Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What do all the letters mean?

• EL = English Learner -- The state's label *for students* who are not fully proficient in English

• ESL = English as a Second Language -- old label for the program that serves ELs; now being replaced by ML

• ML = Multi-lingual Learner -- The state's new the name for *the program* that serves ELs

• ESOL = English for Speakers of Other Languages -- another label used in other states

• ELD = English Language Development -- name of the ESL/EL/ML curriculum

• SIOP = Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol – An instructional framework that helps ELs understand content instruction. See brief description of SIOP on the Center for Applied Linguistic's website.

• WIDA = World-class Instructional Design and Assessment – A consortium of 40 states and territories that sets standards and makes assessments for English proficiency. See this page for more information.

• BICS = Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, a.k.a. “social language”

• CALP = Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, a.k.a. “academic language”

How long does it take to learn English?

According to Dr. Virginia Collier, a well-respected researcher of English language acquisition, it usually takes ELs about 2 years to learn social language (BICS), but it takes 5 to 8 years to master academic language skills (CALP). Students need CALP, not just BICS, for academic success.

What can teachers expect ELs to be able to do in their classes?

Consult the WIDA “Can-Do” Descriptors for what tasks ELs are able to do at each level of English proficiency.

Why do some ELs learn English faster than others?

Students who have strong native language skills transfer those skills to English. Students who had little formal education in their home country may not have had an opportunity to learn the kind of language used in an academic setting (that is, native language CALP), and therefore find academic tasks like reading and writing difficult in any language. Also, a student’s native language is a big factor in how easy or hard it is to learn English. Students whose first language is Indo-European usually learn English more quickly because their language has some grammatical structures and vocabulary roots in common with English. Finally, some individuals simply have more talent for learning languages.

Why are some students who speak English perfectly still in the EL program?

Some students who “sound American” are still catching up with reading and writing skills in English. Listening and speaking skills (BICS) develop fairly quickly, and students who started learning English at a younger age are able to speak it without a "foreign" accent. However, reading and writing skills develop much more slowly. The process of developing literacy skills in English is even slower when students don’t have strong literacy skills in their native language, which is often the case with U.S.-born ELs and those who came to the U.S. as young children and so haven't had literacy instruction in their native language.

When do ELs leave the EL program?

Students stay in the EL program until they’re no longer identified as an EL by the state – that is, until they demonstrate proficiency in all 4 language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) on the English language proficiency assessment that we do every year.

Should ELs stop using their native language at home and use English only?

No! Research shows that using the native language at home does not slow down the process of learning a new language. As matter of fact, the opposite is true: Developing strong skills in the native language – such as a rich vocabulary, understanding the grammar, and speaking, reading and writing well – will help a person learn a new language more quickly. This is called the “transfer of language skills.”

In addition, using the home language is important for family unity. In the case of younger children, if they stop using their family’s native language, it causes enormous problems later when they enter adolescence. Communication between parents and teenagers is difficult enough without a language barrier; when they literally don’t speak the same language, it becomes impossible. The result is that the teens become alienated from the family and suffer from a lack of parental guidance. Older siblings can help their younger siblings avoid these problems by always using the home language with them (except when helping with homework), even if the younger ones prefer to use English all the time.