ELL News Headlines

English learners accounted for 10.6 percent of all public school students in fall 2021, up from 9.4 percent in fall 2011. That’s according to federal data updated in May which tracks this student population’s growth over time and other statistics of note including English learners’ racial/ethnic identities, home languages, and English learners identified as students with disabilities.

To counteract the imbalance in information about Indigenous people, teachers can respectfully share resources that highlight important and deeply rooted knowledge.

Fourth and fifth grade teacher Rachael Mahmood wants to ensure all her students feel like they belong. That’s why she works hard to incorporate their identities, cultures, interests, and histories into her lesson plans and assignments.

By offering flexible spaces and creative activities that give students a chance to relax and connect, the library can become a haven for belonging—and the heart of a school.

In her middle grade debut, Aimee Lim introduces readers to 12-year-old Evie Mei Huang and her incredible discoveries about herself and her mother as she travails the Chinese netherworld to bring her home. SLJ spoke with the former library associate (and Jeopardy champion!) about fate, craft, and affirming childhood's complex emotions.

Shamima Ahmed is a senior at Central Park East High School and a 2023-24 Chalkbeat Student Voices fellow. In this commentary, she writes, "Through my participation in college readiness and career development programs, I learned about myself and was encouraged to speak up. I was shown how valuable my perspective as a Bengali woman from a low-income family — an intersectional identity that has shaped me — was to various conversations and situations. That validation encouraged my self-advocacy. Whether it was at school, during group projects, or in interviews, I have found a way to advocate for myself."

The Americans With Disabilities Act, which was signed into law in July of 1990, protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination. Every July, Disability Pride Month commemorates this legislation. As the world prepares for the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games, starting August 28th in Paris, here are a few nonfiction titles for young readers of all ages about the Games and some of the inspiring athletes who have competed.

Engaging with different cultures allows high school students to develop an empathetic and globally inclusive perspective.

In a recently published study in the journal npj Science of Learning, researchers have discovered a significant relationship between the way children tell stories and their reading abilities. This research found that children who displayed more complex narrative structures in their oral stories tended to perform better on reading tests several months later. This link appears to be independent of the child’s intelligence and understanding of others’ perspectives.

These strategies for using the annual competition for project-based learning can help engage students in US history and promote design thinking.