Who are ELLs and what does the law require?

English-language learners (ELLs) are becoming increasingly more prevalent within many school districts across the country. With this rise in prevalence of ELLs comes the need to tailor education and teaching methods around these students to ensure that all students have equal opportunities for academic success. Although many may assume that ELLs are immigrants from other countries, surveys have shown that roughly eighty percent of ELLs are actually native to the United States. ELLs amount for roughly six percent of the student population within the United States. This amounts for 3.4 million students. This number proves the importance and urgency to begin altering teaching styles to aid ELL students.

Many of the traditional practices used, such as seclusion with one teacher to begin learning basic English, have been found to be ineffective. Thus, in recent years many studies have been conducted with the intent of pinpointing the best teaching methods to aid ELL students in the classroom. What was found to be most effective teaching method is to utilize the use of their native language. Creating this bilingual environment have proven to get students proficient in English more quickly. Language proficiency is often reached in roughly three to five years, though some students may take up to seven or eight years to become proficient. Due in part to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ELLs have become a civil rights issue. In 2015, the Education Department released plans, tools, and instructions for districts on how to effectively teach ELLs. ELLs are dealt with most at the local level, however, but support from the federal government proves that ELLs are becoming a relevant debate as to how to effectively teach these students.