15 ELL Strategies for Paraprofessionals | Colorín Colorado:  As a paraprofessional who works with Multilingual Learners, you have an important role to play in supporting your students! Here are some tips, videos, and valuable resources that will help you in your role. 

About | Multilingual Learners:  The Multilingual Learners Program at SRI Education promotes equitable educational opportunities for multilingual learners from early childhood through postsecondary education. Resources include podcast episodes, educator videos, and research reports and briefs. 

Blog | TESOL | International Association:  For news, updates, and collaborative advice on successful teaching methods and other critical subjects in English language instruction, educators can use this blog to learn more about assessment, classroom activities, classroom management, and more!

Center for Open Educational Resources for Language Learning |COERLL: This site provides resources in several languages, including lesson plans, podcasts, language curricula, and open textbooks. COERLL’s language learning materials are openly-licensed OER and free to use and adapt!

Culture and Language | HeadStart.gov: Offers resources, strategies, and guidance to support the growth of dual language learners (birth–5) in early childhood programs and within the home, emphasizing the strengths of each child's individual culture and language.  

Digital Promise: A global nonprofit organization that works with educators, researchers, technology leaders, and communities to develop resources that serve all learners.  A quick search provides excellent resources, such as Unlocking the Potential of Technology Innovations: A Vision for Supporting Multilingual Learners, How Can Edtech Tools Best Support Multilingual Learners? Here Are 5 Recommendations – Digital Promise, and ChatGPT as a Collaborative Thought Partner: Opportunities and Challenges for Multilingual Writers – Digital Promise.

Dual Language Learners | NAEYC:  A variety of inspirational resources for educators and families that support young children learning a second language while continuing to develop their home language. Features include blogs and informative podcasts!

Duolingo:  The free, fun, and effective way to learn a language! 

Duoreader: The amazing tool is available via web, Android, and iOS, and offers a collection of classic texts. New features include the ability to import and read your own ePUB and PDF files, Smart Dictionary (powered by AI), multiple voices and adjustable reading speeds, AI live translation, and an enhanced library.  

EL Education - Teaching English Language Learners: This national nonprofit organization partners with K-12 educators to provide proven instructional practices, high-quality curriculum, educator resources, and professional learning that support equitable outcomes for all learners.

English Language Learners | Edutopia: This engaging collection of articles, videos, podcasts, and other resources is designed to support effective teaching and meaningful learning for multilingual learners. Explore research-based strategies, gain practical insights, and connect with educators to discover instructional practices that support multilingual learners' success. 

English Learner Tool Kit for State and Local Education Agencies: Serving as a comprehensive resource for educators and education agencies at the state and local levels, this toolkit contains 10 chapters focused on vital topics such as program evaluation, family engagement, and the identification of multilingual learners, including those with disabilities. It is part of a broader suite of resources that includes the Newcomer Toolkit and the English Learner Family Toolkit

How to Use Technology to Support ELLs in Your Classroom | Common Sense Education:  This short article provides resources for quality edtech for multilingual learners, including Khan for Educators (US),  BrainPOP ELL, Free For Teachers: Get Read&Write For Free | Everway, just to name a few!

Links - NJTESOL/NJBE: NJTESOL/NJBE is an organization of administrators and teachers committed to educating students who speak multiple languages. You can find a variety of helpful resources for families and teachers on this site, including instructional tools, advocacy materials, videos, and podcasts.

Navigating Tough Topics in the Classroom: Tips for ELL Educators: This valuable toolkit highlights the importance of building a strong classroom community to help educators navigate challenging topics. By establishing shared guidelines and fostering inclusive environments, teachers can better support multilingual learners during difficult discussions.

New to Teaching ELLs? | Colorín Colorado:  Discover a curated collection of resources to support educators who are new to working with multilingual learners. Featuring teacher-led discussions, videos, articles, toolkits, research, and reports, these resources offer practical strategies to strengthen instructional planning and foster meaningful student engagement. 

