Teaching Immigrant and Second-Language Students: Strategies for Success

According to federal survey data, there are 4.5 million English-language learners (ELLs) enrolled in U.S. public schools (preK?12), nearly one-third more than in 1997?98. Given this fast-growing number of linguistically and culturally diverse children, principals are dealt an increasingly urgent responsibility: to lead their schools in helping all students succeed academically. The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires educators to raise not just the overall achievement of their students, but that of all major student subgroups. Are the nation?s school principals ready to rise to this challenge? What must administrators do to improve the academic achievement of young language-minority students and fulfill the requirements of NCLB?