1. How Libraries Can Help ELL Learners
Presenter: Heath Mills
July 29, 2014

2. Agenda Who are English-Language Learners (ELLs)?
Why is ELL Support Important?
Resources & Services
Challenges
Discussion

3. Who are English-Language Learners (ELLs)?
Recent Arrivals
Diverse groups of international students are moving to the US to study
ELLs are students who have acquired their primary listening and speaking skills in a language other than English
ELL, not ESL or LEP, which can be negative terms (Cary)
Growing Population
America has always been a nation of immigrants, and many school libraries are increasingly serving populations whose first language is not English
Over 10% of K-12 students today are ELLs; 25% expected by 2025 (Ferlazzo, 2010, p. 24)
Much of this growth is occurring in schools that do not have a history of significant immigrant populations
Language & Culture
ELLs must also be able to assimilate the culture, traditions, values, and attitudes that are associated with English speakers (Cary)
At home, ELL students are surrounded by their native culture, language, and traditions
The atmosphere ELLs encounter in US school may be completely alien to them

4. Why is ELL Support Important?
Lack of Knowledge or Understanding
May be differences between libraries in the US and home countries (Gehring & Piao, 2011)
May be unaware of resources & services available to them
May have limited assistance in overcoming linguistic & cultural barriers
Our Responsibility
Access to education and information is part of America’s democratic tradition and ELLs’ First Amendment rights (Adams, 2010, p. 51)
Teachers and librarians need to work together and to ensure the academic success of ELLs
"We [librarians] have a special obligation to ensure the free flow of information and ideas to present and future generations“ (ALA Code of Ethics)
The School Library
Essential resource for ELLs. Supporting ELL's academic achievement requires analysis of school library resources and services from the perspective of the ELL student (Adams, 2010, p. 50)
Simply learning to speak the language is not sufficient. “We must also instill the confidence and the pride that when combined, make a lifelong learner” (Cary)

5. What Can We Do as Librarians?
Encourage ELL Students
Provide specialized orientations for ELL students, teaching them what a library can offer
Enlist ELL students to work in the library
Have a public librarian to introduce ELL students to public library services and help them obtain library cards (Adams, 2010, p. 51)
Collaborate with Teachers
Librarians can act as liaisons with teachers, providing supplemental materials to support the ELL students' academic needs
Every teacher must be a teacher of literacy. Establish a comprehensive literacy program to more effectively target the needs of the ELL student (Cary)
“Librarians and teachers together can make a dynamic combination to respond to the needs of this rapidly growing high risk student population” (Ferlazzo, 2010, p. 25)
Make the Library a Haven
Create an welcoming, secure, and safe atmosphere. Put up "welcome" and "read" posters from ALA in the native languages of ELL students
Offer space to community groups who provide after school tutoring

6. What Can We Do as Librarians?
Resources
Library website with an ELL section
Translated children's and young adult fiction in a highly visible area
Age-appropriate and bilingual and graphic novels
Curated internet resources appropriate to ELLs
Subscription databases and online encyclopedias that are available in other languages
Materials on ELLs’ home countries
Audio devices to help students learn English
Resource sharing: ILL, Link+
Course reserves
Research guides
Services
Library workshops
Reference assistance in-person and electronic
Co-teaching of teachers and librarians
Outreach to parents of ELLs
Resource purchase suggestion forms
Copyright advice
Spaces
Media center
Computer workstations
Audiovisual stations
Private and communal study space
Areas for ELL students to work in small groups, both homogeneous and heterogeneous

7. Web Resources
Speaking
English Central:
Vocaroo:
Writing
Edublogs:
BBC Bitesize:
Listening
English Listening Online:
English Central: Watch scenes from popular movies, see what is being spoken, then repeat what they hear. They are then graded instantaneously by the site on how well they pronounce the words
Vocaroo: Students can easily and quickly record their own voice and post it on a class blog or it to a teacher
Edublogs: Create a class blog where teachers can easily post assignments and students can share their completed work
BBC Bitesize: Provide numerous interactive games and activities for students to practice multiple writing skills
English Listening Online: Thousands of engaging listening activities and games

8. Web Resources
Reading
International Children’s Digital Library:
Into the Book:
Literactive:
USA Learns:
Teaching
EFL Classroom 2.0:
Library
Tumble Library Book:
Animated Field Trip to the Library:
Gwendolyn the Library Fairy:
ESL Library Lesson:
Quia Library Skills Games and Review:
Order In the Library:
International Children’s Digital Library: “The collection's focus is on identifying materials that help children to understand the world around them and the global society in which they live. The materials in the collection, all presented in the original languages in which they were published, reflect similarities and differences in cultures, societies, interests, and lifestyles of peoples around the world. At the end of the initial research period, it is anticipated that the ICDL collection will include approximately 10,000 materials in at least 100 languages.”
Into the Book: Designed to help students learn reading strategies such as visualize, predict, and summarize. Users are led through the process of learning each reading strategy with interactive exercises
Literactive: A leading provider of reading material for pre-school, kindergarten and grade 1 students available online. Many interactive exercises and games
USA Learns: Help learning English online by watching videos and completing educational activities. Though it's primarily designed for older learners, it's very accessible to all but the very youngest ELLs
EFL Classroom 2.0: Online community of thousands of English teachers from around the world. Thousands of resources are available

9. Challenges Language Culture Collaboration Library jargon
Difficulty or reluctance to ask questions in library information sessions
Culture
Barriers in approaching a librarian or asking for help
Overwhelming: Too many options in library and too large (Gehring & Piao, 2011)
Differences in library use in home culture and US
Collaboration
Insufficient partnerships between librarians and international student staff and ESL faculty
Teachers not recognizing the value of the library in increasing English and information literacy

10. Questions?

11. References
Adams, H. R. (2010). Welcoming America's newest immigrants: Providing access to resources and services for English language learners. School Library Monthly, 27(1), American Association of School Libraries. (2009). School libraries count! Retrieved from 009/ell2009.pdf Colorado, C. (2010). Resources for librarians: Serving ELLs & their families. Colorín Colorado. Retrieved from Ferlazzo, L. (2010). School Librarians & English Language Learners. Library Media Connection, 29(3), Gehring, D. R. & Piao, M. (2011, April). Don't forget about us! Library support for ESL learners. Paper presentation at the annual conference of the California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL), Long Beach, CA. Retrieved from Cary, S. (n.d.). Read about best practices in supporting English-language learners in reading and writing. Benchmark Education. Retrieved from language-learners-in-reading-writing.html