ABSTRACT
Th e increase in the number of students who speak a native language other than English in U.S. schools has been dramatic and is expected to remain so. Spanish-speaking children in grades K-12 constitute the largest subgroup within this growing segment of the school population. Educators serving these children must keep in mind that English learners (ELs) are a diverse group, with varying educational experiences, primary language skills, and levels of English profi ciency. Th e No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation requires schools to identify and serve both ELs and immigrant students and makes them strictly accountable for ensuring that these children make rapid progress in learning English while monitoring concomitant advances in their reading, math, and science skills. At the same time, there is much ambiguity about how schools can best help students to bridge the gap between languages and cultures, with all that entails. Th is chapter will present an overview of research on best practices for teaching English learners, focusing on specifi c applications for Latino ELs and highlighting the roles of native language and culturally relevant contexts for language and literacy development. Th e chapter concludes with an overview and examples of best practices for Latino ELs in U.S. schools.
