10 Key Policies and Practices for Teaching English Language Learners

Why Effective Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners Matter

English language learners face the dual challenge of mastering academic content while simultaneously developing English proficiency. According to research from Colorín Colorado, it takes 5-7 years for students to develop the academic language proficiency needed for school success. This reality underscores why specialized teacher skills are essential.

When educators implement effective strategies for teaching English language learners, they not only improve language acquisition but also boost academic achievement across all subject areas. The policies and practices outlined below represent a synthesis of evidence-based approaches that support both language development and content mastery.

Essential Classroom Policies for Teaching English Language Learners

1. Create a Culturally Responsive Environment

Establishing a classroom where students feel their cultural identities are valued is fundamental to teaching English language learners effectively. This approach requires intentional planning and consistent messaging that embraces diversity as an asset rather than a deficit.

Effective teacher skills in this area include:

• Incorporating books and materials that reflect students’ diverse backgrounds
• Displaying visual representations of different cultures in classroom decorations
• Learning basic greetings in students’ home languages
• Creating opportunities for students to share aspects of their cultural heritage
• Using students’ prior knowledge and experiences as foundations for new learning

When students see their cultures and languages honored in the classroom, they develop a stronger sense of belonging that supports both emotional well-being and academic engagement. This foundation of respect creates the optimal conditions for language acquisition to flourish.

2. Implement Clear Language Objectives Alongside Content Goals

One of the most valuable teacher skills for supporting English language learners is the ability to integrate language development with content instruction. Every lesson should include both content objectives (what students will learn) and language objectives (how students will demonstrate their understanding through language).

Effective language objectives might include:

• Students will use comparative adjectives to describe plant and animal adaptations
• Students will explain the water cycle using sequential transition words (first, next, then)
• Students will justify their solution to a math problem using because clauses

By explicitly teaching the language needed for academic success, you provide English language learners with the tools to access grade-level content while developing their English proficiency. This dual focus ensures students don’t fall behind academically while they’re learning English.

Instructional Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners

3. Utilize Comprehensible Input Techniques

Making content understandable for English language learners requires specialized teacher skills focused on comprehensible input. This approach, pioneered by linguist Stephen Krashen, involves modifying your teaching to ensure students can access meaning even when they don’t understand every word.

Effective comprehensible input strategies include:

• Speaking at a slightly slower pace with clear enunciation
• Using gestures, visuals, and realia (real objects) to illustrate concepts
• Providing written text to support oral instruction
• Demonstrating processes before asking students to perform them
• Checking frequently for understanding using non-verbal cues

Remember that comprehensible input doesn’t mean oversimplifying content or “dumbing down” the curriculum. Instead, it’s about providing multiple pathways to understanding complex concepts while supporting language development.

4. Scaffold Language Production Opportunities

While receptive language skills (listening and reading) often develop first, effective teaching English language learners requires intentional scaffolding of productive language skills (speaking and writing). Scaffolding provides temporary support that gradually diminishes as students gain proficiency.

Valuable scaffolding techniques include:

• Providing sentence frames and starters (e.g., “I predict that… because…”)
• Using graphic organizers to structure thinking before writing
• Modeling academic language through think-alouds
• Implementing the gradual release model: I do, we do, you do
• Allowing wait time of 3-5 seconds after asking questions

These scaffolds give English language learners the confidence to participate academically while they’re still developing language proficiency. As students progress, gradually remove supports to promote independence.

Collaborative Approaches for Teaching English Language Learners

5. Implement Structured Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning provides English language learners with authentic opportunities to practice language in a supportive environment. However, simply putting students in groups isn’t enough—structured collaboration requires specific teacher skills to ensure meaningful interaction.

Effective collaborative structures include:

• Think-Pair-Share: Students think independently, discuss with a partner, then share with the class
• Jigsaw: Students become “experts” on one aspect of content, then teach others
• Numbered Heads Together: Students in groups number off, discuss a question, then one number is called to respond
• Reciprocal Teaching: Students take turns leading discussion using four strategies: predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing

When implementing collaborative learning, be intentional about grouping decisions. Pairing English language learners with supportive peers who model academic language can accelerate language acquisition while building social connections.

