School-wide Support for ELLs

a group of young adults standing in a line with their arms around each other

Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes an entire school community to help English language learners (ELLs) succeed. These resource sections offer guidance on the necessary elements and feature a number of related videos, guides, and tip sheets.  Additional ideas are available in our By Audience section.

Educational Services for Immigrant Children: What Schools Need to Know

For an overview of educational services for immigrant children, including FAQs, enrollment guidelines, and related policies, see this fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Education (also available in Spanish).

For additional guidance on the laws and regulations relating to ELLs, see our Policy & Research section.

What You'll Find in This Section

Student using mood meter

The following resources highlight many different aspects of social and emotional learning (SEL) and supports for English language learners (ELLs) and immigrant students. This section also includes articles and video projects that highlight how schools around the country are supporting SEL in diverse communities.

boy reading

For English language learners (ELLs), the challenges of going to and applying to college can be overwhelming. ELL teachers can play an important role, however, by helping students prepare for and navigate the application process. This section features a number of articles with great ideas for ways that ELL educators can support their students as they consider their future plans.

Girl studying in room

How can schools best support English language learners (ELLs) and immigrant students through the COVID-19 pandemic? What lessons have we learned so far? This section includes information on distance learning for ELLs, communicating and partnering with families, and social-emotional supports for ELLs and immigrant students.

four adults sitting around a table covered in books and looking at a laptop

Choosing the right program for your English language learners (ELLs) will depend on a number of factors that vary by school, district, and state, such as the number of ELLs you have and their educational background. Here are some resources to help you get started, and we encourage you to look at other program models and resources as you evaluate or choose your instructional programs.

backpacks

During the school year, there are a number of events that help build the foundation for partnerships with families of English language learners (ELLs).  Take a look at these ideas for engaging families throughout the year, with special tips about reaching out to families in their home languages.

woman working with boy using flash cards on a table

Meeting the diverse needs of English language learners can be challenging for schools, particularly with limited resources, but across the country, educators are finding creative and affordable ways to address those needs through innovative scheduling, partnerships, and outreach.  Take a look at some of the ideas and resources highlighted in our resource section!

A woman and two children are smiling at the camera

The first step in building a partnership with the families of English language learners (ELLs) is to make sure that they feel welcome at their child's school.  This resource section includes ideas that all members of the school community can try!

ELL Family Outreach

A smiling man standing in front of a school building

Administrators play a crucial role in creating an environment in which ELLs can succeed. This section offers school leaders — particularly those with growing ELL populations — ideas and strategies to make that happen. Resources include articles, recommended reports, professional books, and expert interviews.

We encourage you to share these resources with colleagues and use them for professional development activities.

Administrators: ELL Resources

two adults helping two students with their work

Paraprofessionals who work alongside ELLs may do so in a variety of settings with a variety of roles. Whatever the case may be, there are some tips that will help paraprofessionals succeed in supporting ELLs.

Paraprofessionals

Resource Library

In this section, you will find a number of recommended professional titles for educators of English language learners (ELLs) organized by topics such as reading and content instruction, support for special populations, strategies targeted to specific ages, and ideas for building partnerships with families and community organizations.
Colorín Colorado's rich library of video content includes classroom videos from schools around the country, professional development webcasts, and interviews with educators, administrators, researchers, and authors of children's and young adult literature.
Colorín Colorado is pleased to offer free print guides created for parents, teachers, and anyone who wants to improve the reading achievement of children. You're welcome to download and print these guides for your own use or to distribute to others.
Here you will find the latest reports and research-based recommendations on reaching, teaching, and assessing ELLs. This section may be especially useful for researchers, graduate students, policymakers, curriculum developers, and school administrators.