How to Support English Language Learners in Special Education

Welcome to a new month here at Special Education for Beginners! All February long we will be discussing a topic that many special educators encounter but don’t always feel fully prepared to support—English Language Learners.

In this introductory episode, we’re breaking down the basics of English as a Second Language (ESL) and how it intersects with special education. Many special educators encounter English Language Learners (ELLs) but often struggle to distinguish between language barriers and learning disabilities. 

 🎧 Listen in to learn about...

✅ ESL vs. ELL vs. Bilingual Education – Understanding the terminology differences
✅ Common Myths About ESL Students – Addressing misconceptions, such as "they should just try harder" or "they should only speak English at school"
✅ How ESL and Special Education Overlap – The challenge of distinguishing between language acquisition and learning disabilities
✅ The Stages of Language Acquisition – How to support students at different levels of English proficiency
✅ The Role of the ESL Teacher vs. the Special Education Teacher – How collaboration ensures students receive the best support

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Chapters

• 0:00 Supporting ELL in Special Education
• 11:00 Supporting ELLs in Special Education

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:04

Well, hey there, welcome back to another episode of Special Education for Beginners in a brand new month. For the month of February, I have chosen the topic that many special educators encounter but don't always feel fully prepared to support, and that is English as a Second Language or ESL. Working with English language learners comes with unique challenges, and, as special education teachers, it can sometimes be tricky to determine whether a student is struggling due to a language barrier, a learning disability or a combination of both, and that's why this month, we are breaking it all down what is ESL, how it overlaps with special education, some common myths about ESL that need to be busted, and how to best collaborate with ESL teachers to meet the needs of our students. So if you've ever wondered how to better support your ELL students in special education, you're in the right place. Let's jump in. Hey, special educator, are you overwhelmed by the absurd amount of paperwork on your to-do list? Do you wish you had the skills to build a rock solid team with your staff? Do you find yourself scouring the internet for how to meet the needs of each student on your caseload? Well, hey there. I'm Jennifer Hopperberg, an award-winning veteran special education teacher and current instructional coach, who has walked in your shoes through each of these challenges and, yes, I have the metaphorical blisters to prove it. I have cried your tears and felt your pain, and now I'm here to support you in the way I wish someone would have been there to support me. Listen in each week as my guests and I dish out practical wisdom to help you handle all the classroom curveballs that are thrown at you and learn how to laugh in spite of the chaos, to celebrate those small yet significant victories that only a special educator can understand. So are you ready? Wipe your tears and put on your superhero cape, because together we are going to learn how to survive and thrive in the ever crazy, completely overwhelming laugh, so you don't cry. Profession of being a special education teacher. All right, I want to start off today with some vocabulary support because, let's be honest, the terminology surrounding ESL can be a little confusing and, to make things even trickier, the terms can vary from state to state and from district to district. So let's break it down.

Speaker 1: 3:07

Esl stands for English as a Second Language. This refers to instructional programs designed to help students who are not native English speakers develop their English language skills. It is a structured approach to learning English while continuing to access academic content. Ell stands for English Language Learner. This refers to the students who are learning English. Esl describes the program, while E-L-L describes the students receiving the support from the program.

Speaker 1: 3:37

Bilingual education I don't know if they use the acronym B-E or not, but bilingual education is an instructional approach where students are taught in both their native language and in English at the same time, with the goal of developing proficiency in both languages. Nes stands for non-English speaker, les stands for limited English speaker and LEP stands for limited English proficient. These terms have been used in the past to describe students who are still developing their English proficiency, but many educators now prefer to use ELL or multilingual learner, mll, instead, because the word limited can carry a negative connotation. Remember, every state, and even school districts within that state, use different terminology, and your building might use different terminology than I just mentioned, but the important thing is that we understand what these terms mean so we can effectively support our students. So now that we have that foundation, let's discuss some of the biggest misconceptions about English language learners and what we, as special educators, need to know about English language learners and what we, as special educators, need to know.

Speaker 1: 4:54

No-transcript. That's wrong. Learning a new language is incredibly complex, and academic English, especially in subjects like science and math, is even harder. Students aren't struggling because they're not trying. They're navigating a whole new linguistic system while also keeping up with grade-level content. Myth number two is that ELL students should just speak English all the time to learn it faster. Actually, research shows that maintaining a student's native language can support English development. When students have a strong foundation in their first language, they can transfer those skills to English more easily. Encouraging them to completely abandon their home language can actually slow down their learning. And myth number three if a student has been in the US for a few years, they should be fluent by now. Language learning takes time. It can take one to two years for students to develop basic conversational skills, but it can take five to seven years to master academic language. So just because a student seems fluent socially doesn't mean they are ready to tackle complex academic content without support.