Preschool Classroom Teaching Guidelines:  These guidelines explore professional practices for those educating young children, offering assistance in implementing instructional strategies and competencies that are developmentally suitable and academically stimulating for preschool children. Specifically, Diverse Learners (p 24) and Children Who Are Dual Language Learners (p 28) address strategies for working with multilingual learners.  

Teaching English Language Learners | AdLit:  All About Adolescent Literacy provides teachers of middle and high school multilingual learners (MLs) with strategies and support directly from the classroom of teachers like you. Featured videos of classroom teachers sharing their resources, recommendations, and experiences give a unique and inspiring perspective!

Teaching With Standards | WIDA:  WIDA provides a variety of resources that help you understand how to use standards. For example, in the WIDA ELD Standards Framework and WIDA Spanish Language Development Standards guides, WIDA provides examples of each standard within a classroom context and makes explicit connections to content standards. Standards in Action | WIDA is a valuable tool to view real classroom examples from experienced educators.   

WIDA UW-Madison:  WIDA partners with educators by providing tools and resources that promote the success of multilingual learners. Through language development standards, assessments, professional learning, and instructional supports, WIDA helps educators create meaningful learning experiences that strengthen language development and academic achievement. Resources are filtered by topics, languages, and type and include monthly topical Focus Bulletins. 

Multilingual newcomers are students who have recently arrived in the United States—typically within the past 6 to 36 months—and are navigating a new language, school system, culture, and social environment. As they adjust to these new experiences, they may benefit from specialized support to help them succeed academically and socially. Within this diverse group are students with varied backgrounds and experiences, including those with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE), asylees and refugees, and unaccompanied children.

The resources below take an asset-based approach, recognizing and building on the strengths, knowledge, cultural assets, and lived experiences that multilingual newcomers bring to the classroom.

English Language Learners | Edutopia: This engaging collection of articles, videos, podcasts, and other resources is designed to support effective teaching and meaningful learning for multilingual learners. Explore these resources specific to newcomers: How to Welcome Newcomers in the Classroom | Edutopia, Tips for Fostering Healthy Integration of Newcomer Students in U.S. Schools | Edutopia, Using an Input Loop to Help Newcomer Students Learn Class Content, and Innovative Ways To Acclimate New Students to Your School. 

Newcomer Toolkit | NCELA - English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs:  Comprising five chapters of overviews, practical tools, and resources, the Newcomer Toolkit is tailored for U.S. elementary and secondary educators—including teachers, principals, and staff—who provide direct support to immigrant students, such as refugees and asylees, and their families.  The accompanying webinar, Newcomer Toolkit: Providing High-Quality Instruction and Support for Newcomer Students | NCELA - English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs, provides additional information and resources!

Supporting Newcomer Students: Resource Gallery | Colorín Colorado:  Important resources that support schools' partnerships with the multilingual families of English language learners (ELLs), with a special focus on newcomer families and resources for educators who are new to working with ELLs. 

WIDA Focus Bulletin: Content, Language, and Literacy Learning for Secondary Newcomers:  A classroom teacher shares her scaffolding strategies to support learners to read, write, listen, and speak through grade-appropriate literacy experiences. 

10 Strategies for Supporting SEL for ELLs: "Grow As You Go" | Colorín Colorado:  Learn how one elementary school with a large population of ELLs is integrating social and emotional learning more deeply throughout its school community and how those efforts are supporting student success.

How to Support the Social and Emotional Health of Middle/High School ELLs:  Educating middle and high school multilingual learners (MLs) offers unique opportunities and challenges. Success requires addressing their specific social and emotional needs, especially given their frequent responsibilities at home. This article (and teacher videos) provides practical strategies and expert insights to help you support your students' well-being.

