ABSTRACT
When we speak of English learners in America's schools, it is important that we are all discussing the same group of students, and terminology is important. Many use the term language minority students; however, this term is viewed as derogatory because it promotes a deficit view of children who are in the process of learning English. This term is also a broad term that encompasses many different types of students. Some students are defined by the U.S. Census as children from immigrant families, indicating that they have at least one foreign-born parent. Children from immigrant families are not synonymous with children denoted limited English proficient or English learners (ELLs) or English language learners (ELLs). Again, the first of these takes a deficit view. For the purposes of this book, we will discuss ELLs as referring to students who have yet to acquire the English language skills necessary to benefit fully from instruction delivered solely in English with no supports for language acquisition (Garcia et al., 2009).
