ELL News Headlines

In a school district comprised of almost 30 percent Latinx students, Poughkeepsie City School District offers no bilingual education program to support its Spanish-speaking students, a violation of state regulations.

A bipartisan group led by two former governors is urging President Biden to help an estimated 167,000 children who have lost parents or caregivers.

Elected school board members make decisions that impact every aspect of a student’s education. Though Latino students make up a quarter of America’s student body, most school boards have no Latino representation.

Decatur students in the bilingual/ESL/dual-language program juggle English and Spanish in and out of the classroom. While the languages carry many similarities, one sound that transcends language is the ding of a bell at spelling bees. Next week 61 elementary students will compete to see who can avoid the ding the longest at a districtwide bilingual spelling bee Dec. 16 at Rann Elementary.

Fontana Unified School District will offer Spanish dual-language immersion (DLI) instruction at Sequoia Middle School in 2022-23, providing a continuum of learning that fosters bilingualism, biliteracy and sociocultural competency while preparing students for success in college and career.

When it comes to early childhood education, child’s play may well be serious business. Fun and games bring more than just joy. They may be the key to helping children thrive in tough times, experts say. Since young children don’t often have an opportunity to exercise choice and control, free play can be a liberating experience, nurturing independence and relieving stress. A growing body of research is making the case for play as a way to boost the well-being of young children as the pandemic drags on and concerns over learning loss and mental health issues escalate.

Those who study and write about children's books will mark 2021 as a significant year because it is the year that Heartdrum (an imprint of HarperCollins) released several books written and illustrated by Native people.

A local independent publishing house has released a new collection of bilingual learn-to-read books geared toward Pacific Islander native speakers in an attempt to build literacy among kids and promote multilingualism in the islands.

A large increase in the number of students with a first language other than English in Clinton, CT is prompting the local school district to look at options for an in-district bilingual education program.

The New York Public Library has a new teen center at one of its midtown Manhattan branches. It offers fun and educational activities, programs, and events to help young adults learn, grow, and thrive as they continue out of the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.