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Alessia Cogo

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ELT Journal is a quarterly publication for all those involved in English Language Teaching (ELT), whether as a second, additional, or foreign language, or as an international Lingua Franca …

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Celebrating 75 Years of  ELT Journal

2021 marks 75 years since the publication of the first issue of what is now known as  ELT Journal . In celebration of this milestone, explore a selection of articles and content from the journal, including: 

• ELT Journal  editor Alessia Cogo's anniversary volume editorial
• Two landmark issues from the journal's history by A.S. Hornby and Richard Rossner
• Two articles from Richard Smith delving into  ELT Journal 's origins and history 

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Editor’s Choice – Author Videos

Freire’s problem-posing model: critical pedagogy and young learners

Nadine Nelson and Julian Chen discuss their article, ' Freire’s problem-posing model: critical pedagogy and young learners ' which has been selected as an Editor's Choice article for ELT Journal.

Explore all Editor’s Choice videos.

Engaging in pedagogical translanguaging in a Shanghai EFL high school

Xiaozhou (Emily) Zhou discusses her article, ' Engaging in pedagogical translanguaging in a Shanghai EFL high school class ' which has been selected as an Editor's Choice article for ELT Journal.

Learner-initiated exploratory practice: revisiting curiosity

From learners to users—errors, innovations, and universals

Elina Ranta discuss her article ‘ From learners to users—errors, innovations, and universals ' which was selected as an Editor's Choice article. 

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Obituary: dr norman whitney.

In April 2022, our readers and colleagues around the world were saddened to hear of the death of Dr Norman Whitney. Learn more about his contributions to the journal and read tributes from his colleagues.

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What’s the use of book reviews?

What are book reviews for? Who reads them, and why? What makes a good review?

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Do you want to write an article for an academic journal? Don’t know how to get started? Graham Hall, former editor of ELT Journal , offers his tips and insight on the process in this blog post, covering everything from writing to the peer review process.

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British Council

Six trends for the new future of english language teaching, by chia suan chong, 27 october 2021 - 08:48.

Poyraz Tütüncü/Pinhole Istanbul, Author MAHMUT CEYLAN

What has inspired your teaching and teacher development this year? Chia Suan Chong, writer, communication skills and intercultural skills trainer, who reported live from the ELTons awards in November 2021, lists her top six.

The announcement of the finalists of the ELTons, a.k.a. the British Council ELTons awards for innovation in English language teaching, has always been an interesting and revealing time. It is a time when teams and individuals are celebrated for their innovation in the courses, books, platforms, apps, projects, and more that they’ve contributed to the world of English language teaching. It is also a time when we get to learn about the current trends of our industry and the directions we are heading in.

As I excitedly clicked through the lists of finalists for the 19th year of the ELTons, here are some of the trends that became apparent.

Using the real world

One exciting thing about language teaching is the flexibility of the content of our materials. Science teachers teach scientific theories and facts and history teachers have historical events and stories as the subject content, but English teachers can use a variety of topics as vehicles to present the English language. We can teach English using fairy tales, workplace rules or quirky homes around the world. Some of the ELTons finalists have discovered the value in using real world events and acquainting learners with real-world scenarios where they might be using English. Sensations English (UK) for example uses news-based video and articles to help students learn about real-world events while improving their language skills. Immerse Virtual Language Experience Platform (Immerse VR, USA) puts students in a 3D world as they experience language and culture in real-world scenarios. And Vlogger Academy (Digital Learning Associates Ltd with The Weirdos and Creatives Collective, UK) uses real-life YouTubers and authentic content to expose learners to the global English used in the world today.

Using English to communicate with the world

There is no doubt that English is an indispensable tool for international communication today. Whether our learners are posting on social media, creating videos on video-sharing platforms or working in international project teams, the English language provides them with the opportunity to communicate not just with people who use English as a first language, but also those who use English as a second or foreign language. 

