Effective Literacy Education for English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Students in California
Introduction to the Guidelines | Over one in four California students in the primary grades (where most literacy instruction occurs) are English learners—and 43% of the state’s school children live in homes in which languages other than English are spoken. The literacy development of these students is an urgent equity issue for our state. In the last decade, California has stepped forward to lead a commitment to meeting the needs of these students through policies and state guidance closely aligned to the research about literacy and language development for English learners, dual language learners and second language learners. California has set forth a vision of multilingualism as a goal for our students, and has put into place comprehensive research-based frameworks and policies for the education of our culturally and linguistically diverse state. Today, as new literacy initiatives are taking shape, it is essential that they be aligned with and build upon the frame of California’s strong English learner policies that reflect the research on effective practices for English learner/Emergent Bilingual* students and that honor the vision California has set for our students.
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