Effective strategies for teaching English language learners start from one problem: a student may know the content but lack the English to express it. Visuals, scaffolding, structured speaking practice and family contact all reduce that gap, and each should be matched to the student’s proficiency.
School leaders who arrange time, staffing and communication for these routines can start from the broader question of what does a school principal do, then apply it to the English learners in their building.
Why English language learners need different instruction
English language learners often have the understanding but not the vocabulary to show it. A teacher-written Alvernia-style blog on helping English learners notes that students “may simply lack the language to express what they know,” so a weak answer is not always a weak grasp of the lesson. Strategies therefore aim to make meaning visible and lower the language load without lowering the academic goal.
Classrooms rarely hold a uniform group. Teaching Channel points out that having ELL students often means varying proficiency levels, and the same article adds that students may arrive with gaps in earlier education. The practical consequence is that a single scaffold rarely fits everyone. Choose a support by asking what the individual student cannot yet do in English, not by the grade of the text.
Two further habits follow from how learners behave. Edutopia reports that English learners often will not tell you when they do not understand something, so confusion stays hidden unless you check for it. Teaching Channel also notes that ELLs often need additional time to process information and structure a response, which makes wait time a real instructional move, not a pause to fill.
Making meaning visible
Visual and physical cues carry meaning when words cannot. Edutopia’s practitioner guidance puts it simply: a picture is understandable in any language. The Alvernia-style blog gives the same direction, advising teachers to use visuals whenever possible and to act out concepts, which makes students much more likely to understand the intended meaning.
These supports suit new vocabulary, instructions and abstract ideas. They also pair well with a classroom word wall organised by topic, where pictures sit next to words so students can connect each term with its referent. Rotate displays as units change so the vocabulary on the wall matches what students are currently using.
A second pitfall is reading silence as understanding. Build short checks into the lesson, such as a brief spoken or written response, so you see comprehension before moving on.
Scaffolding reading and writing
Scaffolding gives temporary support that is removed as skill grows. A dissertation abstract indexed by ERIC states that scaffolding has been identified as one of the best teaching practices for helping students read. In that study of 105 ELLs, scaffolded reading instruction produced statistically significant gains in 13 of 15 performance indicators over a 3-month cycle of instruction. Of the teachers, 14 of 15 were interviewed, and they felt scaffolding strategies were crucial for building a solid foundation for academic success. This is one small study, so treat it as encouraging evidence for the approach, not a guarantee of a specific gain.
Chunking text and tasks
Edutopia suggests chunking passages into short, manageable sections, with a speech broken into five sections as an example. The TESOL blog on scaffolding writing adds that chunking is valuable because it breaks complex information into smaller parts. Use it when a text or assignment is long enough that students lose the thread.
Modeling and writing frames
Modeling shows students the thinking before they attempt it. Teaching Channel recommends pre-teaching by thinking out loud, and TESOL calls modeling text structure an essential strategy for teaching writing to multilingual learners. TESOL also reports that writing frames help students gain autonomy in their writing. Offer a frame first, then let students reach for it less often as the language becomes familiar.
When you give feedback on writing, avoid telling students their writing is wrong or bad, as Teaching Channel advises. Name what the writing already communicates and point to the next language target.
Strategy quick reference
The table below turns the guidance above into planning choices. Since proficiency varies within one class, use the final column to decide which students need each support.
| Strategy | What it supports | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| Pictures and visuals | Comprehension without relying on English alone | Add to vocabulary introductions and instructions |
| Chunking texts and tasks | Breaking complex information into manageable parts | Use for long passages, speeches and multi-part assignments |
| Sentence and writing frames | Speaking and writing with growing independence | Offer early, then reduce as students gain confidence |
| Think-aloud modeling | Showing text structure and thinking before students try | Use before any new writing or reading task |
| Turn and Talk with peers | Lower speaking anxiety and collaboration | Use before whole-class questions |
| Frequent comprehension checks | Surfacing confusion students do not announce | Build brief checks into each lesson stage |
These recommendations come from practitioner guidance in Edutopia and the TESOL blog, which describe the strategies qualitatively and do not report measured effects.
Building oral language
Oral language is the engine of the other skills, and the Alvernia-style blog puts the principle bluntly: the more English language learners speak, the better. Speaking has to feel safe to happen often. Edutopia notes that Turn and Talk reduces the anxiety English learners often feel when asked to speak, because students rehearse with a partner before anyone speaks to the whole class.
- Partner talk before whole-class answers. Students try out their ideas privately, which lowers the stakes of speaking in front of everyone.
- Sentence frames. Edutopia also notes frames can be helpful in writing activities, so the same starter can carry a spoken answer into a written one.
- Peer collaboration. TESOL describes peer collaboration as a beneficial strategy for multilingual learners, so group tasks with clear roles give each student a reason to speak.
- Recognising participation. Teaching Channel says rewarding students for participating encourages ELLs to use their target language.
- Processing time. Wait before calling on a student, since ELLs often need extra time to formulate a reply.
Teachers can also build a bridge to students’ backgrounds. The Alvernia-style blog suggests asking students to teach you about their home languages and cultures, which gives them a role as expert and makes speaking purposeful.
Family engagement and schoolwide support
Schools support ELL families by keeping contact regular and two-way. The Alvernia-style blog recommends checking in with the families of English language learners about how they are involved, rather than assuming what involvement looks like. Pair that with the home-language bridge above: when students and families are invited to share their languages and cultures, the school becomes a place where those assets count.
Teachers should not carry this alone. Teaching Channel points teachers toward the school’s ELL or ELS team as a starting point, though how such teams are organised varies by school. That makes the leader’s job concrete.
What school leaders can do
- Make the ELL team reachable. Ensure every teacher knows who is on it and how to bring students and questions to it.
- Model respectful feedback. Set the expectation that writing is never labelled wrong or bad, and that feedback names the next language step.
- Protect time for scaffolding. Chunking, frames and modeling take planning, and the ERIC study found teachers valued scaffolding as foundational.
- Prompt family check-ins. Build family contact into routines so it does not depend on individual teachers.
- Connect colleagues. Shared planning between content and language specialists can follow the models in Co-Teaching Strategies That Work: Practical Models, Planning Tips, and Classroom Moves for 2026 – Principalspartnership.
These tasks sit within a principal’s wider duties, which are laid out in what does a principal do.
Frequently asked questions
What strategies work for English language learners?
Visuals, chunked tasks, modeling, sentence and writing frames, partner talk and frequent comprehension checks are consistently recommended by practitioner sources. A dissertation study of scaffolded reading instruction also found gains for ELLs, so scaffolding is a sound starting point.
How can schools support ELL families?
Check in with families about how they want to be involved, invite students to share their home languages and cultures, and make sure teachers can reach the school’s ELL or ELS team where one exists.
Why do English learners seem to understand less than they do?
They may lack the language to express what they know, and they often will not say when they are confused. Brief checks and extra processing time reveal what they actually understand.
Should feedback on ELL writing point out mistakes?
Avoid telling students their writing is wrong or bad. Describe what the writing already communicates and offer a frame or model for the next step.
