ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview of research on best practices for teaching English Learners, focusing on specific applications for Latino English Learners (ELs) and highlighting the roles of native language and culturally relevant contexts for language and literacy development. Latino ELs from diverse cultural/linguistic backgrounds frequently start off on an uneven playing field in US schools in which diversity is viewed as a liability rather than an intellectual accomplishment and a national treasure. The effects of bilingualism extend to children’s linguistic and educational development. The native language facilitates the development of both the basic and advanced literacy. English Learners in US schools, however, frequently face additional barriers in K-12 school systems because of narrow linguistic policies that devalue students’ native language and background knowledge, in spite of substantial evidence that bilingual proficiency and biliteracy are positively related to academic achievement. The chapter concludes with an overview and examples of best practices for Latino ELs in US schools.