This reality is reflected not just in products like the already-mentioned Vlogger Academy, but also Converse Across the Universe: Managing Cross-Cultural Communication (Yelena Golovatch, Margarita Kochan, Yauheni Radzetski, Belarus), where students develop critical thinking and communication skills in practical everyday situations where they might encounter different cultures and different attitudes and ways of behaving. 

Even in Online English Pronunciation Course (Luke Nicholson, Improve your accent, UK) that is written for learners based in the UK, the emphasis is on intelligibility, i.e. being understood, and not only becoming someone that learners are not. 

As Our Languages (Stand For/FTD Educação, Brazil) very appropriately describes it, English is a tool for our students to express themselves – a tool not unlike the language of art, music or social media – a tool used to communicate with the world. And like these different forms of expression, learners need to feel a sense of ownership of the English language and own their language learning experience. English will serve to express their identities – a theme that is explored in Communicating Identities (Routledge, UK), a teacher’s guide that supports learners in their exploration and reflection of the different aspects of their identities.

Life skills  

As we provide our learners with opportunities to practise communicating in English, there is flexibility not only in the content of the texts we use but also in the tasks that we get learners to perform. Through these tasks, learners not only have the chance to enhance their language skills, but they are also able to develop other life skills. We saw the development of intercultural skills in the already-mentioned Converse Across the Universe: Managing Cross-Cultural Communication. This focus on expanding the learners’ knowledge of the world is also seen in Talk about China with Oxford (OUP China Ltd with Jingban Beijing Education Culture Media Co. Ltd, China), a series of courses that enable young learners to learn about China via the English language.

Other life skills that feature heavily among the finalists are problem-solving skills and collaboration skills – common features of materials that make use of a task-based learning approach to language learning. Escape the Classroom (Perceptia Press, UK/Japan) for example, requires students to work together in teams to figure out ways of solving puzzles and breaking codes in order to escape a room. Oxford Discover Futures (OUP – English language teaching, UK, Egypt, Mexico, Turkey, Spain and the Middle East) promotes critical thinking and collaboration skills through thought-provoking questions. And English Code (Pearson English, UK) uses code-breaking activities and creative tasks to help nurture the spirit of experimentation, collaboration, resilience and curiosity in primary school students. 

Included in life skills are higher-order thinking skills and exam-taking skills, and this can be done in innovative ways. Literatu Scribo for IELTS Writing Success (Literatu Pty Ltd Australia, Australia), for example, uses an online platform to help students improve their core English writing skills. The approach that Fun Skills (CUP and Cambridge Assessment English, UK) takes to this is perhaps reflected in its title, as children prepare for the exams they need to take in the future through songs and entertaining stories. 

The power of stories

Learning through stories is another clear thread that we see in many of the finalists this year. Fiction Express (Fiction Express, Spain/UK) develops literacy skills through well-supported reading texts while BOOKR Class (BOOKR Kids, Hungary) uses a gamified library app to provide interactive books from the classics of world literature and original stories. 

In this age when we have access to an incredible selection of stories in the form of TV shows we watch through online streaming services, Days Crossing (Chasing Time English, New Zealand) provide learners with original TV series that are specifically made for English language learners. 

Inclusion and wellbeing

Perhaps Link Online Learners a.k.a LOL (hundrED, Finland, with volunteers and educators from 13 different countries) is an example of how the trends of life skills, using real world content and helping learners to English to communicate with the world can all be embodied in one product. LOL provides a platform for teachers and students as a way of connecting with a diverse global youth network in order to develop curiosity, empathy for other cultures and an understanding of different perspectives and ways of life. The volunteers and educators involved in this project are from a diverse range of countries, demonstrating the inclusive nature of this project. 

