English Language Learner KnowledgeBase for Administrators & Teachers

Instructional Models for Teaching ELLs

To determine which ELL services and programs are best suited for a student identified as an English learner (EL), local education agencies (LEAs) must consider the student’s (1) English proficiency level, (2) Grade level, (3) Educational background, and (4) Language background for bilingual programs. 

PACER CENTER: Working With Culturally Diverse Families

The Pacer Center is dedicated to "Engaging Culturally Diverse Families for Student Success". A student with a disability is first, and foremost, a student who is a member of the school community. In order for parents of students with disabilities to be meaningfully involved as a member of their child’s Individualized Education Program team, they first need to feel welcomed and valued. They must also understand how “regular education” works.  When schools are intentional and proactive in using culturally-competent strategies to provide information and support to families who are from diverse cultures or speak another language, they pave the way for meaningful family engagement, and better outcomes for students. This website also includes a video series: "Parent Voices on Parent Involvement", research on Parent Involvement, Practice Guides and Tools, and additional Parent Involvement Resources.

English Language Learners with Special Needs: Effective Instructional Strategies

This Colorin Colorado article by Alba Ortiz focuses on effective instructional strategies for English Language Learners with Special Needs. Alba writes, "Students with limited English may fail because they do not have access to effective bilingual or English as a second language (ESL) instruction. Students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may have difficulty if instruction presumes middle-class experiences." 

Migrant Education: Even Start

This link goes to the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Migrant Education information on the Even Start program.

Addressing DIversity in Schools: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

This 2006 Culturally Responsive Educational Systems practitioner brief defines culturally responsive pedagogy and explains how it might be used effectively to address the instructional needs of a diverse student population. This brief focuses on the two most relevant for teachers’ work: the personal and instructional dimensions.