English Learners Blog

Learning the Language

Education Week reporters covered English-language learners, bilingual education, and civil rights issues and explored the educational, policy, and social issues surrounding ELLs in U.S. schools. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: English language learners and bilingual education.

English Learners Ability to Learn Languages Stays Strong Until Late Teens, New Study Finds
Scientists have long posited that there is a "critical period" for language learning, but new research suggests that the time frame stretches on much longer than previously thought.
Corey Mitchell, May 1, 2018
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3 min read
Equity & Diversity Latest DACA Ruling Could Open the Door for Thousands of Immigrants in High School
Over the next five years, about 120,000 immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children would turn 15 and become eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Corey Mitchell, April 25, 2018
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3 min read
Law & Courts Trump Says DACA Is Dead. Research Shows It Raised Grad Rates for Immigrant Students
DACA had a "significant impact" on the educational outcomes of undocumented immigrant youth, including increases in high school graduation and school attendance rates, according to a recently released National Bureau of Economic Research working paper.
Corey Mitchell, April 2, 2018
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3 min read
English Learners Don't Underestimate, Shortchange ELLs With Disabilities, Researcher Argues
A researcher found that some educators though bilingualism was "too lofty a goal" for English-language learners with disabilities.
Corey Mitchell, March 30, 2018
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2 min read
English Learners How 5 Districts Unlock ELLs' Math Potential
Across the country, many English-learners don't have access to the same high-quality math courses that their native English-speaking peers do. These five California districts offer a road map to change.
Corey Mitchell, March 29, 2018
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2 min read
Equity & Diversity Report: To Help Young ELLs Thrive, Cultivate Home Languages and Cultures
Incorporating home languages in classroom rituals and routines and encouraging families to share their culture with the school community can help students in "superdiverse" settings feel more welcome, says a report from the Migration Policy Institute.
Corey Mitchell, March 22, 2018
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2 min read
English Learners ELL Education Group Unveils Six Principles for Teacher and Student Success
The principles were developed to help educators cultivate multilingualism, work to develop global citizens, and support students' home languages and cultural backgrounds to achieve those goals.
Corey Mitchell, March 21, 2018
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1 min read
Equity & Diversity Immigrant Students Are 'Being Rocked in Really Profound Ways'
Even with the support of schools, the pressure the students face is daunting, educators and experts say.
Corey Mitchell, March 12, 2018
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3 min read
Equity & Diversity Trump's Immigration Policies Hurting Academics and School Attendance, Survey Finds
A large majority of educators report having students who have experienced emotional or behavioral problems because they are concerned about immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, according to a new national survey from the Civil Rights Project at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Corey Mitchell, February 28, 2018
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2 min read
Equity & Diversity After Supreme Court Declines to Hear Trump's Appeal, DACA Is Still on the Books
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals will remain in effect for recipients after the March 5 deadline originally set by the White House, but the Obama-era program has already begun to unravel for some.
Corey Mitchell, February 26, 2018
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3 min read
Equity & Diversity Schools Are Ill-Prepared to Educate 'Superdiverse' English-Learners
The nation's dual-language-learner population has grown by about 24 percent since 2000, and those students represent a wider range of language and cultures than in the past.
Corey Mitchell, February 22, 2018
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2 min read
Education Nancy Pelosi Holds Court on House Floor for 8-Hour Defense of 'Dreamers'
The House Minority Leader delivered a marathon speech in defense of the nearly 700,000 young undocumented immigrants whose temporary protections under DACA were rescinded by President Donald Trump.
Lesli A. Maxwell, February 7, 2018
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1 min read
Federal A High School 'Dreamer' Will Attend Trump's State of the Union Speech
Dozens of young immigrants who are protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program -- also known as Dreamers -- will attend the State of the Union address on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
Rachel Wegner, January 29, 2018
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2 min read
Teacher Preparation The National Shortage of ELL Teachers Has Caught the Eye of Congress
Legislation proposed by congressional Democrats would create a grant program intended to help colleges of education and school districts partner on creating curricula for aspiring ELL teachers.
Corey Mitchell, January 25, 2018
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2 min read
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