This project was made possible through the generous support of our founding partner, AFT.Overview
The Colorín Colorado ELL Strategy Library includes more than 35 research-based classroom strategies that can be incorporated and adapted for K-12 instruction. While the strategies were written with multilingual learners and ELLs in mind, they can be used to support academic language and content instruction for all students.
Professional Learning Resources
You are welcome to share the ELL Strategy Library and our related resources in professional learning settings! We recommend the following:
About the Strategies
You can search and filter the strategies by skill, proficiency level, skill, and targeted keywords. In addition, each strategy includes the following components:
- Strategy Overview: A quick introduction to the strategy and its purpose
- How This Strategy Supports Students’ Language Development: Additional information about how the strategy can support students' academic language development across different language domains (reading, writing, speaking, listening) and specific areas, such as vocabulary or background knowledge
- Step-by-Step Instructions: Instructions for using the strategy from start to finish, including tips on what to prepare beforehand and how to incorporate students' home languages within the strategy
- Differentiation: Ideas for differentiating strategies for different language proficiency levels (e.g., Entering/Emerging, Expanding, Developing)
- Lessons Learned: Tips to help maximize success based on educators' own experiences
- Co-Teaching Considerations: Ideas for how to collaborate around the strategy, including different roles for classroom teachers and ELL specialists
- Examples: Examples of what the strategies look like in practice, such as text, images, slides, videos, or related resources
- Recommended Resources: Additional information, research reports, or classroom materials related to the strategy
The strategies were developed by ELL experts Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh, and some of the strategies are featured in their book, Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals. Additional strategies, visuals, and resources were developed by Lydia Breiseth, Director of Colorín Colorado.
How to Use These Strategies
In order to get started, we recommend choosing just a single strategy to explore. You may wish to browse the collection or try filtering or searching first.
Example: Vocabulary Strategies
For example, let's say you'd like to find some strategies related to vocabulary. You can filter for "Vocabulary" under "Academic Language Feature" and see what might be a good fit for your lesson and goals for instruction. Some options include the following:
Introducing a new unit
Reviewing vocabulary
Content-Area Focus
If you teach in a content area or collaborate with content-area educators, there may also be some strategies that are particularly useful for building background knowledge, illustrating a process or concept, supporting students' writing in that discipline, teaching students how to interpret visuals or data, or expanding critical thinking skills. Talk with your colleagues about their content objectives and areas where students need more support so that you can identify appropriate strategies for their instruction.
Student Input
In addition, look for ways to engage students around strategies — not just by moving through the steps of the strategies, but giving them the tools to use these strategies independently and by asking them to pay attention to what supports their learning. You can learn a lot by asking students what is working (or not!).
For example, in their book, Ms. Skelton and Mr. Huynh share the following student response to the question, “What is your favorite class?” One student responded with the following:
Biology is my favorite class because I love learning about science. I want to study medicine after high school. The teacher gives step-by-step directions for every project so I know exactly how to complete it. She also labels pictures and explains the concepts clearly. (p. 49)
How to Share These Strategies
You are welcome to share these strategies in settings such as:
- Email or newsletters
- Printouts for distribution
- Resource collections, lists, and Padlets
- Co-teaching, collaboration, and coaching
- Printing the strategies to share with colleagues
For example, Areli Schermerhorn, an ELL/bilingual peer evaluator in Syracuse, NY, has begun using the strategies directly in her work with teachers. She writes,
One of the most important parts about my job as a peer observer is sharing meaningful feedback with teachers. The Colorín Colorado ELL Strategy Library has significantly facilitated this task. It has become a staple among the resources I recommend to teachers. Teachers appreciate ideas that are both straightforward and grounded in the best practices and research.
The ELL Strategy Library from Colorín Colorado not only provides clear, step-by-step guidance but also offers suggestions for adapting instruction to meet the needs of students at different language proficiency levels. This aspect is particularly transformative as it emphasizes the importance of crafting instruction that addresses the language development of our English learners. Additionally, I find the insights in the "Lessons Learned" and the considerations for co-teaching immensely valuable. With the inclusion of videos, images, diagrams, and detailed examples, teachers can confidently implement these strategies.
Answering Colleagues' Questions
Some colleagues may raise questions about whether or not it's "fair," appropriate, or helpful to learners to use scaffolds and ideas featured in the Strategy Library. The goal of the strategies is not to water down the content, but rather to increase students’ access to more rigorous content.
Ms. Skelton and Mr. Huynh have heard this question many times in their work. They write,
When we share these strategies to make assessments more equitable, some teachers express concern that they give experienced multilinguals an "unfair advantage"...In response, we share that even highly experienced and skilled mountain climbers use scaffolds such as ropes and harnesses. Their tools do not shrink the height of the mountain. They just make climbing the mountain possible. (p. 62)
One suggestion they offer is to share examples of student work produced with and without these kinds of strategies and scaffolds. You can also encourage educators to do their own research by trying a strategy and comparing how students did before and after. While it may take some trial and error, many educators become more open to these ideas (and even share them with others) once they see what is possible!
How I Use Scaffolds with My ELLs: Missy Testerman, 2024 National Teacher of the Year
Missy Testerman, 2024 National Teacher of the Year, explains how and why she uses scaffolds with her English language learners.
Planning a PD Session
We have found that educators are really excited to discover the ELL Strategy Library! To make this easier for our audience, we have a prepared materials for a professional development (PD) session you can use to introduce the ELL Strategy Library to your colleagues:
- ELL Strategy Library Overview: Slide Deck (below)
- How to Use the ELL Strategy Library: Tips for Planning a Session and Handouts
Here are some tips for using this slide deck:
- Please share attribution to Colorín Colorado.
- We recommend that you look through the slides first to get familiar with the content, activities, pacing and discussion guides.
- The core presentation will likely take about 30-45 minutes; there are bonus activities and extra discussion questions you can add as needed.
- You are welcome to adjust and add activities.
- Slide notes are included for your reference.
To edit this presentation, you can download or copy the slides:
- File > Download (no Google account required)
- File > Make a copy (Google account required)
Add new comment