English Learners Overview

• Colorín Colorado: Bilingual site with reading tips, videos, and guides for parents of ELLs.
• USA Learns: Free adult ESL lessons with life skills, videos, and assessments.
• Duolingo: Fun, gamified app for practicing English (and other languages) at any level.
• International Children's Digital Library: Free online picture books in many languages—great for shared reading at home.
• LearnEnglish Kids: Games, songs, and activities for young children learning English.

• English Club: Activities, grammar guides, and pronunciation tools for all levels.
• TeachersFirst ESL/ELL Parent Resources: Reading, vocabulary games, and ideas for home engagement.
• NCELA (National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition): Federal data, research, and fact sheets for understanding EL supports.
• LEP.gov: Civil rights guidance and translation access for LEP families.

Beginners

• Duolingo
• LingoHut
• USA Learns
• English Central

Advanced

• Quizlet
• Spelling City
• Vocabulary.com

• Strong Readers MS
• Colorín Colorado (Subtitles & Read-Aloud)
• Starfall
• ABC Ya
• Epic Books

• Pre-K ELA, Pre-K Math
• Kindergarten ELA, Kindergarten Math
• First Grade ELA, First Grade Math
• Second Grade ELA, Second Grade Math
• Third Grade ELA, Third Grade Math
• Fourth Grade ELA, Fourth Grade Math
• Fifth Grade ELA, Fifth Grade Math
• Sixth Grade ELA, Sixth Grade Math
• Seventh grade ELA, Seventh Grade Math
• Eighth Grade ELA, Eighth Grade Math

• Chinese EL Parent Guide
• Vietnamese EL Parent Guide
• Spanish EL Parent Guide
• English EL Parent Guide
• Arabic EL Parent Guide

• English/Spanish Translator (Google Translate)

• Informed Immigrant
• Mira

• USA Learns: A free website that helps adults learn English online for free, using engaging videos and educational activities. Learners have the opportunity to learn English independently or with the support of a teacher.

The U.S. Department of Education defines newcomers as students and their families who were born in another country and have recently moved to the United States. They have typically been in U.S. schools for two years or less and are still learning basic English.

What to Know About Newcomers

• Newcomers come from many different backgrounds and speak many languages.
• Their ability to learn in English depends on:
  • How much schooling they had before arriving
  • Whether they can read and write in their home language
  • How similar their language is to English
  • Why and how they came to the U.S.

How Teachers Can Help

• Create a welcoming space: Smile, learn their name, and show kindness.

• Pair them with a friendly peer—especially one who speaks their language, if possible.
• Use tools like Google Translate, visuals, and gestures to communicate.
• Give screeners in their home language to better understand what they already know (see sample screeners under Documents).

Understanding the Silent Period

Many newcomers go through a time where they don’t speak much—this is normal! Keep giving them chances to join class activities, use visuals, and show what they know in nonverbal ways. With time, they’ll start talking!

SIFE stands for Students with Interrupted Formal Education. These are newcomer students who have missed two or more years of school in their home country.

Because of this, they may need extra help to catch up with their classmates.

What Do SIFE Student Needs?

• Basic reading and writing support, especially if they didn’t learn to read in their home language.

• Extra time and guidance to build academic skills they may have missed.

• A welcoming classroom where they feel safe, supported, and encouraged.

Why Were Their Studies Interrupted?

SIFE students may have:

• Lived in areas without schools.

• Faced war, poverty, or natural disasters.
• Come from refugee backgrounds or rural communities.

How Can We Help?

• Be patient and supportive.

• Give them many ways to communicate—through pictures, hands-on activities, and conversations.

• Celebrate their strengths and life experiences.
• Work together as a school team to help them succeed.

