students and native speakers of English as well as number of ELL students identified as requiring special education services

A recent study on the implementation and effects of a balanced literacy approach in San Diego City Schools indicates that while all students may benefit from aspects of good instruction, ELL students require additional instructional supports. Instruction for ELLs should include the use of their native language, the use of differentiation to adjust literacy instruction, and a focus on Academic language development with the understanding that “one size does not fit all”(O’Day, 2009). Specifically, ELL students need more explicit language instruction, and teachers must have enough knowledge of second language acquisition to anticipate potential barriers to ELL students’ comprehension. In the same study, researchers found evidence of an overall decrease in the emphasis on biliteracy education. The study revealed that three out of the nine case study schools included in the study had no biliteracy classrooms after 2004-2005, and three of the remaining six schools drastically reduced the number of bilingual classes offered (O’Day, 2009). Teachers from the remaining three schools that continued to offer biliteracy programs reported an increasing focus on early transition and on English (O’Day, 2009). Students who were moved from biliteracy classrooms into mainstream classrooms presented a challenge to teachers. These teachers reported feeling unprepared for the instructional needs of ELLs (O’Day, 2009). Similarly, the study noted that approaches designed for ELL students, such as differentiation, are not effective unless a teacher has a background in second language acquisition, and understands how to tailor texts for literacy instruction. These teachers must be able to understand potential barriers to an ELL’s comprehension of the text as well as be able to analyze and monitor a student’s linguistic needs and progress (O’Day, 2009). Use of

have had significant increases in their ELL population (Echevarria et al., 2006). These increases mean that the challenges of meeting the needs of students with limited English proficiency (LEP) is no longer confined to urban schools; all teachers must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to address the educational needs of these diverse learners (DelliCarpini, 2008).

As the United States becomes more diverse, English Language Learners (ELLs) have become the fastest growing student population (NCELA, 2011). By 2025 we can expect 1 in 4 students in the U.S. to be ELLs (NEA Home, 2008). Over a 10-year period, the number of ELL students in the U.S. grew by 51% while the entire K-12 population only grew by 7.22% (NCELA, 2011). However, this relatively quick influx of students with specific language needs has left many school districts and even entire states struggling to provide proper services. Overall, ELLs are found to do more poorly on math and reading than their non-ELL counterparts (See NEA, 2008; Zamora, 2007) Furthermore, the ELL achievement gaps for math and reading in Connecticut are among the highest

The number of English Language Learners (ELLs) is growing in schools in the United States of America (Thomas & Collier, 2001). The United States had about 11 million school-aged children of immigrants in 2005. This was more or less one-fifth of the school-aged population (Rong & Preissle, 2008). Belonging to immigrant families and born outside or inside United States of America, these children are from different racial, ethnic, religious, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. It is their diverse backgrounds that greatly impact the way they are able to cope with the challenges at school. One major factor that determines their overall school performance is proficiency in the English language. ELLs who arrive in the United States at an adolescent age tend to develop social communication skills and absorb cultural trends quickly.

Demographic data collected throughout the United States indicates increased rates of ELL students enrolling in the public education system. These students require specialized instruction for success in their learning. As a result, this emphasis places a heavy burden on schools and teachers. Schools are finding more and more demands to train teachers to meet the needs of this increasing population of students. Teachers in the classroom need to find alternative teaching strategies to provide instruction that may be understood by all students. In many instances, this means the teacher must spend more time providing individualized instruction for ELL students.

The Shrewsbury Public School system is one that is filled with diversity and staffed with a team of educators who are ready to meet the diverse needs of their student body. Among these diverse learners is a growing population of English Language Learners (ELLs), ranging in proficiency from entering to reaching on the WIDA performance scale. The student body of ELLs in this school district is growing at a rate that exceeds their projections, averaging five or more ELL students in each classroom. These students come from a variety of different countries and speak over 15 different languages including varying dialects, the most prevalent of which include Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Russian, Polish, and Hindi.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2015), the percentage of public school students in the United States who were English Language Learners (ELLs) in the academic year 2012-2013 was 9.2%, or roughly 4.4 million students. This trend towards the multicultural classroom, which has been steadily rising for over a decade, is one that is expected to continue.