The importance of diversity and inclusion in English language teaching was highlighted at the ELTons 2020 when the British Council created the new judge’s commendation category for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – celebrating finalists whose resources bridge educational inequality, reflect diversity and promote the inclusion of typically underrepresented groups. ( Click here to find out more about last year’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion winners)

This year, we continue to see the importance of this theme as we look at the finalists across the different categories of the ELTons. From English competency courses for Para Powerlifters (World Para Powerlifting, Germany, with International Paralympic Committee) and grammar for the deaf and hard of hearing (General Directorate for special education and continuous education, Ministry of Education in Sultanate of Oman with AI ROYAA NEWSPAPER, Sultanate of Oman), to Helping Matters – an English course for social workers (Perceptia Press, UK/Japan) and guides for volunteers at conversation clubs (Learning and Work Institute with Learning Unlimited, UK), we see products that are catered for learners and teachers with a wide range of needs and backgrounds.

The importance of inclusion can also be seen in CIELL-Comic for Inclusive English language learning (Lancaster University, UK, with AKTO Art & Design College, Greece, Innovation in Learning Institute, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany, Language Centre, University of Cyprus, Cyprus) and many of the finalists in the category for Local Innovation awards, such as Mosaik Dogme Toolkit , a toolkit that helps English teachers of refugees make learning communicative and engaging.  Teaching in challenging circumstances (Cambridge University Press, UK) is another example of support provided to teachers involved in formal or informal teaching in areas with a growing number of refugees and displaced people.

Many of these projects focus on including diverse student groups and providing support for both their learning and their wellbeing. But in the process of doing so, we should also remember to look after ourselves. Teacher Wellbeing (Oxford University Press, UK) provides teachers will a variety of practical ideas to support and maintain teacher wellbeing as teachers while nurturing the professional relationships they have.  

Our next normal   

The last couple of years have no doubt presented teachers with new challenges, and so it is no surprise that these new challenges are reflected in several ELTons finalists this year. The Teachers’ Classroom App (PeacheyPublications Ltd, UK) makes the transition to online teaching easier by offering teachers training of common digital tools and ready-made lessons that teachers can launch and deliver from their desktop. LearnCube Homework Application (LearnCube, UK) provides a digital solution to teachers who have to or want to manage homework and give personalised feedback for their online classes. Engaging language learners in contemporary classrooms (Cambridge University Press) recognises the distractions that learners face today and helps teachers consider the aspects of learner engagement that they have power to influence more directly. And the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary App (OUP, UK, with Paragon Software, Germany/Russia) gives learners to autonomy to improve their vocabulary and pronunciation anytime, anywhere as they navigate flipped learning, online learning and blended learning. 

Previous-ELTons winner, The HandsUp Project, also adapted in response to the school closures in 2020/21. Their Facebook Live Team teaching for the Palestinian English Curriculum (The Hands Up Project, UK with UNRWA, Gaza) delivered daily live team-taught classes remotely, led by a Palestinian English teacher and a teacher in another country. This push towards online lessons in the past couple of years has also resulted in us embracing global communication and increased learner autonomy.

As we reflect on the current trends of our industry through the ELTons finalists of 2021, we realise that the events of 2020/21 might have fast-forwarded some of the trends that were already developing in our industry, but none of them come as a surprise. If anything, this serves as confirmation as to where English language teaching and learning is going and will be going in the years to come. 

Watch recordings of the ELTons online  and meet the winners. Chia reported live from the event alongside teacher, writer, editor, and conference speaker Callie Massey.

Chia also guest tweeted live using the username @BCEltons . Join in the Twitter discussion using #ELTons.

Teachers, visit our TeachingEnglish website for lesson plans and activities.

View the discussion thread.

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Language and Literacies: English as a Second Language (ESL)

English as a Second Language (ESL) is a subfield of language studies.  While it is specific to students learning English in English-medium contexts and communities, and is indeed the name of a school-specific program model, in our research and programs it is situated within broader perspectives on languages and literacies.