• Focus on strengths: Newcomers have valuable experiences and knowledge. With the right support, they can learn and grow quickly.
• Support language learning: Give students chances to practice new words and phrases by talking with classmates.
• Use visuals: Add pictures, charts, and diagrams to lessons and tests to help students understand. (Tip: Watch minutes 13:30–26:30 of the MDE Word Walls video to see visuals in action.)
• Offer different ways to show learning: Let students point, draw, or act out answers if they aren’t ready to write or speak in English yet.
• Use their first language: Build on what they already know in their native language when possible.
• Use translation wisely: Check our Translation Resources page. Only translate when necessary—use visuals or simple English to help students understand and learn.
• Use sentence starters: Give students sentence frames to help them begin writing or speaking about what they’re learning.
• Model and give examples: Show how to do tasks step-by-step. Provide written notes or videos they can go back to.
• Include families: Talk with families about their child’s progress in learning English, and encourage them to keep using and growing their home language at home.
• Sites for Learning English: Students can use the following sites for learning English as alternate assignments or bell work when necessary:
  • English Central
  • USA Learns
  • LingoHut
  • Duolingo 

• Start with basics: Teach foundational skills like the alphabet, numbers, and how school works in the U.S.
• Use lots of visuals: Pictures, charts, and real objects help make learning clear and meaningful.
• Build background knowledge: Many SLIFE students may not be familiar with school subjects or common U.S. topics—take time to explain. 
• Build Vocabulary: Use the The Picture Word Inductive Model - a low-prep strategy to build content vocabulary at the word and sentence level.
• Go slow and repeat often: Break tasks into smaller steps and review frequently.
• Use hands-on learning: Activities like drawing, acting, sorting, or building help students learn by doing.
• Provide extra time: Give students time to process and complete work, especially when reading or writing.
• Connect learning to real life: Use examples from everyday life to help students understand new ideas.
• Create a safe, welcoming space: Be patient, encouraging, and celebrate small successes.
• Support in their home language: Let students use their first language when possible to support understanding.
• Work with families: Communicate often and include them as partners in learning.

• USDE Newcomer Tool Kit
• Colorin Colorado EL Starter Kit
• Cult of Pedagogy Blog
• Carol Salva Success for SLIFE Padlet

Office of School Support Executive Director, Rajeeni Scott

Office of School Support Director, Delane Lesh

English Learners Director, Patrice Razor

• EL Elementary Instructional Coach, Magdalena Maldonado
• EL Secondary Instructional Coach, Jonneka Washington
• EL Counselor (Atlas), Joice Greer
• EL Parent Liasion (Atlas) Dustin Loving

Download PDF

Accommodations

Accommodations are changes to assessments that allow ELs to "show what they know."

Examples of Accommodations Include:

• Giving students extra time to complete an assignment
• Reading aloud directions, test items, or
• Chunking assignments or directions
• Allowing students to show understanding in an alternate way, such as drawing, pointing, or labeling
• Providing a word bank or sentence stems
• Simplifying the language of an assignment
• Using native language support
• Highlighting key words and phrases

Accommodations Available on State Tests Include:

• Read Aloud
• Extended Time
• Small Group
• Word to Word Native Language Dictionaries, including printing the Bilingual Glossaries

Resources for Teachers and Leaders:

• The Five Pillars of Equitably Grading ELLs
• SupportEd - Free Tools

Modifications

Modifications are changes to instruction that allow ELs to access the content you teach. Assessments can also be modified to support a student's language progress if they are changed to assess something different than the original assessment.

Examples of Modifications include:

• Using a lower reading level
• Providing remediation of previously taught skills
• Using sentence frames or word banks
• Including scaffolded opportunities to talk about content using academic language
• Providing alternate assignments based on EL student progress in acquiring English
• Using cognates
• Using visuals
• Modeling
• Using hands-on learning or manipulatives

Resources:

• Colorin Colorado
• EdWeek Article by Larry Ferlazzo

Classroom Accommodations and Modifications by Sandra Elliot (MDE)

English as a Second Language Program Screeners and Placement

A screener is administered to students whose Home Language Survey (HLS) shows that a language other than English is spoken at home. English Learners (ELs) identified through this language screeners, with parent’s permission, are placed in a language instruction program alongside their regular classes. In middle and high school, ELs are enrolled in an English as a Second Language course which meets daily for at least 50 minutes and is taught by a certified EL teacher (Code 177). This course supports students in developing English skills—reading, writing, listening, speaking, grammar, and vocabulary—and provides academic and cultural support to help them succeed in school. EL students in grades 9–12 can earn one elective credit through this course. 

