English Language Learners

This article describes some of the language and literacy methods and strategies that research has proven effective in preparing young ELLs for kindergarten.

This webpage includes a downloadable/clickable “List of Lists” designed so that parents, teachers, and caregivers can find the multicultural and diverse book titles for kids that they are in need of. These lists are broken down into easy-to-find topics and themes.

This article describes what types of activities and environments best support the literacy and language development of young dual language learners.

These resources provide guidance on how to build a foundation for literacy development as well as guidance on using a child’s native language as part of their literacy development.

This article, authored by Koryne Nnoli, Ph.D., is geared towards early childhood educators and gives tips and strategies for teachers in supporting multilingual learners in their classrooms.

This is a question and answer resource regarding parents questions and concerns about children learning more than one language at once.

This module offers an overview of young children who are English learners. Further, it highlights the importance of maintaining children’s home language at the same time they are learning a new or second language, discusses considerations for screening and assessing these children, and identifies strategies for supporting them in inclusive preschool classrooms.

This fact sheet answers common questions about the rights of parents and guardians who do not speak, listen, read, or write English proficiently because it is not their primary language.

This resource highlights strategies discussed in the Head Start Science Teacher’s Guide that teaching teams may use to help children learn their home language in addition to English.

This website provides lists of the the top 30 languages spoken or being learned by children birth through age 5 in Illinois from 2016 to the latest year available.

This article give parents information on what to expect when raising bilingual and multilingual children and answers common questions about communication, speech and language concerns, and resources.

This article gives educators strategies to support dual language learners’ language development through family engagement, environmental supports, and dual-language models.

This page provides resources for parents/ guardians, teachers, and administrators to utilize for English Learners in early childhood.​

This document provides ideas to implement throughout the school year to include in a child’s plan to transition from preschool to kindergarten.

This website provides descriptions of common instructional models used to teach multilingual children.

This policy paper takes a deep look at how Illinois came to see a need for new policies for its burgeoning population of English Language Learners, and why focusing on its youngest English Language Learners was the state’s next step.

This topical guide on supporting dual language learners in early childhood also includes important books, videos, and information resources available from the EI Clearinghouse.

This 7-minute video by Dr. Ann Anderberg stresses the importance of continuing to support first language development in children, and gives suggestions for assisting these young learners in their acquisition of English.

This article shows educators how to use dramatic play to support the language and culture of the children in the classroom.

This article gives teachers guidance on how to optimally welcome dual language learners and their families to the early childhood classroom.

This article provides a synthesis of research, and provides information on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in young English language learners.