How can families and educators address the impacts of school closures and the other ways the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting English language learners? What kinds of support might be helpful during the coming school year? Here's a collection of resources that can help.
ELL and COVID-19 resources
This updated resource section from Colorín Colorado includes information on:
- distance learning for ELLs
- communicating and partnering with families
- social-emotional supports for ELLs and immigrant students.
Guide: distance learning for ELLs
8 Strategies for Building Relationships with ELLs in Any Learning Environment
Learn how educators can build authentic relationships with ELLs this year in virtual and hybrid settings, as well as how they can connect students' experiences to meaningful instruction. Includes project ideas and easy, effective ways to use technology. See strategies >
These articles offer planning tools, strategies, recommended resources, and much more.
Instruction for ELLs
- What You Need to Know
- Distance Learning Needs Assessment
- How to Expand ELLs' Access to Technology for Distance Learning
- Planning Instruction
- Offline Learning at Home
- Challenges and Opportunities
- Recommended Resources
- Privacy Considerations for ELLs/Immigrant Students
Building Partnerships with ELL Families
- Distance Learning for ELLs: Lessons Learned About Family
- Communicating with ELL Families During COVID-19: 9 Strategies for Schools
- The Importance of Emergency Contact Information
- How COVID-19 Is Impacting ELL and Immigrant Families
More recommended resources
- Educating English Learners during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Policy Ideas for States and School Districts (Migration Policy Institute)
- Supporting English Learners in the COVID-19 Crisis (Council of Great City Schools)
- COVID-19: Evidence-Based Practices (DOEd Regional Education Laboratories)
- COVID-19 & Immigrant Communities: Your Questions Answered (NEA)
- Reflection Tools for ELs Returning to School in 2020 (SupportEd)
- Larry Ferlazzo: Grading ELLs in Content Classes (Education Week)
- 5 Effective Modeling Strategies for ELLs (Edutopia)
- PD Opportunities for EL Teachers During Summer (TESOL Blog)
Social media networks for ELL educators
#ELLChat: Archives from Twitter Chats
A number of Twitter #ELLchat discussions have focused on distance learning. Learn more about #ELLchat from this overview. (You don't need a Twitter account to browse those resources.)
ELL networks
- Twitter: @ColorinColorado
- ELL Educator Group: Facebook group (Colorín Colorado)
- ELLs at Home Idea Exchange: Facebook group
- Advocating for ELLs: Facebook group
This project was developed in partnership with the National Education Association and Colorín Colorado.
Suggested Further Reading
Learn More
Are you an affiliate?
