ABSTRACT
English language learners (ELLs) represent the fastest-growing group at all levels of schooling in the United States. (We will use the term “English language learner” throughout the book, mostly because of its widespread use and acceptance, although the term “English learner” is increasingly being used.) The U.S. Census Bureau (2010a) reports that between the years of 1980 and 2007 the percentage of non-English language speakers in the United States increased by 140 percent. (Figure 1.1 shows the number of ELLs in the United States and Figure 1.2 shows the growth.) As a result, the number of ELLs in the nation's schools has more than doubled (National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition, 2006). In several states, including Texas, California, New Mexico, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, and New York, the percentage of ELLs within school districts ranges anywhere between 10 and 50 percent of the school population. In sum, there are over 10 million ELLs in U.S. schools today. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2010b), one out of five children aged 5 to 17 years old speaks a language other than English at home. Although many of these children and adolescents are heritage language learners (those exposed to a language other than English at home) and are proficient in English, many others are recent immigrants with barely a working knowledge of the language, let alone a command of academic English. Meeting their needs can be particularly challenging for all teachers given the often text-dependent nature of content areas. The language of the curriculum is often abstract and includes complex concepts requiring critical reading and thinking skills. Additionally, many ELLs do not have a working knowledge of American culture that is necessary for understanding key social studies concepts or that can serve as a schema for new learning.
