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Bilingual Education & English as a New Language

English Language Learner and Multilingual Learner Educator Tools and Best Practices

New Resources

Academic and Linguistic Demands: Creating Access to the Next Generation Learning Standards in English Language Arts for Linguistically Diverse Learners (ALDs)

In September 2017, the New York State Board of Regents adopted the newly revised The New York State Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards (Revised 2017) (NGLS) as part of the strategy to continually improve the learning standards that guide education for all students in New York State. The Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages endeavored to create a set of tools to accompany the newly adopted NGLS. This document, the Academic and Linguistic Demands: Creating Access to the Next Generation Learning Standards in English Language Arts for Linguistically Diverse Learners (ALDs), is a result of that endeavor.


A Series of Topic BriefsProduced for the ֱ̨ by Nonie K. Lesaux, Ph.D. & Emily Phillips Galloway, Ed.D.

The ֱ̨ (ֱ̨) is pleased to present to you a series of eight topic briefs produced for ֱ̨ by Nonie K. Lesaux, Ph.D. from Harvard University & Emily Phillips Galloway, Ed.D. from Vanderbilt University. These briefs are designed to aid New York State educators in implementing the NYS Next Generation Learning Standards; complement and support the Next Generation Standards and related documents; offer an expansion and deeper explanation of concepts embedded in the Standards, Introduction, and Preface; and provide additional guidance to the field particularly in settings serving linguistically diverse learners.

Topic Brief One: Advanced Literacies for Academic Success

Topic Brief Two: What Goes Into Effective Reading Comprehension

Topic Brief Three: Hallmark One of Advanced Literacies Instruction: Engaging, Content-rich Texts

Topic Brief Four:Hallmark Two of Advanced Literacies Instruction: Classroom Discussion

Topic Brief Five:Hallmark Three of Advanced Literacies Instruction: Building Written Language

Topic Brief Six:Hallmark Four of Advanced Literacies Instruction: Academic Vocabulary and Language

Topic Brief Seven: Advanced Literacies Instruction: Spotlight on Instructional Units of Study

Topic Brief Eight: Spotlight on Language Production Projects


WestEd: Quality Education for English Language Learners/Multilingual Learners

The following briefs were prepared for the Office of Bilingual Education and World languages by , a nonpartisan, nonprofit research, development, and service agency that works with education and other communities throughout the United States and abroad to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults.

​Topic Brief 1: Quality Education for English Language Learners/ Multilingual Learners: Why We Need it and How We Can AchieveIt.

Topic Brief 2: Quality Student Interactions: Why Are They Crucial to Language Learning and How Can We Support Them?

Topic Brief 3: De-Mystifying Complex Texts: What Are “Complex” Texts and How Can We EnsureELLs and MLsCan AccessThem?

Topic Brief 4: The Zone of Proximal Development: An Affirmative Perspective in Teaching ELLs and MLs.

Topic Brief 5: Dispelling the myth of "English only": understanding the importance of the first language in second language learning.

Blueprint for English Language Learner and Multilingual Learner Success

Blueprint for English Language Learner/ Multilingual Learner Success in PDF

The mission of the ֱ̨’s (ֱ̨) Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) is to ensure that all New York State (NYS) students, including English Language Learners (ELLs) and Multilingual Learners (MLs), attain the highest level of academic success and language proficiency. We strive to ensure that all students’ individual educational paths and socio-emotional needs are met in multiple languages leading them to college and career readiness. ֱ̨ believes that all teachers are teachers of ELLs and MLs.

In response to the changing global economy, ֱ̨ has adopted the Next Generation Learning Standards to provide students, educators, and parents with a set of clear expectations leading to college and career readiness. Over the last decade, there has been an increase in the number of ELLs and MLs enrolled in NYS public schools, resulting in a current population of 261,848 students who speak over 200 languages. In order for these students to succeed, ֱ̨ needs to provide schools with the appropriate scaffolds, home language assessments, and materials so that teachers can provide instruction that will enable students to meet rigorous standards. Under the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Part 154, OBEWL affirms that it is not permissible to assume that unsupported immersion of ELLs and MLs into an English speaking environment will enable them to succeed academically.

The Next Generation Learning Standards require that every teacher be prepared to teach academic language and challenging content to all students, including ELLs and MLs. All teachers must be skilled in how to support ELLs and MLs as they acquire content knowledge while also progressing towards English language proficiency. It is imperative that all educators work across the content areas to ensure that all students meet the high demands of the Next Generation Learning Standards.

The principles that guide the Blueprint for English Language Learner/ Multilingual Learner Success were carefully developed as a statewide framework aimed to clarify expectations for administrators, policymakers, and practitioners to prepare ELLs and MLs for success, beginning in Prekindergarten, to lay the foundation for college and career readiness. These principles are intended to provide guidance, resources, and support to districts, schools, and teachers, as well as to promote a better understanding and appreciation of Bilingual Education, English as a New Language (ENL), and World Language Studies.


Best Practices

NYS Next Generation Learning Standards

Co-Teaching

Honigsfield & Dove: Seven Co-teaching Models

General Resources

Newcomer ELLs and SIFE

OBEWL SIFE Resources

Publications & Articles

Scaffolding

New resources will be made available to support districts and schools in the education of English Language Learners (ELLs) and Multilingual Learners (MLs). In collaboration with ELL specialists at the Center for English Language Learners at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), the new resources build upon thethat are currently available.

Tools and Modules

ELLs and Technology

This PowerPoint, a project of Heather Parris, Resource Specialist at the Long Island Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network, outlines the many ways that ELL educators can use technology to enhance instruction.

Updated 11/10/23