The criteria for English Language Learners (ELLs) are described as official teaching of English to those whose native language is not English but who live in an English speaking countries. (Gregory, 2012). For the first time in the public K-12 setting, the overall number of ethnic and racial minorities, which includes Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans, surpassed the number of non-Hispanic Whites (Maxwell, 2014). The ELLs demographics are continuously growing which is why we need as educators need to need to help guide and understand the growing needs of this diverse group.

Over the past 15 years, the number of ELL students has nearly doubled to about 5 million. By 2025, nearly one out of every four public school students will be an English Language Learner (NCELA, 2007). Two-thirds come from low-income families and three out of four ELLs are Spanish-speaking (NCELA, 2007). But what is most significant and troubling is that these students’ academic performance is well below that of their peers and that ELLs have excessively high dropout rates.

ELL students come from all over the world and experience different ways of life, so in order for a teacher to know about their students they must also know where they came from in order to better understand them and their different levels of language proficiency. One of the many struggles is that students come into the classroom with different levels of language proficiency. Some people believe that this makes it impossible for the students to perform well, but that is not the case. ELL learners learn the same way as English speaking students. There are many factors that contribute to how a native speaking student learns and there is no difference in how an ELL student learns. ELL students are affected by the climate of the classroom, translation resources, and support. The questions to consider when examining and ELL classroom for these things is how the students are treating each other, are there the proper resources for ELL students, and what techniques are used to help ELL's understand the information. A lot of people are advocates for English-only classrooms, but they are unaware of how this will affect the children and also how much the children need

American schools are changing; schools are much more diverse than they were fifty years ago. Educators can no longer expect the majority of their students to be predominately native English speaking. There has been a significant increase in the number of language minorities (Omark and Erickson, 1983) within the United States. In 2014, there were fourteen or fifteen major language groups with an estimated 4,500,000 students between the ages of five and fourteen. By far, the largest single language minority population being represented is Spanish-speaking, with more than two-thirds of the entire language minority population being Spanish speakers. Because of the tremendous increase in the numbers of Asian, Hispanic, and other linguistically and culturally different students, school districts can no longer ignore the need for adjusting their instructional programs to better serve these groups. One result has been an expansion of bilingual education to address the educational needs of students with limited proficiency in English.

There are many challenges that ELL students face; from the academic performance to poverty and social inequalities. Most ELL students don’t have access to the basic educational resources and opportunities. (LaChat, 2004) “In school, the greatest difference between English language learners and their peers is the magnitude of learning expected.” (LaChat, 2004) As noted the ELL students have started the educational race in the negative, with out the basic monetary and educational push as their counterparts.

Over the past few years, the count of immigrants have astronomically increased in the United Stated, this has caused the educational environment throughout schools to reflect a large number of diverse students. Because of the change in the system, the way students are assessed and what teachers need to know have also adjusted. English Language Learners are a group of students with different languages, backgrounds, needs, and goals. Some ELL students have only come to the United States and speak no English and have a family that also speak no English, while some students might live in a home where only English is spoken. Based on the ELL student’s background, learning style and other factors, the way they take in information differs. Most general knowledge teachers only provide ELL students with the basic requirements to gain academic success in the Early Childhood Education classroom. Schools sometimes provide ELD (English Language Development) teachers, ELL specialists and other resources including programs and dictionaries to help students develop their English, while other schools believe that by placing the student in a natural environment where they can interact with other students who speak English then the student will eventually learn how to speak English. As a former ELL student who personally experienced the difficulty of learning and adapting to a new language and also as a student who has experienced various classrooms with diverse students, my opinion is that

This paper investigates and examines the needs of English Language Learners (ELL) in our classrooms today. It defines who they are, gives statistics at three different levels, nationally, statewide and at the school level. A few general concerns about ELL are discussed and also some positive indicators are given to give a foundation to work from. Academic goals in English language development, reading and math; that can be applied for all students, and assessment considerations are reviewed. Finally, proven instructional