George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

English-Language Learners

Discover ways to optimize instruction to address the needs of students who are learning English.

  • 6 Tips for Engaging the Families of English Language Learners

    Schools
    Louise El Yaafouri

  • Using Diversity to Build a Culture of Belonging

    Academics and social skills are equally prioritized at this multilingual elementary school in Chicago, ranked one of the best in the city.
    Conor P. Williams

  • Building Cross-Cultural Connections in Two Languages

    At a bilingual school in Chicago, first-grade teachers swap classrooms so students get lessons in both Mandarin and English.

  • 12 Fun Speaking Games for Language Learners

    Every teacher has faced the struggle of encouraging students to speak. Here's a list of a fun activities to get your students to talking.
    Diane Gantenhammer

  • 6 Essential Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners

    We interviewed educators with decades of experience in teaching ELLs and tapped a network of experts and observers to find the strategies that work.
    Emily Kaplan

  • Do’s & Don’ts for Teaching English-Language Learners

    In an excerpt from his book with fellow teacher Katie Hull Sypnieski, blogger Larry Ferlazzo looks at a few basic ways to reach students who are learning English as well as the subject at hand.
    Larry Ferlazzo

  • The Necessity of Having High Expectations

    Conveying compassion for students while holding them to high standards can help improve equity in education.
    Kristine Napper

  • Preparing for Cultural Diversity: Resources for Teachers

    How can teachers prepare for diverse classrooms? There isn't a definitive answer, but there is a wealth of resources online. Discover some helpful links for teachers.
    Matt Davis

  • 8 Strategies for Teaching Academic Language

    Ideas for developing students’ capacity to understand and use discipline-specific terminology and the language used in instruction.
    Todd Finley

  • Teaching English Language Learners: A Complex Endeavor

    A teacher seeks out the best approaches to teaching English to non-native speakers, the fastest growing student population in the U.S.
    Carly Berwick

  • Learning to See Students’ Deficits as Strengths

    A teacher works to see the upsides in students’ learning difficulties—and uses them to help all students succeed.
    Charles Alexander

  • Domingo: Somebody Just Like Me

    When students see themselves reflected in their teachers, it shows them that they too can succeed.

  • 5 Free Video Games That Support English Language Learners

    These games simulate real-world problems, guiding middle and high school students to engage deeply with content—and embedded supports benefit English language learners in particular.
    Louise El Yaafouri

  • The Dual Immersion Solution

    Instead of seeing English language learners as a costly challenge, districts are increasingly recognizing the assets they bring to their schools.
    Conor P. Williams

  • Activating Prior Knowledge With English Language Learners

    Students learn better when they first access what they already know—and this plays a big role in improving English language learners’ academic literacy.
    Larry Ferlazzo, Katie Hull Sypnieski