I arrived at Newark International Airport from India with my family on July 12, 1995, fresh out of high school. Over the next decade, I discovered why the United States is called "the land of opportunity" and became a teacher of English language learners. While my own experience was very different than that of my students (English is my first language and I didn't attend K–12 schools here), I understand with the process of navigating through a new education system and adjusting to life in a new country. I know how vital it is to have people in your corner as you do so. It is imperative that the education community understands and adequately addresses newcomer ELL students' struggles to ensure their success.
An estimated one in every 10 public school students is learning to speak English, and that number continues to grow (NPR). Research has shown that ELLs face many challenges on their trajectory to college or careers. Diverse learning styles, different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, parental involvement, and unconscious biases based on race or gender make it challenging to establish equity for ELLs (Safir & Fullan, 2017). They often carry psychological baggage, especially if they are leaving a home country under difficult circumstances. Many content-area teachers are not equipped with the necessary skills to meet ELLs' academic needs or communicate in culturally sensitive ways.
After more than 12 years in the classroom, I have several strategies I use for teaching this multifaceted group of students.
Create a Welcoming Environment for Students
Entering a friendly atmosphere lets students know that they are "an integral part of the community" (Houk, 2005). This is especially important for immigrant students, who may be intimidated by the formal environment and the English language often needed to participate. ELLs and their families should see themselves throughout a school: on the walls through student work and photos, in the classroom through books and lessons that incorporate their experiences and traditions, and in the faces of educators who come from similar backgrounds.
Post signs in multiple languages. Display the flags of your students' native countries or put a large map in the front lobby where families can mark their native countries. Enlist a bilingual morning greeter to welcome students and families. Create a parent room (such as a lounge or classroom or an area in the library) with bilingual information and magazine subscriptions.
Support ELLs in the Classroom
Older ELLs often have a lot of responsibilities in their family, including working, taking care of siblings, and translating for their parents. What looks like laziness, irresponsibility, or absenteeism may in fact be the result of too much work at home.
Two years ago, one of my students was chronically late or absent, falling behind in grades, and exhibiting aggressive behavior. One day, when he was serving detention yet again, he told me he worked six-hour shifts after school every day to help his single mother. He was too tired to complete assignments or study after work and often skipped breakfast to make it to first period on time. He felt misunderstood and unsuccessful.
With this knowledge, I created an alternative plan for him. I had snacks ready in the morning when he walked into my classroom, chunked assignments and helped him create a timetable to submit work, used alternative informal assessments, and listened when he said, "I need more time." This mutual trust not only changed our relationship for the better, it gave us a shared sense of purpose. Now, I always ask my students about their hobbies, dreams, challenges, fears, families, and schedules, with a desire to understand and make changes based on the information.
Make Your Classroom Multicultural
When we begin at a point of "knowing" for students, they understand new material better. Last year, my class read an excerpt from the book Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought for Her American Dream by Julia Arce. Afterwards, some of my students shared moving personal stories about their own immigrant experiences and said the text made them feel seen and heard.
I used the story's plot elements to incorporate multidisciplinary lessons on geography, philosophy, art, and history to help them build connections to other content-area classes. As a result, the quality of their responses in classroom discussions (informal/formative assessment) and in writing (summative assessment) demonstrated higher-order critical thinking skills and a degree of maturity on par with their native English-speaking peers.
The research is also clear that strong language skills in ELLs' native language and in English contribute to academic success. Include books and content learning resources in students' native languages in the school and classroom libraries. Provide training to all staff on why maintaining students' native language is important and how to support students' bilingual development. I recommend the U.S. Department of Education's global and cultural competencies framework, toolkits from the department's Office of English Language Acquisition, and resources from Colorín Colorado.
Make Personal Connections with Families
Getting to know ELL families—through personal and face-to-face communication—builds an important relationship based on trust, which in turn can pave the way to student success. Many immigrant families come to the United States with hopes of offering their children a better future, and they are eager to talk with their children's teachers about what they can do to help their child be successful.
However, we noticed that some of our ELL parents are hesitant to ask questions at back-to-school nights due to language or cultural barriers. So, our district's ESL Parent Advisory Committee at the time decided to host four family engagement nights each year to address emergent bilingual questions and concerns. We have volunteer translators and administrators present to provide more school policy insight. Our parents share experiences and give insight into which services to provide for future parents who are new to the U.S. school system. What parents want may require some flexibility and cross-cultural understanding, but once you begin to hear their ideas, you will realize that the learning curve is worth it (Houk, 2005).
Ask parents what their concerns, priorities, and hopes are regarding their child, what kinds of events they would be interested in attending, what obstacles would discourage them from participating, and changes that would help. Connect new families with a contact person who speaks their language as soon as they enroll. Whenever possible, offer parents the opportunity to attend workshops in their native language about complex topics such as the U.S. school system and information on how to track their child's academic progress, on gifted programs, and on special education services.
There is no one-size-fits-all education for ELLs. As educators, we must constantly rebalance our scales to reflect the changing ecologies of our classrooms. I want my students' path to their American dream to be one that we, as a nation of immigrants, can applaud.
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