Dispelling Misconceptions About English Language Learners: Research-Based Ways to Improve Instruction

Barbara Gottschalk

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Nearly three-quarters of public schools in the United States enroll English language learners (ELLs). That means teachers at all grade levels need to know how to help these students achieve full academic English language proficiency.

In Dispelling Misconceptions About English Language Learners, Barbara Gottschalk dispels 10 common misconceptions about ELLs and gives teachers the information they need to help their ELLs succeed in the classroom.

From her perspective as a teacher of English as a second language, Gottschalk answers several key questions:

• Just who is an English language learner?
• Why is it important to support home language maintenance and promote family engagement?
• What are the foundational principles for instruction that help educators teach ELLs across the content areas?
• How can teachers recognize and incorporate the background knowledge and experiences ELLs bring to class?
• Why is it important to maintain high standards and expectations for all students, including ELLs?
• How can a teacher tell when an ELL needs special education versus special teaching?

By answering these questions, and more, Gottschalk gives teachers a crystal-clear understanding of how to reach ELLs at each stage of English language acquisition. Her expert guidance reinforces for teachers what they are already doing right and helps them understand what they might need to be doing differently.

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