How Teachers Can Support ELLs in the General Content Classroom

Abstract

General classroom teachers often find themselves unprepared for working with English Language Learner students in their content area classrooms. It is imperative that general content teachers engage in training where they receive guidance on how they can support the content learning of ELLs. When teachers lack training, students are often left out of academic learning, leading to them falling behind their English-speaking peers. Students many times do not feel like appreciated members of their learning community. Literature suggests that teachers are also affected negatively, often lacking the confidence in their skills to educate ELL students. To mitigate the problem, I have developed a professional development session for general classroom teachers and school level administrators. The goals of the training are that teachers and administrators obtain tools that they need to make meaningful connections with parents, gain valuable background and cultural information about their students in order to support ELL students academically as well as culturally. When teachers possess the tools they need to implement academic and cultural strategies to support learning, they experience higher levels of confidence in their own skills. ELLs often perform better when their school integrates students’ language, culture, and prior knowledge into educational activities. As educators implement various strategies to support ELLs and other students, their classrooms become environments that are more culturally sustaining. Further research is needed to determine the long-term education and emotional impact on ELL students and their families.