At an approximate tally of 114,415, roughly 13.3% of the Colorado public school system is comprised of English Language Learners as of the years 2012-2013. School District 1 in Denver County comes in 12th in the country for the largest concentration of ELL students with 31.4% of that district’s student population. Among these students, a majority of them speak Spanish, with Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian making up the most common languages spoken, in that order.
The following is a list of useful resources and programs for ELL students living in Colorado.
State of Colorado Informational Resources:
- Colorado Department of Education:
- ELL Support Page:
- Colorado DOE Learning Standards Assessments:
- WIDA English Language Development Standards:
As of 2013, Colorado has membership in WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment), an organization comprised of a number of different states throughout the country dedicated to raising the standards of bilingual education policies and monitoring the progress and development of ELL’s in the United States.
Educational Programs and Learning Resources:
- Colorado TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) – An advocacy group dedicated to supporting teachers and students participating in second language courses by encouraging positive development, high educational standards, and policies that foster successful teaching outcomes:
- AFT Colorado – The Colorado regional affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers campaigns for the preservation of the highest quality educational conditions for teachers and students alike at schools throughout the country through their support for strong tenure laws, teacher certification requirements, and essential school funding initiatives:
- The Latino Family Literacy Project – A program that teaches parents how to read with their children, establish a reading routine, and promote learning of the English vocabulary together as a family.
- The Latino Family Literacy Project Online Webinars: Due to the unavailability of in-person workshops in Colorado, the LFLP offers online webinars for Infant-Toddler/Pre-K, Elementary, and Middle/High School Programs that can be accessed from any location. Check upcoming dates:
- Family Phonics Workbooks: An English vocabulary program for parents and children learning English, with an emphasis on helping families build a strong English vocabulary and adapt proper pronunciation through the use of phonics:
If your school could benefit from an ELL program for parents, The Latino Family Literacy Project offers in person and online training for teachers and staff. Click here for more information.
References