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A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners
  • ELL Basics
    • Supporting ELLs Through COVID-19
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  1. Home ›
  2. School Support ›
  3. Special Education and ELLs ›
  4. Special Education and ELLs: Identifying Student Needs ›
  5. The Importance of Student Background ›
  6. Articles: The Importance of Student Background
  • A Hidden Language: Supporting Students Who Speak Mixtec
  • Addressing ELLs’ Language Learning and Special Education Needs: Questions and Considerations
  • Consider Culture Before Referral of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students for Special Education Services
  • Finding My Way Books: Celebrating Children with Open Hearts
  • Getting to Know Your ELLs: Six Steps for Success
  • IDEA and English Language Learners

Colorín Colorado is a national multimedia project that offers a wealth of bilingual, research-based information, activities, and advice for educators and families of English language learners (ELLs). Colorín Colorado is an educational service of WETA, the flagship public broadcasting station in the nation's capital, and receives major funding from our founding partner, the AFT, and the National Education Association. © Copyright 2023 WETA Public Broadcasting.

Artwork by Caldecott Award-winning illustrator David Diaz and Pura Belpr­é Award-winning illustrator Rafael López is used with permission. Homepage illustrations ©2009 by Rafael López originally appeared in "Book Fiesta" by Pat Mora and used with permission from HarperCollins.

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  • ELL Basics
    • Supporting ELLs Through COVID-19
    • New to Teaching ELLs?
    • ELL Glossary
    • Special Populations
    • Resources by Grade
    • ELL Resources by State
    • ELL Policy & Research
    • ELL News Headlines
    • Serving and Supporting Immigrant Students
    • Special Education and ELLs
  • School Support
    • Social and Emotional Support for ELLs
    • ELL School Enrollment
    • Bilingual & Dual-Language Education: Overview
    • COVID-19 & ELLs
    • College Readiness for ELLs
    • ELL Program Planning
    • Events During the School Year
    • Assessment
    • Programs for Success
    • Special Education and ELLs
    • School Libraries
    • ELL Family Outreach
    • For Administrators
    • For Paraprofessionals
  • Teaching ELLs
    • New to Teaching ELLs?
    • Supporting Newcomer Students: Resource Gallery
    • Creating a Welcoming Classroom
    • ELL Classroom Strategy Library
    • ELL Strategies & Best Practices
    • Language & Vocabulary Instruction
    • Literacy Instruction
    • Content Instruction for ELLs
    • Common Core
    • Special Education and ELLs
    • Technology & ELLs
    • The Role of ESL Teachers
    • Special Populations
    • Navigating Tough Topics in the Classroom: Tips for ELL Educators
  • For Families
    • Help Your Child Learn to Read
    • Learning Together at Home
    • The Preschool Years
    • Schools and Families: An Important Partnership
    • School Success
    • Raising Bilingual Kids
    • Technology at Home
    • Resources for Parents of Teens
    • Visiting the Public Library
    • When Your Children Need Extra Help
  • Books & Authors
    • Colorín Colorado Book Finder
    • Books for Young Children
    • Books for Kids
    • Books for Young Adults
    • Books for Professionals
    • Diverse Books: Resource Guide
    • Pura Belpré: Her Life and Legacy
    • Literacy Calendar
    • Meet the Authors
  • Videos
    • Classroom Videos
    • Advice for New Teachers of ELLs
    • Webcasts
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Experts
    • Meet the Administrator
    • Facebook Live Series
    • PBS Show: Becoming Bilingual
    • Being Bilingual Is a Superpower!
    • Family Literacy: Multilingual Video Series
    • Supporting ELLs During COVID-19: Educator Voices
  • Audience
    • Teachers
    • Administrators
    • Paraprofessionals
    • Librarians
    • Parents & Families
  • Resource Library
    • ELL Classroom Strategy Library
    • ELL Resource Collections
    • Guides & Toolkits
    • Multilingual Tips for Families
    • Reading Tips for Parents (Multilingual)
    • Reading Tips for Educators
    • Topics A to Z
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Research & Reports
    • Web Resources
    • ELL Resources by State
    • Colorín Colorado Blog
    • Natural Disaster Resources for Schools
    • Responding to a Crisis
  • News Headlines
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