It’s That Time of Year Again: Back to School
Being an ELL, ESL, or bilingual teacher brings many rewards and challenges. One of the most persistent challenges many educators report is limited communication between ELL specialists and mainstream classroom teachers. How often do communication gaps or unclear roles get in the way of student success in your school?
Sarah Ottow, an experienced ELL educator, highlights a common but under-discussed issue: teachers working in isolation. In her blog post, Our Kids: The Role of the Language Specialist (ELL/ESL/EAL/ELD/ENL/ESOL), Ottow writes: “We, as ELL teachers, already know how to work effectively with English learners. We know what strategies help them succeed. But classroom teachers don’t always know what to do, and they may not realize that we can be a resource. We should be advocates and partners. The real questions are: How do ELL specialists build strong relationships with general education teachers? How do we stay focused on a shared mission of supporting English learners and set everyone up for success within systems that often pose obstacles?”
This observation points to a major issue in many schools: weak collaboration between ELL specialists and mainstream teachers, which can lead to missed opportunities and poorer outcomes for English learners.
According to The Digest of Education Statistics, beginning in 2019, English language learners made up 10.4% of the K–12 student population, up from 10.2% the year before. Spanish is the most common home language among ELL students, followed by Arabic, with Chinese and Vietnamese also widely spoken. Today, roughly 64% of teachers have at least one ELL student in their class. Given this reality, all teachers must include strategies that help ELL and bilingual students develop as English speakers, readers, and writers.
Building a Bridge Between ELL and Mainstream Teachers
Over my 15 years in education, working both as a mainstream classroom teacher and as an ESL specialist, I’ve seen how powerful collaboration can be—and how damaging isolation can become. Mainstream and ELL teachers often operate in silos for many reasons: scheduling constraints, unclear expectations about roles, workload pressures, or simply a lack of regular contact. The good news is that there are practical steps schools and teachers can take to build effective partnerships that improve student outcomes.
ELL and Mainstream Teacher Communication Tips
1. Work Together
Mainstream teachers should invite ELL specialists into their classrooms and planning processes. Likewise, ELL teachers should attend grade-level and content-area meetings whenever possible to coordinate goals and align supports. Shared planning time and joint lesson design can make a measurable difference for students’ social and academic growth.
2. Maintain an Open-Door Policy
Both mainstream and ELL teachers should cultivate an open-door approach to communication. This means being willing to discuss academic content, instructional strategies, behavioral or cultural concerns, and social-emotional needs. When these relationships are active, students receive consistent supports across settings, which helps them integrate more smoothly and learn English more effectively.
3. ELL Teachers Should Be Proactive
In many schools, ELL specialists are treated as support staff rather than full members of instructional teams. To bridge that gap, ELL teachers can proactively reach out: attend team meetings, initiate collaborative planning with classroom teachers, participate in parent conferences, and communicate regularly about student progress and needs. Proactivity builds trust and demonstrates commitment.
4. Build Cultural Awareness
Schools are increasingly diverse, and cultural awareness must be intentional. Simple classroom activities—like having ELL students create short books or presentations about their home cultures—can strengthen language learning while affirming students’ identities. These projects boost confidence, enrich the school community, and help peers and staff learn about different traditions, gestures, and values.
5. Practice Compassion and Patience
Many English learners experience culture shock and anxiety when they arrive. Teachers should recognize the “silent period,” a stage when students absorb a new language before speaking much. This phase can last several weeks or more, during which listening and comprehension are the primary skills being developed. Respecting that period and offering patient, consistent support helps students move toward active participation.
6. Support Each Other
Even when teachers disagree about pedagogy or content, the focus must remain student-centered. Share observations, test out strategies together, and remain open to adapting practices based on student response. A united approach models collaboration for students and leads to stronger results.
7. Include ELL and Bilingual Students in the Whole School
As students grow more comfortable, encourage them to participate in mainstream classes, clubs, and school events. Pairing students with peers for projects, inviting them to extracurricular activities, and checking in with classroom teachers all help ensure academic progress and social integration.
8. Acknowledge Mistakes and Move Forward
All teachers make mistakes. Reflect, adjust, and try again. Honest reflection and a willingness to change are essential for professional growth and for creating better experiences for students.
9. Keep Learning and Sharing
Working in a support role can be isolating. Make time to build relationships across your school, attend professional learning opportunities, and share resources and insights. Ongoing learning benefits both teachers and students.
10. Celebrate Success Together
Celebrate students’ language development and academic achievements with your colleagues. Teaching English and nurturing academic language are challenging but deeply rewarding responsibilities. When mainstream and ELL teachers celebrate progress together, it reinforces shared purpose and honors the hard work that leads to student success.
This article was first published at Summit K12.