Speaker 1: 6:06

So how do ESL and special education overlap? Well, this is where things get tricky for those of us who work within the field of special education. How do we know if a student's challenges are due to language acquisition or a true learning disability? If a student struggles only in English but performs well in their native language, it's likely a language barrier, not a disability. However, if difficulties exist in both languages, there may be an underlying learning need and this is why it's necessary to test the child in both languages. However, standardized tests aren't always the best indicator because they are often normed for native English speakers. Aren't always the best indicator because they are often normed for native English speakers. It's crucial to look at multiple data points, observe the student over time and collaborate with the ESL teacher. Esl students are sometimes over-identified for special education because their language struggles are mistaken for disabilities, but on the flip side, they can also be under-identified because teachers assume that they just need some more time to learn English. So we have to be very careful and very intentional in making these decisions and use multiple means of assessing a student's true ability.

Speaker 1: 7:09

The next thing I want to talk with you about are the stages of language acquisition. To better understand where our students are and how to support them. Let's look at the five stages of language acquisition. The first stage is called pre-production. This is the silent period. Students may not speak much, but they are absorbing language. Support them with gestures, pictures and pointing to words instead of expecting verbal responses. Stage two is called early production. This is where they start using one or two word phrases. You should encourage their participation with yes, no questions and lots of visuals to help them build confidence. Stage three is called speech emergence. This is where they begin forming short sentences. This is a great time to introduce those sentence starters and word banks to help them expand their responses. Stage four is called intermediate fluency. These students can form more complex sentences and express thoughts, but they still need that academic vocabulary support and you should encourage writing and speaking in full sentences. And the last stage is called advanced fluency. They sound fluent in conversation, but they may still struggle with academic writing. And the last stage is called advanced fluency. They sound fluent in conversation, but they may still struggle with academic writing and subject-specific vocabulary. Continue offering support and comprehension in writing assignments no-transcript.

Speaker 1: 8:40

So you might be wondering well, what's the difference between the role of an ESL teacher and the role of the special education teacher? Well, somewhere along the way throughout my career, I came to wrongly believe that, once a student qualified for special education, that the instruction and the support from the special education teacher would replace any support that they were getting from an ESL teacher. That's not how it works, nor is it what's best for the student. Students who receive both ESL and special education services have two distinct sets of needs one related to language acquisition and the other related to a disability. These services should complement each other, not replace each other or compete with each other. So who does what?

Speaker 1: 9:27

Well, this is where teamwork is everything. Esl teachers should focus on language acquisition, helping students build their English vocabulary, develop grammar skills and improve their ability to communicate in both social and academic settings, and special education teachers should focus on individualized instruction, accommodations and modifications that address a student's disability and help them access the curriculum in ways that meet their learning needs. So how can we work together? Well, the first way is sharing strategies. Esl teachers have expertise in language development, while special education teachers understand individualized supports and accommodations, so sharing these insights ensures that students receive both effective language instruction and the right learning supports.

Speaker 1: 10:14

The next way is to co-plan when possible. If a student is receiving both ESL and special education services, communication is essential to ensure supports are aligned and not conflicting. Keeping each other in the loop helps prevent unnecessary repetition or gaps in services. And if there's not enough time in the day for that student to receive both services. That's even more of a reason that you need to be co-planning. Where one of you can give support to the other, you can also use shared resources. Many tools that work well for ESL students also benefit special education students. Things like graphic organizers, visuals, sentence frames and scaffolding instruction help all learners make content more accessible.

Speaker 1: 11:01

At the end of the day, collaboration is the key to ensuring these students don't fall through the cracks. When ESL and special education teachers work together, we can create a stronger, more supportive learning environment for our students who need it most. So that's a wrap on today's episode. We covered a lot, but the biggest takeaway that I want you to get today is that supporting English language learners is not a one-person job. As special educators, we play a crucial role in ensuring that our students receive the right accommodations and supports, but we don't have to do it alone. Partnering with an ESL teacher, using those shared strategies and understanding the stages of language acquisition can make a huge difference in our students' success. Next week, I want to discuss with you some specific instructional strategies that work for ESL students who receive special education services. So be sure to subscribe so you don't miss it, and I'll see you next week.