First Language use with English Language Learners in the Elementary Classroom

Abstract

In recent years, the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the public school system of the United States has been rising. Within my capstone project I will be addressing how incorporating ELLs’ L1 promotes second language (L2) and content learning in elementary school. This is a prevalent issue due to the fact that teachers are unsure of how to incorporate students’ native languages into classroom curriculum. Literature on this issue discusses how Translanguaging, multiple languages in the classroom, and culturally responsive instruction all incorporate ELLs L1 usage to promote L2 development. To mitigate this issue, I have created a professional development course. The PD within this capstone is created to help teachers understand and implement multilingual strategies into their classrooms. Implications for further research curated from this capstone project include finding what strategies are the most effective when incorporating ELLs L1s in the classroom.