9 ELL Best Practices to Support Students

Best Practices Begin with Professional Development

Before diving into specific classroom strategies, it’s important to recognize that developing teacher skills for ELL instruction is an ongoing process. Research consistently shows that teachers who receive specialized training in ELL instruction achieve significantly better student outcomes. Professional development opportunities focused on language acquisition principles and cultural responsiveness provide the foundation for implementing best practices effectively.

Educators who invest in developing their teacher skills through targeted professional development report greater confidence and success when working with ELL students. According to a 2018 study published in the International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, teachers with specialized ELL training implemented more effective instructional strategies and maintained higher expectations for their students.

Best Practice #1: Create a Language-Rich Environment

A language-rich classroom environment provides ELL students with multiple opportunities to engage with English in meaningful contexts. This best practice involves surrounding students with print, audio, and visual resources that support language development throughout the day.

Effective implementation of this best practice includes:

• Labeling classroom objects and areas in both English and students’ home languages
• Creating word walls that highlight current vocabulary and academic language
• Providing sentence frames and language patterns that support oral and written expression
• Making diverse reading materials available at various language levels
• Incorporating visual supports alongside text whenever possible

These strategies help develop crucial teacher skills for creating supportive learning environments. When ELL students see language represented throughout the classroom, they gain more opportunities to connect with English vocabulary and structures in context. According to research from Colorín Colorado, language-rich environments significantly improve vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension for English learners.

Best Practice #2: Scaffold Instruction Systematically

Scaffolding is a fundamental best practice for ELL instruction that involves providing temporary supports that help students bridge the gap between what they can do independently and what they can achieve with assistance. Effective scaffolding requires teachers to develop specific teacher skills for breaking down complex tasks and providing appropriate supports.

Key scaffolding strategies include:

The gradual release of responsibility model works particularly well when implementing this best practice. Begin with high levels of support, then systematically reduce scaffolding as students develop greater independence. This approach requires teachers to continually assess student progress and adjust supports accordingly—a critical teacher skill for effective ELL instruction.

Best Practice #3: Incorporate Students’ Cultural Backgrounds

Culturally responsive teaching is a best practice that recognizes and leverages students’ cultural backgrounds as assets rather than deficits. This approach requires teachers to develop specific teacher skills related to cultural awareness and inclusion.

Effective ways to incorporate students’ cultural backgrounds include:

• Learning about students’ cultural traditions and incorporating them into lessons
• Using culturally diverse texts and materials that reflect students’ experiences
• Inviting family and community members to share cultural knowledge
• Acknowledging and validating different communication styles
• Creating opportunities for students to share their cultural perspectives

When students see their cultures valued in the classroom, they develop stronger connections to the learning environment and greater confidence in their abilities. According to research on culturally responsive teaching, ELL students show improved engagement, participation, and academic achievement when their cultural backgrounds are incorporated into instruction.

“When we incorporate students’ cultural backgrounds, we’re not just supporting language development—we’re affirming their identities and creating a foundation for academic success.”

– Dr. Geneva Gay, Researcher on Culturally Responsive Teaching

Best Practice #4: Develop Academic Language Systematically

Academic language development is a critical best practice for ensuring ELL students can access grade-level content. This approach focuses on explicitly teaching the specialized vocabulary, grammatical structures, and discourse patterns needed for academic success across content areas.

Effective academic language instruction includes:

• Explicitly teaching tier 2 vocabulary (high-utility academic words across content areas)
• Providing structured opportunities to practice academic language in speaking and writing
• Teaching specific language functions (compare/contrast, cause/effect, etc.)
• Modeling academic discourse patterns and text structures
• Using graphic organizers to highlight relationships between concepts and terms

Developing teacher skills for academic language instruction requires understanding the difference between conversational and academic English. While many ELL students develop social language relatively quickly, academic language proficiency typically takes 5-7 years to develop. By implementing this best practice, teachers can accelerate academic language acquisition and support content learning simultaneously.

Best Practice #5: Implement Collaborative Learning Structures

Collaborative learning is a powerful best practice for ELL instruction that provides authentic opportunities for language use in meaningful contexts. This approach requires teachers to develop specific teacher skills for designing and facilitating effective group work.

Effective collaborative learning structures include:

• Think-pair-share activities that provide processing time before speaking
• Jigsaw activities that make each student responsible for teaching others
• Reciprocal teaching where students take turns leading discussions
• Structured academic controversies that promote academic discourse
• Project-based learning with clearly defined individual roles

When implementing this best practice, it’s important to provide clear language supports such as sentence frames, vocabulary resources, and models of expected interactions. Strategic grouping is also essential—consider pairing ELL students with supportive peers who can serve as language models while ensuring all students have opportunities to contribute meaningfully.