In language studies, views of language have moved from structural linguistics underpinnings, through those of “communicative competence,” and most recently toward theory informed by interdisciplinary views of languaging as performances leveraging assemblages of semiotic resources (both linguistic and non-linguistic).  Aspects of named languages are, then, intertwined with each other and with other modes of representation in communication. Further, communications always occur in, and are impacted by, specific sociocultural and sociopolitical contexts. We consider languaging, learning and teaching within this framework, exploring phenomena related to languaging and education in an era of mobility.

The research we undertake seeks to understand languaging as a social, fluid, situated and performative phenomenon, and to explore ecologies of languaging to better understand how and why interconnections between places, things, cultures, histories, people, identities, positionings, mobilities and ideologies matter, and shape lives and societies.  Our research includes, but extends beyond, U.S. (and English language) contexts. Examples of research topics of our faculty and students include:

• Translanguaging & translingual practices
• Multimodality and transmodalities
• Classroom environments and school ecologies for English learners
• Culturally and linguistically responsive teaching/schooling
• The impact of language policy, programs and practices on immigrant youth
• Languages, literacies and identities in and out of schools
• Raciolinguistics and intersectionality vis-à-vis immigrant youth
• Families, communities and schools
• Critical language teacher education
• Academic languages and literacies

Area Faculty

Margaret hawkins.

Professor [email protected] (608) 263-4667

DIEGO ROMÁN

Assistant Professor [email protected] (608) 263-4633

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Research Problems and Methods in Teaching English as a Second Language

This article explores potential research topics and methods in teaching English as a second language. It introduces Evidence Based Practice (EBP) in English language teaching. EBP grounded the need to conduct research to improve practice. The identified researchable topics are clustered in terms of: (1) instructions; (2) affective and behavioral concerns; and (3) technology. The research methods explored are: (1) narrative research; (2) ethnography; (3) phenomenology; and (4) grounded theory. This paper is aimed to provide English teachers in exploring scholarly investigations in the domain of English language teaching for second language learners.

Related Papers

Dr.Jeya Santhi.V, PGDELT, Ph.D., PGCTE.

English language is universal and individual. It allows people to communicate across time and distance. At the same time, it serves to define almost everything that makes a person unique. The purpose of teaching English is to encourage the students to understand how the English language varies from region to region, ethnic group to ethnic group, social class to social class, and circumstance to circumstance. However, the purpose of learning English is to get a way of communication with people in different places in which we cannot use our native tongue. So teaching and learning a language is a way of connection between souls, a means of communication. Among the methods in teaching English, some methods have had their heyday and have fallen into relative obscurity; others are widely used now. This paper is an attempt to illustrate the methodology used in teaching English.

tinkerbell Misela

In India there is a broad spectrum of linguistic background, comprising many languages and scores of dialects. English itself continues in everyday use in large number of families but it is not the same as Standard English. The multilingual context offers a variety of problems to the teachers of English. Today's world is a world of rapid technical change. Innovations come out of an ever increasing pace. Due to tremendous progress in information and communication technology, the scenario of contemporary teaching techniques is entirely changed. The teacher of 21 century should shed traditional concepts and techniques of classroom teaching and should adopt the recent and innovative teaching techniques. English language teachers must be innovative, imaginative, and resourceful and have thorough knowledge of the subject and adopt new techniques to change socio, economic status of the country. Due to globalization the world is changing rapidly, hence a teacher has to improve and update knowledge of innovative techniques to meet the demands of changing era. Various innovative materials and strategies will assist for the betterment of students. The present paper explores the use of innovative techniques for teaching English to learners. Novel methods such audio video aids, mimicry, group discussions, dialogue construction, enactment of drama would pave way for learning the language and boost the confidence of the learners. INTRODUTION In the modern neo-liberal scenario of India, the necessity of competence in English has become increasingly vital. The globalization has necessitated the learning of English Language in an international perspective. Moreover the text materials on the subjects of technical education, science and medicine are available in English. The advance of multinational companies in all sectors of economy such as production, distribution and service sectors require personnel with a fair degree of language competence. In this backdrop, the necessity of acquisition of not only spoken English but also written English has become the need of the hour. Salman Rushdie, the renowned novelist says that the English language ceased to be the sole possession of the English some time ago. And it grows from many roots. No one community can claim sole ownership over the English language, which has gone genuinely global. In this precept it is high time to have a holistic approach to learn and teach English as second language. English language learners who are academically proficient in their first or native language represent differing levels of academic experiences, abilities and interests in addition to their language proficiency. Some students read above their grade levels; others struggle with daily instruction. Some have highly supportive home environments for language and literary development; others live without access to books or literary rich environments. Many English language learners spend most of their academic life with teachers who speak only English and who are not prepared to fully understand their varying needs as English language learners. In order for today's teachers to meet the challenge of educating a richly

