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National High School Center Product Guide

Publication Title:

Educating English Language Learners at the High School Level: A Coherent Approach to District- and School-Level Support

Publication
Author(s):

National High School Center
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Alignment with ARRA:

ARRA areas aligning with this product:

  • Standards/Assessment
  • Turnaround Schools

In addition to the four major priorities of ARRA, another competitive focus spanning all ARRA education initiatives is meeting the unique needs of English language learners (ELLs). This brief discusses specific strategies for educating ELLs at the high school level.

For more details, please view the ARRA resources on our ARRA Web page.

Publication Key Points:

Based on a five-year evaluation study on the learning environment for English language learners (ELLs) in California, this issue brief describes strategies and recommendations for state- and district-level educators and policymakers striving to better meet the needs of ELLs. The brief offers four critical building blocks that should be in place: implementing a well-defined, rigorously structured plan of instruction; ensuring that teachers are skilled in addressing the needs of ELLs; systematically using data to assess teaching and learning; and regularly adjusting instructional planning on the basis of student performance.

Publication Key Challenges:

As ELLs comprise a growing portion of the school-aged population in the United States, it has become increasingly important for states to provide the appropriate guidance and support to districts so that these students graduate and are successful after high school. This issue brief can guide states in developing a coherent policy to promote academic achievement and postsecondary pathways for ELLs.

How Audience(s) Can Use This Product to Address Challenges:

This resource provides states and districts with strategies for ensuring academic success for ELLs in high school. Some suggested uses for this product are:

  • Distribute to state and district Offices of English Language Acquisition;
  • Share with local chapters of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL);
  • Use to inform the development of state and district literacy plans; and
  • Link in e-blast to districts from the state, etc.

Production Citation:

National High School Center. (2009, April). Educating ELLs at the high school level: A coherent approach to district- and school-level support. Washington, DC: National High School Center at the American Institutes for Research.

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