American Educator Explores the Highly Charged Issue
Of How To Educate English Language Learners

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The staggering number of English language learners in the United States presents a profound challenge to our public schools. The summer issue of American Educator, a quarterly publication of the American Federation of Teachers, takes on the often contentious question of how best to help these students master English and meet academic standards.

The highly charged debate over how to teach English language learners often overlooks the available research. In his article in American Educator, Stanford University professor Claude Goldenberg highlights the most promising instructional approaches and discusses important questions that research has yet to answer. Based on the research, Goldenberg suggests the following instructional framework:

• If feasible, teach children to read in their native language and in English.
• Teachers should help students transfer knowledge from their native language to English.
• What we know about good instruction and curriculum for all students holds true for English language learners. However, modifications will be necessary as students master academic English.
• English language development is crucial but must be addressed in addition to—not instead of—academic content instruction.

The summer issue of American Educator also offers a special section exploring the latest edition of “Freedom in the World”, a global survey that reveals a pushback against democracy worldwide. Now, more than ever, the U.S. labor movement must continue its proud tradition of promoting democracy. In another article—a regular feature called “Ask the Cognitive Scientist”—professor Daniel T. Willingham helps educators reconsider “developmentally appropriate practice” in light of research showing that children’s development does not proceed in clear stages. 

American Educator will be online at www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator as of June 12.

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