ELL News Headlines

The numbers of English-language learners in schools continue to rise. How can we best support them? Here are quick recommendations from educators on X and Facebook.

It’s easy to understand why an English-language learner would choose to constantly use Google Translate in their writing. And, as every teacher of ELLs knows, overuse of Google Translate (and similar tools) can be hindrances to language acquisition. Today’s post will explore various strategies educators use in the classroom to try to strike a balance.

Why do so many young children struggle with word problems in math? Researchers believe one reason is that students often learn to interpret word problems by focusing on key words such as “and” or “total.” Relying too much on key words can lead students astray, particularly because word problems get more complex as students go through school.

Few older immigrant students in New York City know where to begin the school enrollment process. Those who do manage to make their way to schools or enrollment centers often wind up with referrals to schools that are ill-equipped to serve them or have no more room, advocates said. Others are directed to classes outside of traditional high schools that prepare students to take the General Educational Development test, or GED, a high school equivalency exam. In response, some groups are trying to ensure these students aren’t ignored or shunted away from what they want.

Providing materials such as milk crates, tires, and pieces of wood amplifies student curiosity and imaginative play at recess.

Researchers are starting to document how AI bias manifests in unexpected ways. Inside the research and development arm of the giant testing organization ETS, which administers the SAT, a pair of investigators pitted man against machine in evaluating more than 13,000 essays written by students in grades 8 to 12. They discovered that the AI model that powers ChatGPT penalized Asian American students more than other races and ethnicities in grading the essays. This was purely a research exercise and these essays and machine scores weren’t used in any of ETS’s assessments. But the organization shared its analysis with me to warn schools and teachers about the potential for racial bias when using ChatGPT or other AI apps in the classroom.

English learners accounted for 10.6 percent of all public school students in fall 2021, up from 9.4 percent in fall 2011. That’s according to federal data updated in May which tracks this student population’s growth over time and other statistics of note including English learners’ racial/ethnic identities, home languages, and English learners identified as students with disabilities.

To counteract the imbalance in information about Indigenous people, teachers can respectfully share resources that highlight important and deeply rooted knowledge.

Fourth and fifth grade teacher Rachael Mahmood wants to ensure all her students feel like they belong. That’s why she works hard to incorporate their identities, cultures, interests, and histories into her lesson plans and assignments.

By offering flexible spaces and creative activities that give students a chance to relax and connect, the library can become a haven for belonging—and the heart of a school.