How Does Understanding Acronyms Enhance Support for English Learners?
Understanding the acronyms associated with English learners is more than a linguistic exercise—it’s a vital step in creating inclusive and supportive learning environments. By exploring terms like EL, ELL, MLL, and ESL, educators can better address students' unique experiences and needs on their journey to mastering English.
There is an abundance of acronyms to describe students who are learning English. Acronyms like EL, ELL, MLL, and ESL are often used interchangeably, but each term has distinct nuances that reflect different aspects of students’ language learning experiences. As language evolves, specific terms have become outdated or less accurate. Understanding these different acronyms isn’t just a matter of semantics. Instead, it is an essential part of recognizing the unique needs of English language learners and providing them with respectful, well-informed support. For educators, knowing which term to use and why is key to fostering a learning environment that values each student’s background and promotes their success while offering respect.
EL stands for English Learner. It is one of the broadest terms used for students currently learning English as a new spoken language. Unlike other terms, EL does not define the students' language background or level of proficiency. Often, "EL" applies to all students actively acquiring English, whether they speak a native language at home or are multilingual. Many present school programs and policies have adopted EL or English Learners as the most neutral, accommodating term.
ELL stands for English Language Learners. Like EL, ELL refers to students who are acquiring or learning English, but ELL traditionally stresses that acquiring English is a student's primary focus of learning. It remains widely used, although many schools and districts have gradually switched to "EL," delineating a broader, more inclusive view of English learners. This change acknowledges that anything that generates language is one part of the student's educational experience, not the whole experience itself.
SL stands for English as a Second Language, one of the oldest and most established terms in English language education. ESL has traditionally been used to describe programs that instruct non-native speakers in English; however, it has historically also been used to refer to students in those programs. Its use has decreased more recently since ESL does not capture the full range of multilingual backgrounds of students who may speak multiple languages.
ESOL refers to English to Speakers of Other Languages. This term was devised in stark relief to "ESL" because most English learners may be fluently conversant in an assortment of multiple languages. These ESOL programs support the acquisition of English among students whose first language is not English and are common in situations with highly diverse student populations. The use of ESOL is also pervasive in certain adult education establishments designed to endorse, support, and further the interests of English language learners across the broadest spectrum of life and work situations.
Commonly referred to as LEP, Limited English Proficient is an older term that relates to students who need additional support in academic English proficiency. Historically, this term was used in federal education policies to identify students who can receive second language assistance both in and outside their classrooms. However, the LEP is outdated as it focuses on limitations rather than strengths and its negative implications surface whenever it is used. More and more educators and advocates prefer such alternatives as EL or MLL, which stress a student's journey toward mastering English versus defining them by how proficient they are at any point.
MLL is an acronym that means Multilingual Learner, becoming a popular universally inclusive nomenclature that considers the multilingual backgrounds of students. It indicates the emphasis on learning more languages rather than focusing exclusively on one's acquisition of English. The term describes those programs that support bilingualism and biliteracy considering multilingualism as an aid to learning. Such a language change reflects the general philosophy of education, characterized by the appreciation of linguistic diversity in welcoming students to verbally embellish their existing language competencies on the road to English learning.
Recognizing these acronyms puts just another layer of support around understanding how to best support students who additional language learners are. While terms such as English Learners, English Language Learners, Multilingual Learners, and many others seem to be interrelated and can be used interchangeably, each of these terms inscribes a view of the student's learning journey and language background.
While building a community that appreciates diversity in our classrooms, we must pay attention to these distinctions so that our environments become nurturing and inclusive for all language learners. Your school would be either using "EL," "MLL," or yet by any other name depending on the ethos that drives the school, but all have one goal: helping students find the right tools and sending them forward to be successful.
