ABSTRACT
English language learners (ELLs) need an abundance of opportunities for interaction. They need to interact with the course content, with other students, and with their teachers. They need to interact orally and in writing. When they are first beginning to learn the language, they need to convey their ideas visually—with graphics and gestures. As they begin to produce language out loud, they need ample opportunities to convey their thoughts in short responses. As they move into an intermediate stage of language development and indicate an ability to produce language in a full sentence, they need plentiful opportunities to express their thoughts extensively and frequently. And at each stage of language development, they need ample opportunities to express their thoughts on paper as well as orally.
