How to Support English Learners in Mainstream Classrooms
English Learners (ELs) represent one of the fastest-growing student populations in K–12 schools, and most of them spend the majority of their day in mainstream classrooms. That means content-area teachers—math, science, social studies, ELA, electives—play a vital role in ensuring multilingual learners access grade-level learning.
The good news? Supporting English Learners doesn’t require speaking multiple languages or having an ESL endorsement. What teachers do need are intentional strategies, scaffolds, and routines that make learning accessible, interactive, and meaningful.
This guide provides practical, research-based strategies every teacher can use—starting tomorrow.
Why Supporting English Learners Matters
When English Learners struggle, it’s rarely due to ability. It’s often because:
- instruction moves faster than their language processing
- academic text creates barriers
- lesson vocabulary is unfamiliar
- tasks require language they haven’t yet mastered
Supporting ELs ensures:
- equitable access to grade-level instruction
- higher engagement and participation
- improved reading, writing, speaking, and listening
- stronger relationships and a sense of belonging
These supports don’t just help multilingual learners—they help all students.
Strategy 1: Build Background Knowledge Before Teaching Content
Students can’t learn new concepts without something to anchor them.
Ways to knowledge
- Use visuals (photos, maps, diagrams)
- Connect new topics to students’ lived experiences
- Pre-teach essential vocabulary
- Activate prior knowledge through turn-and-talk, quickwrites, or brainstorming
- Introduce the “big picture” before small details
Strategy 2: Make Input Comprehensible
For ELs to learn, they must understand the instruction.
- gestures, modeling, demonstrations
- sentence frames and language scaffolds
- graphic organizers
- slowed speech and chunked directions
- clearly stated content and language objectives
- active listening tasks
This is a cornerstone of the SIOP ® Model and of any .
Strategy 3: Increase Student Interaction
English Learners need plenty of opportunities to speak, not just listen.
Interaction strategies
- structured partner work
- think-pair-share
- small-group tasks
- jigsaw activities
- academic conversation prompts
- clear roles in group work (facilitator, summarizer, questioner)
Interaction builds confidence, language production, and content understanding. Finding ways to with their peers boosts their language skills and strengthens community.
Strategy 4: Use Academic Scaffolding
Scaffolds give students temporary support so they can perform grade-level tasks.
Effective scaffolds include
- sentence starters and frames
- word banks
- step-by-step checklists
- guided notes
- visuals and diagrams
- partially completed tasks
- exemplars and models
The more the lesson is the greater the confidence and competence that multilingual learners feel. Over time, gradually remove scaffolds as students gain independence.
Strategy 5: Support Vocabulary Intentionally
is often the biggest barrier for English Learners.
Vocabulary supports
- teach only essential vocabulary
- use visuals and realia
- connect new words to familiar concepts
- chunk vocabulary by theme
- provide multiple opportunities for student use in context
A student who understands the vocabulary is more confident and more successful.
Strategy 6: Write Objectives That Boost Speaking Skills
ELs must develop language and content at the same time.
Examples
- Students will describe the water cycle using these sequence words:
- Students will compare characters using the following academic vocabulary...
- Students will justify their reasoning using the phrase, "I know this because..."
This clarifies expectations and guides instructional planning. This also nudges teachers to focus on oral language development.
Strategy 7: Create a Welcoming, Inclusive Classroom Environment
A classroom that feels safe encourages risk-taking—critical for language learners.
Ways to create belonging
- learn how to pronounce students’ names correctly
- allow multilingual resources
- validate home languages and cultures
- encourage peer support
- cultivate community among all students
When students feel safe, they take greater risks and they try harder.
Putting It All Together
Supporting is not about simplifying the work—it’s about clarifying, scaffolding, and engaging students so they can master grade-level standards.
Small changes make a big difference.
When teachers are trained intentionally, EL success skyrockets.
Ready to Strengthen Your Support for English Learners?
TESOL Trainers specializes in experiential, which models exactly what effective instruction looks like. We can help you create an effective staff development plan.
Learn more about how our popular English Learner Institute can transform teaching and learning in your school. This live, remote course helps teachers master the SIOP® model - a proven framework that supports all students, especially multilingual learners.
