Five Pillars of Equitably Grading ELLs
By Diane Staehr Fenner, Jill Kester, Sydney Snyder
We have recently discovered that there is a lack of resources in our field about how to equitably grade English language learners (ELLs). This blog post offers some insights and ideas that we hope will spur further discussion. First, we’ll share the reason behind our focus on this topic, as well as a summary of challenges related to grading ELLs. Next, we’ll give you a brief overview of related research before sharing our own recommendations developed in response to our research, which we call the Five Pillars of Equitably Grading ELLs.
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4 Truths About Teaching English Language Learners/
by Elena Aguilar
One veteran teacher shares her experiences helping ELL students thrive. The majority of communities in the United States have English language learners (ELLs) and consequently, the great majority of teachers are engaged in identifying how to serve this group of students. Here are a few highlights of what I’ve learned ELLs really need from more than 20 years of working closely with them in public schools.
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5 Key Strategies for ELL Instruction
The set of six video clips begin with this short overview by Understanding Language ELA work group members George Bunch (University of California, Santa Cruz) and Aída Walqui (WestEd).
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U.S. Department’s Early Learning Web Site
Find the latest information about ED’s work in supporting our nation’s youngest learners. Join our Early Learning Newsletter mailing list to receive regular ED early learning updates and the monthly early learning newsletter.
Optimizing Learning Opportunities for Student Observation System
Over the last two years, the Early Learning Network’s assessment team at the University of California, Irvine, has been developing and testing a web-based observational tool for practitioners in pre-K through third grade classrooms to help improve student outcomes and strengthen student-teacher relationships. Using electronic assessments and observation, the Optimizing Learning Opportunities for Students Observation System, known as OLOS, provides real-time feedback on children’s academic progress and teachers’ instructional practices. It also offers recommendations on how to best meet students’ unique learning needs. The tool is still in the pilot phase but shows promise in becoming a practitioner-friendly comprehensive measure in early learning programs.
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FACT SHEET: Supporting Dual Language Learners in Early Learning Settings
Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.:
“The number of children ages 5 to 17 in the U.S. who speak a language other than English at home has more than doubled in the past three decades. These home languages are an asset that should be valued, and research shows that supporting bilingualism from early ages can have wide ranging benefits, from cognitive and social advantages early in life, to long-term employment opportunities and competitiveness in the workplace. This statement is part of ED’s ongoing commitment to ensure that dual language learners, including immigrants and refugees, have access to high quality supports, which is especially important as we celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month.”
Dual Language Learners
Supporting the Development of Dual Language Learners in Early Childhood Programs
A major challenge facing early childhood education and the k–12 education system in the United States is the fact that as the population changes, the particular needs of children change with it. One of the largest demographic shifts in the last decade is the increase in the number of children who speak English as their second language. The majority of these children are born in the United States and thus from a very young age are acquiring both the language of their family as well as the language of the larger community. These very young children are dual language learners (DLLs).
- Read the guidance document “Reissued by ACF January 5, 2017”
- Dual Language Learners Toolkit
Last Reviewed: June 19, 2017
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Programs for English Language Learners
Overview of the Agency
The mission of the Office for Civil Rights is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights.