CAP Paper Calls For Universal ELL Teacher Proficiency

Lesli A. Maxwell writes at the Education Week (5/1) "Learning the Language" blog that given high rates of non-English speaking students in the US, "it is reasonable to ask-and propose answers-to the question of whether every single teacher, regardless of grade level or discipline, needs to know how to meet the particular needs of ELLs. I hear it all the time from folks in the field-that until ALL teachers are trained in how to work with English-learners, these students, as a subgroup, will always trail far behind their native English-speaking peers. And that sentiment has grown especially strong since all but four states are moving ahead with putting the more rigorous common standards into practice." Maxwell points to a new paper from the Center for American Progress which argues that all general education teachers should have a foundation in their training geared toward ELL instruction.