SMART M O V E S J O U R N A L IJELLH

Abstract Proficiency of a teacher cannot be judged by his/ her presence in the classroom and initiates communication with students in English language. It is the responsibility of an ideal teacher to make his/her students comfortable in his/ her presence first and then tries to know them and helps them to understand his/ her lectures. A teacher must pay attention on both kinds of teaching- theoretical as well as practical knowledge so that he/ she may motivate his/ her students to learn this language with enjoyment and excitement and the students may have better opportunities in their professional caree

Lina Mukhopadhyay

Course Description The course will begin with a historical perspective on English Language Education (also commonly referred to as English Language Teaching) from ancient days of teaching the language like other classical languages as Greek and Latin up to the 21 st century trends. Basic principles and procedures of the most recognized and commonly used approaches and methods for teaching English as a second (or a foreign language) will be presented. These are the Grammar Translation Method, Direct Method, Audio-Lingual Method, Communicative Language Teaching, Content-Based Instruction and other alternative approaches. Each approach or method will be discussed in terms of their theoretical orientation, teaching practices and learning activities designed to reach the specified teaching goals and learning outcomes. Candidates will examine and analyze the teaching methods and compare whether the methods reflect similar or opposing views of language learning principles. Through course readings and sample video lessons, candidates will reflect on what constitutes language use, and the role of teacher and learners in each of the teaching methodologies. The analysis will help them to gain a fuller understanding of the principles and practices behind the choices teachers make regarding particular methods. In all, the course will enable learners to look for the rationale for the different techniques that have been used in the course of language teaching history and learn to critique the practices and materials designed to teach English and many unresolved issues in the domain. The course will not espouse any particular approach to second language teaching but rather present an overview of the many approaches to teaching second and foreign languages.

Professor Rohini Chandrica Widyalankara

This study proposes that the pedagogical procedures within the genre of Teaching English as a Second Language should not only gain from the rich theoretical resources and the vast repertoire of methodological approaches available it should also tap the creative powers of the teaching practitioners. Merging tenets of Behaviorism with Innatism in the Interaction Theory and adapting theories on Second Language Acquisition the second language teaching/learning environment discussed aims to maximize acquisition and lower the affective filters of the learners. Principled Eclecticism provides the methodological foundation for cooperative learning and formative peer assessment with focused corrective feedback provide remedial support and an opportunity for the learners to reevaluate their work and engage in timely adjustments. The session aims at interpsychological cognitive development with peers/teacher and individual intrapsychological cognitive enhancement in language skills.

JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studies)

amjad jokhio

This study aims to know teachers’ perception regarding research and throw a shadow of light on this critical issue with respect to teaching pedagogy. For this study, data were collected through survey questionnaire with close ended items from 104 secondary school teachers (SSTs) (grade 6 to 10) and English language centers of Karachi. The data analysis revealed that most of the teachers believed that the knowledge they gain from the teaching is more effective and valuable rather than the knowledge acquired from research. In both categories, majority of the participants declared that they have limited sources available in order to access the Second Language Acquisition (SLA) articles, whereas half of them stated that they do not have enough time to conduct SLA research, a few of them reported as lack of interest, one of the SSTs indicated that research articles are difficult to understand and no ability to conduct research. Furthermore, majority of the teachers agreed that a teacher ...

