Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice

View detailed profiles of these six students who are officially classified as ELLs by their Midwest schools:

Sonia is a 6-year-old elementary student who was born in Ukraine and moved when she was 4 years old.

Zoey is a 5-year-old kindergarten student who was born in Indiana; her father is from Puerto Rico, and her mother is from Mexico.

Brittany is a 6-year-old 1st grader who was born in Argentina.

Josue is an 11-year-old 6th grader who was born and raised in California. He lives in a bilingual home, and is learning both English and Spanish.

Pedro is a 16-year-old 10th grader who was born in Panama. He was born deaf, but with the aid of cochlear implants speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and some English.

Ziyi is a 16-year-old 10th grader who was born in China, but came to the U.S. when she was only 5 years old.