Research consistently shows that well-structured collaborative learning enhances both language development and content knowledge for ELL students. These approaches allow students to practice language in low-stress environments while receiving immediate feedback from peers.

Best Practice #6: Provide Comprehensible Input

Making input comprehensible is a fundamental best practice for ELL instruction based on Stephen Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition. This approach focuses on ensuring that the language students encounter is just slightly above their current proficiency level while providing sufficient context to make meaning accessible.

Strategies for providing comprehensible input include:

• Using gestures, facial expressions, and body language to convey meaning
• Incorporating visual supports such as pictures, diagrams, and realia
• Modifying speech (slower pace, clear enunciation, controlled vocabulary)
• Providing multiple examples and demonstrations
• Checking frequently for understanding using non-verbal responses

Developing teacher skills for providing comprehensible input requires awareness of your own language use and the ability to adjust instruction based on student responses. When implementing this best practice, focus on making content accessible without oversimplifying concepts or lowering academic expectations.

According to research on second language acquisition, comprehensible input is essential for language development. When students understand the message being communicated, they can focus on both content learning and language acquisition simultaneously.

Best Practice #7: Use Formative Assessment to Guide Instruction

Formative assessment is a critical best practice that allows teachers to monitor ELL students’ progress and adjust instruction accordingly. This approach requires developing specific teacher skills for gathering and interpreting evidence of student learning.

Effective formative assessment strategies for ELL students include:

• Using non-verbal response methods (thumbs up/down, response cards)
• Implementing quick writes with sentence frames for support
• Conducting individual reading/speaking conferences
• Collecting exit tickets that assess understanding of key concepts
• Using digital tools that provide immediate feedback

When implementing this best practice, it’s important to separate language proficiency from content knowledge. Design assessments that allow students to demonstrate understanding even when their English skills are still developing. This might include allowing responses in the home language, using drawings or diagrams, or providing multiple response options.

Regular formative assessment helps teachers identify specific areas where students need additional support and adjust instruction accordingly. This responsive approach is particularly important for ELL students, whose language needs may change rapidly as they develop proficiency.

Best Practice #8: Support Home Language Development

Supporting students’ home language development is a best practice based on research showing that strong first language skills transfer to and support second language acquisition. This approach requires teachers to develop specific teacher skills related to bilingual education principles, even in English-only instructional settings.

Strategies for supporting home language development include:

• Encouraging families to maintain home language use
• Providing bilingual books and resources when possible
• Allowing students to use home language for planning and drafting
• Validating bilingualism as an asset rather than a deficit
• Incorporating opportunities for students to share their language knowledge

When implementing this best practice, communicate clearly with families about the importance of home language maintenance. Many parents mistakenly believe they should speak only English at home to support school success, when in fact, strong home language development creates a foundation for English acquisition.

“Research consistently shows that students who maintain and develop their home language while acquiring English perform better academically in the long term than those who lose their first language.”

– Dr. Jim Cummins, Bilingual Education Researcher

Supporting home language development acknowledges students’ linguistic resources as valuable assets rather than obstacles to overcome. This asset-based approach contributes to positive identity development and stronger academic outcomes.

Best Practice #9: Build Strong Family Partnerships

Building partnerships with ELL families is a best practice that recognizes parents and caregivers as essential collaborators in student success. This approach requires teachers to develop specific teacher skills related to cross-cultural communication and family engagement.

Effective strategies for building family partnerships include:

• Providing communication in families’ preferred languages
• Creating multiple opportunities for family involvement that accommodate various schedules
• Learning about families’ goals and expectations for their children
• Sharing specific strategies families can use to support learning at home
• Establishing regular two-way communication channels

When implementing this best practice, it’s important to recognize and address potential barriers to family involvement, including language differences, work schedules, transportation challenges, and previous negative experiences with educational institutions. Developing teacher skills for culturally responsive family engagement helps create more equitable partnerships.

Research consistently shows that strong family-school partnerships positively impact student achievement. For ELL students, these partnerships provide additional support for language development and help teachers better understand students’ backgrounds and needs.

Implementing Best Practices: Next Steps

Implementing these nine best practices for supporting ELL students requires ongoing commitment to developing specialized teacher skills and adapting instruction to meet diverse needs. Start by selecting one or two practices that align with your current teaching context and student needs, then gradually incorporate additional strategies as you build expertise.

Remember that effective implementation of best practices is not about perfection but about continuous improvement. Reflect regularly on your instructional approaches, seek feedback from colleagues and students, and remain open to refining your practice over time.

By intentionally incorporating these research-backed best practices into your daily instruction, you can create more equitable, engaging learning environments where English Language Learners thrive academically, linguistically, and socially.