Ars Artium, vol. 12

Ars Artium , gopal pandey

Ethnographic research is carried out in a natural setting, not in a laboratory. It entails close, in-person communication with participants. The ideas and behaviours of the participants are accurately reflected in ethnographic research. To construct ideas about local cultures, it collects unstructured data in an inductive, participatory, and repetitive manner using analytical techniques. Ethnography is a holistic qualitative approach to research developed by anthropologists in order to understand people within their social and cultural contexts. It requires that researchers be reflective about their impact on the research site and the cultural group. The goals of ethnographic research are to be emic, all-encompassing, contextualized, holistic, and to focus on examining the interactions between intricate parts. Ethnographies often involve the uses of observations, interviews, diaries, field notes and other methods of data collection. Triangulation of data is always at the heart of the ethnographic process. This paper discusses the fundamental philosophical bases, history, and theoretical bases of ethnographic research. The article also describes the primary methodologies, techniques and tools used in ethnographic research. In addition, the article presents an ethnographic research template which can be used by English teachers for classroom purposes.

Prof. Dr. Maya Khemlani David

Much has already been written and talked about teaching English as a Second Language. One would, therefore, be justified in asking: Why publish another volume on the subject? A survey of available works in India convinced us that there was a room for a book for teachers of English that can address the current issues in teaching English in the non-native context. At first, the editors had planned to include views of teachers in the Indian sub-continent only. However, the unprecedented spread and shifts, thanks to globalization, in teaching ESL in terms of teaching methods, curriculum, and application of learning theories made us feel the need to incorporate as many diverse voices as possible. Today, there are more non-native users of English than the native ones. This has resulted in the use of two varieties of language—what David Crystal calls “one spoken in one’s home country and a new kind of English that can be internationally understood”. Keeping this paradigm shift in view, tea...

International Journal of Educational Research

Aleidine Moeller

Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics

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6 Essential Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners

We interviewed educators with decades of experience in teaching ELLs and tapped a network of experts and observers to find the strategies that work.

Over 10 percent of students in the United States—more than 4.8 million kids—are English language learners (ELLs), and the number is on the rise. Though these students do not learn differently than their native-English-speaking peers, they do have particular educational needs.

To learn about these needs—and best practices for addressing them—I interviewed a range of educators and observers, including Larry Ferlazzo, an educator and author of The ESL/ELL Teacher’s Survival Guide ; longtime teachers of English as a second language (ESL) Emily Francis and Tan Huynh; and the journalist Helen Thorpe, who spent a year observing a teacher who works with ELLs.

The group emphasized that the strategies listed here, which include both big-picture mindsets and nitty-gritty teaching tactics, can be incorporated into all classrooms, benefiting both native English speakers and ELLs.

1. Cultivate Relationships and Be Culturally Responsive

No surprise here. A successful classroom, our educators agreed, is one in which students feel known, appreciated, and comfortable taking emotional and intellectual risks. That requires intentional planning and consistent messaging by the teacher.

Emily Francis, an ESL teacher in Concord, North Carolina, makes clear that she wants her students to “embrace their culture and their language as a foundation of who they are” and to consider their acquisition of a new culture and language “not as subtractive, but as additive.” To help support students who may never have attended school before or may be coping with migration-based trauma, Francis emphasizes that little things make a big difference. “The first thing that I need to think about is, how is my student feeling in my classroom?” she says. “Are they sitting next to a buddy they can ask a question in their home language? Do they feel comfortable tapping me on the shoulder if they have to go to the bathroom?”

