McGraw Hill's Guiding Principles for Supporting English Language Learners

McGraw Hill’s white paper outlines nine guiding principles designed to support English Learners (ELs) in U.S. schools, emphasizing effective strategies for language acquisition, cultural affirmation, and academic success. Below are the principles and their benefits:

1. Provide Specialized Instruction: ELs benefit from targeted instruction focused on English acquisition, which ensures they learn the language without compromising grade-level academic content. This approach optimizes both language and subject mastery.
2. Cultivate Meaning: Instruction should address meaning at all levels—words, phrases, and sentences—helping ELs understand language deeply and effectively. This enhances comprehension and communication skills.
3. Teach Structure and Form: Explicit teaching of grammar and syntax helps ELs understand how language structure contributes to meaning, improving their ability to express thoughts and ideas.
4. Develop Language in Context: Integrating oral language development into content-area instruction allows ELs to learn English while engaging with grade-level material in other subjects, fostering simultaneous language and academic growth.
5. Scaffold to Support Access: Providing comprehension support ensures ELs can access academic content, which is crucial for school success. Scaffolding also helps all learners engage with core curriculum.
6. Foster Interaction: Opportunities to interact with bilingual and English-proficient peers through speaking, listening, reading, and writing promote both language acquisition and content learning.
7. Create Affirming Cultural Spaces: Culturally responsive teaching practices affirm ELs’ identities by reflecting their values, customs, and home languages, creating inclusive learning environments.
8. Engage Home to Enrich Instruction: Collaborating with families and communities bridges cultural and language differences, enriching ELs’ educational experiences.
9. Promote Multilingualism: Recognizing bilingualism and multilingualism as assets, schools can create opportunities for all students to acquire additional languages, enhancing intellectual and cultural development.

These principles collectively address the diverse needs of ELs, ensuring they thrive academically while maintaining their cultural and linguistic identities.