In elementary school, ELs receive daily English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction from certified teachers. Classes help build reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. These classes support students both in learning English and in succeeding in other content area. 

English Learner Identification Flowchart

English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) Exit Score Criteria

The MDE recommends the following proficiency levels to be met on the ELPA21 assessment prior to exiting students from EL status:
Overall: 4 - 5
Reading: 4 - 5
Writing: 4 - 5
Speaking: 4 - 5
Listening: 4 - 5 

Monitoring Policy for Former English Learners

After a student exits the EL program, the district monitors their progress for four years to ensure continued success in the classroom.

• Monitoring lasts four academic years after exiting EL services.

What Monitoring Includes

• Regular review of grades, test scores, teacher feedback, and classroom performance.
• Progress is documented and reviewed by the EL team each grading period.

Support if Needed

• While exited students no longer receive direct EL services, academic support is available if challenges arise.
• If language barriers are suspected, students may be re-evaluated for additional support—with parent notification.

Parent Communication

• Families are informed of the monitoring process and kept updated on student progress.

General ELL Resources

• Colorín Colorado: Bilingual site with strategies, videos, and book lists for families and educators.

• Dave’s ESL Café: A hub for ESL resources, forums, and job boards for teachers and students.
• English Media Lab: Interactive grammar, vocabulary, and listening exercises for all levels.
• ESL Gold: Resources for reading, writing, speaking, and grammar, sorted by level.
• ESL PartyLand: Fun lessons, games, and quizzes for classroom and independent learning.
• Many Things: Word games, puzzles, quizzes, and tools for English language learners.
• USA Learns: Free online video-based ESL courses for adults, with listening and grammar practice.

Resources for Specific Skills

• Easy World of English: Includes grammar, pronunciation, listening, and picture dictionary.
• ESL Cyber Listening Lab: Listening quizzes based on everyday conversations by level.
• Learn English with Mister Duncan (YouTube): Short, energetic English lessons covering vocabulary and topics.
• Speak English With Mr. Duncan: Live streams and language learning videos for various topics.
• Storynory: Free audiobooks and read-along stories for listening practice.
• VOA Learning English: News stories in slow American English with captions and teacher tools.

Resources Specifically for Teachers

• Mississippi Department of Education English Learners Resources: Provides multiple resources for supporting English learners including: recorded webinars, guidance documents, and other resources designed to provide administrators, teachers, EL teachers and tutors, and other educators.
• BBC Learning English: Video/audio lessons, activities, and teaching tools for English learners.
• BusyTeacher: Free downloadable worksheets, posters, and lesson ideas.
• Colorín Colorado: Classroom strategies, webinars, and culturally responsive teaching tools.
• LearnEnglish (British Council): Free TEFL materials and lesson plans by topic and level.
• Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA): Government site offering EL toolkits, research, and policy guidance.
• Office of English Language Programs: Free ESL resources, teacher training, and webinars worldwide.
• TESOL International Association: Professional development, certification programs, and resources for educators.
• Tools and Resources for Identifying All English Learners: Tools and resources for identifying all English learners.
• DIFFIT FOR TEACHERS: Learning resources for all. Teachers use Diffit to get “just right” instructional materials, saving tons of time and helping all students to access grade level content.

Resources to Share with Parents

• Colorín Colorado: Tips and book lists for helping children succeed at home and school.
• New Immigrant Guide (USCIS): Basic info on school, healthcare, and services for new U.S. immigrants.
• PBS Parents: Child development tips and learning games from PBS Kids.
• U.S. Department of Education: Info on school access, civil rights, and federal education programs.
• USDOE Helping My Child Succeed Toolkit: Spanish-language toolkit to support reading and learning at home.

Other Helpful Tools

• Duolingo: A fun, gamified app for learning English (and other languages).
• Starfall: Early literacy activities for young learners using phonics and visuals.
• The Measured Mom: Printable teaching resources, literacy tips, and learning games.