Recommended Resources

While any teacher with an Internet connection is awash in resources, finding the right resource is still difficult. The following websites, in addition to those cited in the related articles, may help.

1. Instructional Materials

Colorín Colorado
Colorín Colorado offers free teacher tip sheets on reading instruction, professional development videos, and tools for effective outreach to Hispanic parents, among other resources, to help English learners in preK–12th grade.

Word Generation
Word Generation provides free curricular materials, classroom videos, and other supports to help ELs in middle school learn important academic vocabulary in the core disciplines: language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

Understanding Language
Understanding Language has a wide array of papers to keep educators up-to-date on the latest thinking about educating ELs, particularly in a Common Core environment. It also provides free teaching resources aligned to the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics as well as the Next Generation Science Standards. While a handful of these resources are currently available, many more will be added to the site throughout 2013.

2. Research and Evaluation

What Works Clearinghouse
What Works Clearinghouse, which has particularly high standards for evidence of effectiveness, has devoted a section of its free website to research publications and program evaluations for ELs.

Best Evidence Encyclopedia
Two reviews of reading programs for ELs are available for free on the Best Evidence Encyclopedia website.

3. National and State Statistics

National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs
This free website provides a variety of demographic information about ELs, as well as reports, webinars, and other resources on EL education.

Claude Goldenberg is a professor of education at Stanford University. Previously, at California State University, Long Beach, he was a professor of teacher education, an associate dean of the College of Education, and the executive director of the Center for Language Minority Education and Research. Early in his career, he taught junior high school in Texas and first grade in a bilingual elementary school in California. He is the recipient of the Albert J. Harris Award from the International Reading Association, among other honors.

Reprinted from American Educator, Summer 2013

Related Articles

Unlocking the Research on English Learners
What We Know—and Don't Yet Know—about Effective Instruction
By Claude Goldenberg

Recommended Resources
By Claude Goldenberg

English Language Development
Guidelines for Instruction
By William Saunders, Claude Goldenberg, and David Marcelletti

Dual Language Learners
Effective Instruction in Early Childhood
By Claude Goldenberg, Judy Hicks, and Ira Lit