But creating a supportive environment is also about cultivating an appreciation of diversity—it’s critical that both the curriculum and the classroom environment honor and reflect the lives of the students. For instance, Francis makes certain that her classroom library is reflective of her students’ diverse backgrounds and identities .

ESL teacher Katie Toppel, who teaches near Portland, Oregon, champions the value of home visits to get to know students’ families and takes care to incorporate the particulars of students’ lives, such as pets’ names and favorite sports, into lessons. Students are most engaged when they feel a personal connection to a lesson or unit, a connection that’s created in part by a teacher’s investment in culturally competent relationships.

2. Teach Language Skills Across the Curriculum

English language learners should not be learning the fundamentals of English in isolation; they should be applying their developing language skills to rich academic content in all subjects.

“It is key that in mainstream classrooms, teachers understand their role as language teachers,” says Valentina Gonzalez, a district leader in Katy, Texas, suggesting that all teachers should be aware of the specialized idiom they work within. “If we teach math, then we teach the language of mathematics. If we teach science, then we teach the language of science.” Math teachers, in other words, should take the time to teach the unfamiliar vocabulary of mathematics— add , subtract , calculator , solve —concurrently with the teaching of math skills.

3. Emphasize Productive Language

The educators I interviewed agreed that productive language skills—hard-to-master dimensions of language fluency like speaking and writing—should be front and center from day one, even if students feel hesitant about them.

Beginning ELLs often develop receptive language skills like listening and reading first. Educators who are unaware of the typical path to fluency may believe that students who can follow verbal or written directions will be able to produce oral or written language, but that’s usually not the case.

To support reluctant speakers, Tan Huynh, an educator who blogs at Empowering ELLs , suggests using sentence frames. “For example, when a science teacher wants ELLs to produce a hypothesis, they might offer the sentence, ‘If _____ was added, then _____ because _____.’ This sentence frame provides clues that empower ELLs to sound and think like scientists,” Huynh says.

Andrea Honigsfeld, a professor of education at Molloy College in Rockville, New York, suggests that all lessons touch on every letter of the acronym SWIRL, which stands for Speak, Write, Interact, Read, Listen. The approach intentionally privileges productive language skills “from the beginning,” she says.

4. Speak Slowly—and Increase Your Wait Time

Easier said than done. Still, many of the teachers I spoke to said this simple change is vital . You can record yourself speaking in class to measure your cadence, and adjust.

“Adding in an extra three to five seconds after we pose a question offers all students time to think,” explains Gonzalez. “However, for English learners, it also gives time to translate, process their thinking, translate back into English, and develop the courage to answer. If we call on students too quickly, many of our students will stop thinking about the answers—or trying to answer at all.”

That means undoing some of our own habits, according to Larry Ferlazzo, a high school ESL teacher in Sacramento, California. “Researchers have found that typically most teachers give one to two seconds between asking a question and expecting a student response,” he says. “The same researchers have shown that if you wait three to five seconds, the quality of responses is astronomically greater.”

5. Differentiate—and Use Multiple Modalities

All kids learn better when they engage with material in multiple ways: Lessons that involve writing, speaking, drawing, and listening, for example, give students four opportunities to deepen their understanding of the work. For ELLs, those additional engagements also provide a little breathing room so they can work through the language barrier.

Helen Thorpe, a journalist who spent a year observing Eddie Williams’s classroom in Denver in order to write a book about immigrants called The Newcomers , marveled at Williams’s method of differentiation. “Eddie would enunciate very clearly in English multiple times, he would write it on the board, and he would go to the projector to give a visual. And, finally, he’d be asking the kids to verbalize aspects of the lesson themselves,” she says, tracing Williams’s efforts to move his students from receptive to productive language fluency.

Toppel uses a strategy called QSSSA to scaffold classroom discussions with ELLs. The letters stand for Question (the teacher poses a question, then gives ample think time); Signal (a designated motion like a thumbs-up, a finger on the nose—something that lets students indicate that they’re ready to answer); Stem (the teacher provides a sentence starter for the question—for example, for “What is your favorite place to read a book?” the stem might be, “My favorite place to read a book is _____”); Share; and Assess.

