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We must also be mindful of tokenizing students 

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We must also be mindful of tokenizing students 

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There are pros and cons of pairing a newcomer ELL student with a buddy who speaks the same language. This may prove to be helpful with making the newcomer feel comfortable and removing a barrier to communication. However, we cannot assume that just because two students speak the same L1, that they have all that much in common. There are many parts of the world where individuals that speak the same language view each other as enemies. We should also consider whether the buddy student feels comfortable embodying the role of interpreter and what their own relationship and identity might be to their culture and language. Some students may feel singled out for being different than the majority of their classmates.

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Teachers have a voice; Teachers make change.

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Teachers have a voice; Teachers make change.

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Standardized tests do not need to be the end all, be all.

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Standardized tests do not need to be the end all, be all.

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While high-stakes tests are a reality, it is teachers who know their ELL students' progress and capabilities better than anyone else. Teachers can advocate for their students by using data from multiple alternative assessments to share with administrators, parents, and the public. ELLs' experience and success cannot be summed up or wholly evaluated based solely on a test score.

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Although it may seem like an uphill battle and going against the grain, teachers have a voice outside the classroom. Within the parameters of what is permissible, teachers can speak up, organize, talk to the administration and school board if there are policies meant to aid ELLs that are not being implemented or harmful policies at play.

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Cognate word study (esp. in Spanish) can be very beneficial to ELLs 

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Cognate word study (esp. in Spanish) can be very beneficial to ELLs 

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I have seen this fail first hand. In college, I volunteered at the local high school and would assist in the ESL classroom and in ELLs' mainstream content classes. One day, I was in a sophomore biology class and paired with a Central American student who had been in the U.S. for just a few months. The class was reviewing practice questions for the Regents exam. The teacher handed the student a version of the practice questions that were translated into Spanish and another version in English. Even though there was a translation, the vocabulary was scientific and technical. The teacher was lecturing in English about mitosis and my student could not understand her. Desperate to find a way to help, I scrambled to explain to the student what she was saying. It was completely overwhelming for both me and the student, as the teachers' instruction outpaced my attempts to explain biology topics in Spanish, which I did rather poorly. I felt helpless; imagine how he felt. This was one of the first times I really appreciated the challenges that ELLs and those teaching ELLs have. I knew there had to be a better way but was not educated in effective teaching instruction.

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ELLs' culture is valuable and should be respected

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ELLs' culture is valuable and should be respected

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Notions of assimilation or "Americanization" are ways of "othering" ELLs and convey the message that American culture is superior to their culture. ELLs' culture and language are a major part of their identity. Identities are complex, dynamic, and their evolution is often emotional for the individual. Teachers should allow for and encourage celebration of ELLs' identity, as well as be empathetic to an ELLs' changing and expanding identity. All students should be free to be themselves without fear or shame. They should not be pressured to forget their culture and language. Feelings of alienation and isolation are real.

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Effective teachers strive to increase ELLs' parental and familiar involvement in schools. It is highly likely that parents of ELLs want to be involved in their children's learning and are already taking steps at home to help their children succeed. But, be empathetic and sensitive that parents of ELLs might not speak sufficient English to be involved in ways that teachers might expect. Parents of ELLs may also be acculturating and adjusting to American society. Teachers can provide support by being in contact with parents and inviting them to the classroom. Advocacy and support of ELLs goes beyond just the individual student, but includes their families.

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Accept writing in students' home language as they transition to English writing

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Accept writing in students' home language as they transition to English writing

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Label classroom items in both English and ELLs' home languages; help ELLs feel included and accepted

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Label classroom items in both English and ELLs' home languages; help ELLs feel included and accepted

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Allow ELLs to contribute to discussions in home language 

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Allow ELLs to contribute to discussions in home language 

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But, too much reliance on L1 can hold students back

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But, too much reliance on L1 can hold students back

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Translanguaging must be strategic and thoughtful. Concurrent translation where a teacher's oral speech or written instructions are translated from English to the L1 is not effective. ELLs do not attend to English. While teachers should encourage ELLs to value their L1, too much reliance and incorporation on the L1 may hinder ELLs English language proficiency.

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Historically, ELL's L1 has been treated as a deficit; something holding them back, something that made them "less-than." Translanguaging and instruction through use of the student's L1, where effective, views the L1 as a resource.