Many people confuse ESL and ELL. In short, ESL is an acronym that means English to Speakers of other Languages, and ELL stands for “English Language Learner. ESL is the course or class and ELL is the student.
English Language Learner – ELL
English Language Learners (ELLs) are students of any nationality, age, or immigration status who speak a language other than English at home. Generally speaking, the term “ELL” refers to a school-aged person between 3 and 21 years of age. ELLs are able to remain in high school until they are 21, instead of the typical 18 year old maximum. However, an ELL can also refer to an adult education student. ELL students may be documented or undocumented; a school cannot legally ask any student’s immigration status and all children are entitled to a free public education.
The number of ELL students in the United States is projected to continue to rise, and the need for English language instruction will also continue. ESL teachers are in high demand in many urban areas, and now many suburban and even rural areas have need for ESL teachers. This trend is expected to continue until we see a racial majority shift in the near future.
English to Speakers of Other Languages – ESL
Federal law requires all students have equal access to a free public education, and if a student has limited English proficiency (LEP), they do not have equal access to understanding their education in the way their peers may. In Lau v. Nichols, the Supreme Court mandated that LEP students be given English language instruction to allow them to have equal access to a public education.
Generally, when students enroll in a new school, they are asked what language they speak at home. If the answer is anything other than English, students are given a brief English language assessment that determines whether or not they would benefit from specialized ESL services that are offered during the school day at no cost to the student.
There are many types of ESL program models that students may receive, depending on their state and school district. Some ELL students have scheduled ESL classes that only instruct students on the English language: vocabulary and grammar in the domains of speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Some students may be pulled out of their regular classes for intensive tutoring in a small group or individually. Another model is to have an ESL teacher push in to regular classrooms and support the mainstream teacher by adding strategies that help ELLs to learn content better. Yet another ESL program type is to have teachers who are certified to teach both ESL and a content area teach sheltered content. Sheltered content classes allow ELLs to learn content like Algebra, History, or Biology with ELL peers from an ESL teacher who is adept at presenting information in a way that simultaneously teaches the content and builds language.
Related Resource: Top 20 Best Master’s in English Language Learning Online
There is a basic difference between “ESL” and “ELL” that becomes clear with a little background information. It’s an area where many career opportunities can be found, and teaching English to speakers of other languages will only continue to be a more in demand teaching certification in the future.