Schools face a critical decision when educating English learners: whether to group them together or integrate them with non-English-learner peers. This choice, along with the delivery of English-language development services, significantly impacts these students’ educational experience.
Mainstream Classrooms Dominate, But Language Support Varies
A March survey by the EdWeek Research Center found that 80% of educators report English learners spend most of their school day in mainstream classrooms. However, general education teachers rarely integrate English-language development into these settings. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said this integration is either non-existent or minimal.
The survey also shows language support changes as students progress through grades. While 80% of elementary students receive pullout instruction for language development, this drops to 46% for high schoolers. Michael Kieffer, a professor of literacy education at New York University, links this decline to adolescents’ increased sensitivity to social comparisons.
Pullout Instruction and Its Impact on English Learners
The EdWeek Research Center survey reveals that pullout instruction for language support is more common in elementary schools, with 80% of respondents reporting this practice. This figure decreases to 61% in middle schools and further drops to 46% in high schools. The decline in pullout instruction for older students may be beneficial, as adolescents are more conscious of social comparisons, and segregation could negatively affect their school engagement and identity.
Research by Kristin Black from NYU supports this notion, showing that high school English learners, especially long-term learners, face lower graduation rates when segregated. Michael Kieffer notes that while the survey doesn’t detail how students are grouped outside stand-alone English-language development courses, the reduction in pullout instruction for older students might be a positive trend, considering the social and identity-related implications.
The Role of Peer Grouping
Kieffer’s research reveals how peer grouping affects English learners. In elementary schools, grouping them together had no significant effect on reading development. However, a newer study found higher-proficiency English learners benefited from placement with non-English-learner peers, while beginner-level students improved when grouped with fellow English learners.
Bilingual Education Remains Rare
Despite proven benefits, bilingual education remains rare. Only 14% of educators reported offering dual-language literacy instruction, and just 1% said all instruction occurs in students’ home languages. In contrast, 42% stated English is the sole language of instruction.
The Migration Policy Institute confirms that bilingual education, already rare nationally, is even harder to find at the secondary level.
According to the survey, 66% of educators reported that teachers and staff sometimes use students’ home languages for communication, even though instruction remains primarily in English.
Tailored Approaches for Diverse Needs
Researchers note there is no single best approach that works for all schools because much depends on the specific English learners being served, their distinct needs, and the staffing capacity of the school. For instance, newcomer immigrant students with limited or interrupted formal education and limited English proficiency require more extensive support than an English learner born in the United States who has a strong baseline of language skills and may reclassify by middle school.
Strategies for Language Development
Training general education teachers to integrate language instruction with academic content can improve English learners’ language skills while exposing them to rigorous, grade-level material. Additionally, bilingual education, where academic content is taught in English and another language, benefits almost all English learners.
