Teaching English Language Learners in the Content Areas

• Published in: Review of educational research Vol. 78; no. 4; pp. 1010 - 1038
• Main Author: Janzen, Joy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA American Educational Research Association 01.12.2008; SAGE Publications
• Subjects: Academic Discourse; Academic failure; Academic language; Achievement tests; Bilingual students; Educational Research; Educational Trends; Elementary schools; English (Second Language); English as a second language instruction; English language learners; History Instruction; Immigration; Language; Language Acquisition; Language Arts; Language history; Language instruction; Linguistics; Literacy; Literacy Education; Mathematics education; Mathematics Instruction; Mathematics teachers; Professional Development; Reading instruction; Science Instruction; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Sociocultural factors; Standardized Tests; Studies; Teacher Education; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Trend Analysis; Writing instruction; New York; United States > US; literacy; content area; mainstream teachers; English language learners; instruction
• ISSN: 0034-6543; 1935-1046
• DOI: 10.3102/0034654308325580

This review examines current research on teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) in four content area subjects: History, math, English, and science. The following topics are examined in each content area: The linguistic, cognitive, and sociocultural features of academic literacy and how this literacy can be taught; general investigations of teaching; and professional development or teacher education issues. The article summarizes key findings in the literature, examining trends and discontinuities across the different content areas, and concludes with implications for teaching and suggestions for further research.