6. Incorporate Students’ Native Languages—and Don’t Be Afraid of Technology

Bilingualism is the goal, of course, not replacement.

Ferlazzo uses a strategy called “preview, view, review,” which leverages a student’s native language skills as a foundation for learning the new language. He introduces a topic and encourages students to preview it in materials in their home language (often using multilingual videos and other online resources ); he then teaches the topic in English, and then has students review the information in their home language.

Ferlazzo also encourages teachers to embrace technologies that students find helpful, like Google Translate. He stresses that the app can be a useful way for students to translate words quickly—but warns that it can quickly “become a dependency” if it’s used as more than a handy dictionary.

Thorpe agrees that Translate can take pressure off teachers, who sometimes find that they “just stand at the front of the room and say things over and over. And if the kids didn’t know what those words are, they’re out of luck.” Translation technology means you can say it once (or twice) and let the students use the technology to translate key words and phrases.

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Regions & Countries

About half of americans say public k-12 education is going in the wrong direction.

About half of U.S. adults (51%) say the country’s public K-12 education system is generally going in the wrong direction. A far smaller share (16%) say it’s going in the right direction, and about a third (32%) are not sure, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in November 2023.

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to understand how Americans view the K-12 public education system. We surveyed 5,029 U.S. adults from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16, 2023.

The survey was conducted by Ipsos for Pew Research Center on the Ipsos KnowledgePanel Omnibus. The KnowledgePanel is a probability-based web panel recruited primarily through national, random sampling of residential addresses. The survey is weighted by gender, age, race, ethnicity, education, income and other categories.

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

A majority of those who say it’s headed in the wrong direction say a major reason is that schools are not spending enough time on core academic subjects.

These findings come amid debates about what is taught in schools , as well as concerns about school budget cuts and students falling behind academically.

Related: Race and LGBTQ Issues in K-12 Schools

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say the public K-12 education system is going in the wrong direction. About two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (65%) say this, compared with 40% of Democrats and Democratic leaners. In turn, 23% of Democrats and 10% of Republicans say it’s headed in the right direction.

Among Republicans, conservatives are the most likely to say public education is headed in the wrong direction: 75% say this, compared with 52% of moderate or liberal Republicans. There are no significant differences among Democrats by ideology.

Similar shares of K-12 parents and adults who don’t have a child in K-12 schools say the system is going in the wrong direction.

A separate Center survey of public K-12 teachers found that 82% think the overall state of public K-12 education has gotten worse in the past five years. And many teachers are pessimistic about the future.

Related: What’s It Like To Be A Teacher in America Today?

Why do Americans think public K-12 education is going in the wrong direction?

We asked adults who say the public education system is going in the wrong direction why that might be. About half or more say the following are major reasons:

• Schools not spending enough time on core academic subjects, like reading, math, science and social studies (69%)
• Teachers bringing their personal political and social views into the classroom (54%)
• Schools not having the funding and resources they need (52%)

About a quarter (26%) say a major reason is that parents have too much influence in decisions about what schools are teaching.

How views vary by party

Americans in each party point to different reasons why public education is headed in the wrong direction.

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say major reasons are:

• A lack of focus on core academic subjects (79% vs. 55%)
• Teachers bringing their personal views into the classroom (76% vs. 23%)

In turn, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to point to:

• Insufficient school funding and resources (78% vs. 33%)
• Parents having too much say in what schools are teaching (46% vs. 13%)

Views also vary within each party by ideology.

Among Republicans, conservatives are particularly likely to cite a lack of focus on core academic subjects and teachers bringing their personal views into the classroom.

Among Democrats, liberals are especially likely to cite schools lacking resources and parents having too much say in the curriculum.

Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .