Peer collaboration benefits second language (L2) learning and is a cornerstone of effective classroom instruction. It is, therefore, essential for teachers to consider how tasks work to promote peer collaboration and thus maximize learning. These considerations concern the task type, a task's inherent characteristics, and possible ways of task…

This Fact Sheet highlights English learner students in secondary schools who are career and technical education participants (received at least one CTE credit in that year) and concentrators (received three credits within a career cluster during high school).

According to recent findings from the National Center for Education Statistics (2020), there are more than 5 million English learners (ELs) in the public school system, thus accounting for over 10% of all students in the country. This number varies from 14.7% in cities to 4.1% in rural areas. Overall, the prevalence of ELs across grades K-12…

This article positions the core-selective evaluation process (C-SEP), a pattern of strengths and weaknesses (PSW) model of identifying specific learning disabilities (SLD), within guidelines and best practices recommended for assessing English learners. C-SEP is a broad approach that utilizes multiple sources of data to establish underachievement,…

Five facts about standardized tests should cause educators to rethink their use in decision-making. Standardized tests used for state and federal accountability purposes in PreK--12 public education are not diagnostic. The test results are impacted by family income and student background knowledge. The composition of the tests disadvantage…

Design and content of classroom activities are crucial to foreign/second (L2) language learners' motivation, be they children or adults. Lifeworld relevance and learner autonomy are two important aspects in building motivational L2 curricula for adults (e.g.), but such considerations rarely filter through to primary school learners due to…

This reflection looks at pedagogic strategies employed in General Chemistry classes for English Language learners (ELLs) in a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The approaches included the use of small group systems thinking (ST) activities and a variety of formative assessments geared toward maintaining and enhancing students' language…

Eliciting student thinking during mathematics instruction allows teachers to choose tasks with high cognitive demand while also engaging students to use productive struggle to solve mathematical problems, thus increasing their conceptual understanding. Often, students who require intensive intervention in mathematics, in particular, students who…

During traditional, in-person writing instruction, teachers can quickly model tasks for students, students have clear directions for following lesson sequences step-by-step, and partner or group collaboration can begin by simply asking students to turn to whomever is sitting next to them. Online instruction poses challenges to these typical…

In this article the author explores ways in which affinity spaces (Gee, 2004) can be adapted for English language instruction. Affinity spaces attract participants who enthusiastically share their passions, such as popular culture, video games, or literature. Researchers have found that affinity spaces contribute to improvements in reading…

The COVID-19 pandemic and transition to online learning brings new challenges in meeting the unique social and emotional needs of young adolescents. Furthermore, the pandemic has exposed and exacerbated deep inequities in our society. The crisis highlights the growing racial and economic disparities that occur when students do not have the online…

The School Survey Dashboard provides insights into learning opportunities offered by schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey collected data five times, once a month from January through May of 2021 and will contribute to the Institute of Education Sciences' response to the Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing…

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) offers two main ESL programs for students whose native language is not English and who need to develop and enhance their English language skills (emergent bilinguals or EBs). The Content-Based ESL model (CB-ESL) consists of an intensive program of English instruction in all subject areas with…

The purpose of this article is to present a brief synopsis of major theoretical orientations of second language acquisition (SLA) processes and offer practical implications for middle school teachers who work with English language learners (ELLs). ELLs' academic needs in middle school settings are particularly unique. Compared to younger children,…

The book New Trends in Gifted Education is a comprehensive guide aimed at supporting PhD students, educators, and researchers in understanding the evolving field of gifted education within TESOL/TEFL contexts. Compiled by Dr. Mahmoud M. S. Abdallah, the book explores both established and emerging trends, focusing on practical applications that…