Home > Closing the Gap between English-Language Learners and Native Speakers.

Closing the Gap between English-Language Learners and Native Speakers.

By: Scholastic

What happens when you put a young student, still struggling to pick up the English language, and put him in a class of native English speakers being taught only in English? Inevitably, the English-language learner will fall behind because he simply can’t understand everything that is being taught.

Because of the growing minority of non-English speaking families in America, non-English speaking students who can’t keep up are falling by the wayside. To try and catch some of those who fall, programs are appearing to help students who are considered English-language learners, those who are not fluent in English but are learning.

The concept is simple: teach a student English, and they will then be able to keep up in a class taught only in English.ESL (English as a second language) classes are a big part of this process. But history has shown that more is needed.

New language education technologies are appearing that break ground with techniques to develop critical language and reading skills for English-language learners. Scholastic, a leader in educational technology, has created several English-language learner tools and programs to develop the skills needed to close the gap between the English-language learner and native speaker.

Developed under the supervision of experts in the fields of bilingualism, child psychology and child education, Scholastic’s tools, techniques, and programs have been proved through real results with real people. Scholastic’s long and proud history of helping young students learn better and faster continues with their latest offering of programs directed at the English-language learner.

As non-English speaking minorities are projected to continue growing in America, ESL classes and other English-language learner programs become a more and more vital part of not just helping non-English speaking children, but providing for a well educated citizenry for America’s future.

Author bio:-Brian Saunders is a senior teacher helping struggling readers and English language learners on bilingual education, ESL, youth bilingual education, book leveled reading educational technology, adolescent literacy, reading intervention