6. Leverage Primary Language as a Resource

Contrary to outdated “English-only” approaches, research from the Center for Applied Linguistics shows that supporting students’ primary language actually accelerates English acquisition. Developing this aspect of your teacher skills requires recognizing that bilingualism is an asset, not an obstacle.

Effective primary language support strategies include:

• Allowing students to brainstorm or take notes in their primary language
• Providing bilingual dictionaries or translation tools as resources
• Encouraging peer support in the primary language to clarify concepts
• Including multilingual texts in your classroom library
• Inviting students to share cognates (words that are similar across languages)

Remember that the goal isn’t to replace English instruction but to use primary language as a bridge to English proficiency. When students can leverage their full linguistic repertoire, they develop deeper conceptual understanding and stronger metalinguistic awareness.

Assessment Practices for Teaching English Language Learners

7. Implement Appropriate Assessment Accommodations

Fair assessment of English language learners requires distinguishing between language proficiency and content knowledge. Developing this aspect of your teacher skills means recognizing when language barriers might be masking what students actually know and can do.

Effective assessment accommodations include:

• Providing extended time for processing and responding
• Allowing use of bilingual dictionaries during tests
• Simplifying linguistic complexity of instructions without changing content difficulty
• Offering alternative response formats (diagrams, demonstrations, oral responses)
• Using portfolio assessment to show progress over time

When designing assessments, consider whether you’re measuring English proficiency or content knowledge. If the goal is to assess math understanding, for example, linguistic complexity shouldn’t prevent students from demonstrating their mathematical thinking.

8. Use Formative Assessment to Guide Instruction

Ongoing formative assessment is particularly crucial when teaching English language learners. These low-stakes check-ins provide valuable information about both language development and content understanding, allowing you to adjust instruction accordingly.

Effective formative assessment strategies include:

• Exit tickets with sentence frames to capture understanding
• Observation checklists focused on language functions and content concepts
• Four corners activities where students physically move to indicate their thinking
• Quick writes with specific language targets
• Self-assessment using “I can” statements aligned to language objectives

The information gathered through formative assessment should directly inform your instructional decisions. If assessments reveal that students are struggling with particular language structures or content concepts, provide targeted reteaching and additional practice opportunities.

Professional Collaboration for Teaching English Language Learners

9. Partner with ESL/Bilingual Specialists

Effective teaching of English language learners often requires collaboration between classroom teachers and language specialists. Developing collaborative teacher skills enables you to align instruction and maximize support for multilingual students.

Productive collaboration strategies include:

• Co-planning lessons to integrate content and language objectives
• Sharing assessment data to identify patterns in language development
• Implementing push-in support where specialists work alongside classroom teachers
• Aligning vocabulary instruction across settings
• Developing consistent scaffolding approaches

When classroom teachers and language specialists work together, they create a cohesive learning experience that reinforces both language development and academic content. This collaboration also provides valuable professional learning as educators share their expertise.

10. Engage Families as Educational Partners

Family engagement is particularly crucial when teaching English language learners. Parents and caregivers provide valuable insights about students’ backgrounds, strengths, and needs, even when they themselves may not speak English fluently.

Effective family engagement strategies include:

• Providing communications in families’ primary languages
• Hosting cultural celebration events that honor diverse traditions
• Creating a classroom lending library with bilingual books
• Inviting family members to share expertise and cultural knowledge
• Offering flexible meeting times and translation services for conferences

When families feel welcomed and valued as educational partners, they’re more likely to support learning at home. This home-school connection creates consistency that benefits English language learners academically and socially.

Putting It All Together: Integrated Approaches for Teaching English Language Learners

The most effective teaching for English language learners integrates all of these practices into a cohesive approach that supports both language development and academic achievement. By combining these strategies, you create a learning environment where multilingual students can thrive.

Remember that developing teacher skills for working with English language learners is an ongoing journey. Start by implementing one or two strategies, then gradually incorporate others as you build your expertise. Each step you take makes your classroom more accessible and engaging for all students.