This study investigates trajectories of L2 development in writing in two genres over multiple time points in a semester-long ESL writing program. Conceptually replicating previous studies on genre and development, we analyzed 270 argumentative and narrative essays written by 45 ESL students to find developmental and genre differences, using…

Reading in English is an essential skill that emergent bilingual students in the United States (U.S.) must master to be successful in school and to fully take advantage of the affordances reading in English offers. The current meta-analysis examined the extent to which reading instruction improved English reading outcomes for preschool to grade 12…

Collaboration between English as a Second Language (ESL) and content teachers to support multilingual students designated as English Learners is a growing but complex phenomenon in U.S. schools, and one that has continued to evolve during the pandemic and related disruptions to schooling. We draw upon ecological perspectives on language learning…

Providing equitable education for emergent bilinguals (EBs) is an educational goal in the U.S. However, literature has reported that English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers feel marginalized, a reflection of the marginalized status of EBs in the K-12 public school settings. Using a multi-method approach, this case study explored to what extent…

Language diversity in the United States has been rapidly increasing in the last three decades (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). Children who are under 8 years of age and have at least one parent who speaks a language other than English at home comprise 32% of the nation's young child population (Park et al., 2017), increasing the need for practitioners,…

At the core of contemporary U.S. language education policy is the dichotomous dividing of bilingual students into English Learners (ELs) who are entitled to extra support and non-ELs who are not entitled to this support. In this article, we genealogically trace the normative assumptions that go into this framing of the issue. We begin by examining…

This study examined the intrinsic, extrinsic, and self-regulatory motives for writing and writing achievement of three groups of third- to fifth-grade students in an urban school district: (a) 189 emergent bilingual students receiving services for English language development (ELD); (b) 374 reclassified bilingual students who had exited ELD…

Schools are encountering a unique problem regarding how to best accommodate the increasing number of active bilingual learners/users of English (ABLE) students on state achievement tests. Previously, states used disability focused rather than language responsive accommodations for these students. The current study employed double-coding procedures…

This 2-year exploratory study of Multilingual Learner's performance on literacy assessments is grounded in Culturally Responsive Teaching. By examining the protocols for universal screeners and progress monitoring at one midwestern elementary school, teachers and researchers learned more about language vs. literacy-related results and discovered…

Assessment can provide information about student learning and the effectiveness of classroom strategies, but what are the special considerations when used with English learners? To better understand the research about how schools and systems can support multilingual learners through assessment, Elizabeth Foster spoke with Margo Gottlieb, an expert…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore intrinsic and extrinsic motivations that led 28 teachers of emergent bilingual (EB) students to seek a master's in educational administration with a focus on bilingual/English as a second language (ESL). Design/methodology/approach: To address the study objectives, the authors used a qualitative…

Dual language learners are a steadily growing student population in several countries, including the United States -- and especially in early childhood. Consequently, any efforts to develop strong early childhood programming must include practices which support multiple areas of DLLs' development. From a domain-specific lens, I synthesize the…

At the core of contemporary U.S. language education policy is the dichotomous dividing of bilingual students into English learners, who are entitled to extra support, and non-English learners, who are not entitled to this support. In this article, we genealogically trace the normative assumptions that have gone into this framing of the issue. We…

Amidst the growing diverse student population, community colleges are enrolling an increasing number of adult immigrant-background students. However, recent research trends tend to focus on students who enter community colleges from the U.S. K-12 system (Generation 1.5 learners), leaving a significant gap in the research and a lack of cohesion in…

Until recently, second language writers were typically separated from their peers in mainstream composition courses. However, as the field considers the possibility of integrating second language writers into mainstream composition classrooms, important questions arise. For instance, how are teachers of First Year Composition (FYC) prepared for…