Navigating Tough Topics in the Classroom: Tips for ELL Educators | Colorín Colorado: Educators are often faced with the dilemma of how to discuss challenging topics in the classroom. This ten-section toolkit provides steps that caring educators can take to build community, establish shared guidelines, and ensure that English language learners (ELLs) and immigrant students are included and supported in these discussions in meaningful ways. 

English Learners with Disabilities: Supporting Young Children in the Classroom:  While intended for educators pursuing professional growth, this module serves as an easily navigable and significant tool for instructional strategies. It offers a deep perspective on how to effectively support young multilingual learners with identified disabilities.

English Learner Tool Kit for State and Local Education Agencies: Serving as a comprehensive resource for educators and education agencies at the state and local levels, this toolkit contains 10 chapters focused on vital topics such as program evaluation and family engagement.  Chapter Six specifically focuses on providing tools and resources for addressing multilingual learners with disabilities. 

Intensive Intervention & English Learners | NCII: Provides resources and tools designed to support educators in implementing intensive intervention with multilingual learners. Resources include MTSS Multilingual Learners |Intensive Intervention | NCII and Supporting English Learners with Intensive Needs | NCII 

IRIS Center: English Learners with Disabilities: Supporting Young Children in the Classroom:  This online resource discusses screening, assessment, and the importance of maintaining home language.  Easily accessible with multiple resources and references for busy educators!

Special Education and English Language Learners | Colorín Colorado:  A valuable in-depth resource webpage for educators to meet the unique needs of multilingual learners with disabilities. Features include instruction and assessment, factors that can impact student success, and additional recommended resources. 

WIDA Supporting Multilingual Learners With Disabilities: Explore resources and strategies that help educators create inclusive, collaborative, and strengths-based learning environments. Multilingual learners with disabilities (MLSWD) bring diverse strengths, experiences, and learning needs. Explore more in the WIDA Focus Bulletin: Inclusive Practices for Multilingual Learners With Disabilities: Advocacy, Planning and Collaboration | WIDA, a wealth of information with voices from the classroom. 

English Language Proficiency Screening for Students with Disabilities:  During the enrollment process, Local Education Agencies (LEAs) evaluate students to identify supports necessary for academic programs. Detailed policies and procedures are available on this NJDOE website to assist LEAs in establishing the services required for student achievement. It is critical to adhere to these specific guidelines when supporting students who are identified as multilingual learners through the multi-step screening process and who also have a documented disability under a 504 Plan or IEP.

Guidance for Intervention, Evaluation, and Delivery of Special Education Services to Multilingual Learners:  Educators often struggle to determine if a multilingual learner's (ML) academic difficulty stems from language acquisition or other factors. This NJPSA guidance document helps merge federal and state regulations with best practices in ESL, bilingual, and special education. Developed by experts, it offers a practical framework for educators and families to make legally compliant decisions that respect each student's linguistic and cultural background.

NJDOE: Multilingual Learners (MLs) and Special Education Questions and Answers: This webpage provides guidance and resources on eligibility, referrals, evaluation, and services specific to the needs of Multilingual Learners with disabilities (MLSWD).

WIDA Alternate ACCESS:  This resource provides comprehensive information on summative assessments designed for English learners who have significant intellectual disabilities. It is intended to be used in conjunction with the ACCESS for English Language Learners (ELLs) guidance provided by the New Jersey Department of Education. To find the most recent updates regarding these assessments, please refer to the New Jersey | WIDA website.

Edutopia: This trusted source serves as a reliable social network and resource hub that highlights effective educational practices. Topics include resources for multilingual learners and family engagement, including  5 Culturally Responsive Family Engagement Strategies.  Explore the valuable resources this website offers!

English Learner Family Tool: Explore this toolkit for answers to questions families may have about enrollment, educational programs and services, health and safety guidance, and strategies for children's academic success. 

Family Toolkit | NCELA - English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs: The English Learner Family Toolkit was created to help families choose education services that meet their child’s needs. The family toolkit is available in English, Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish. Educators are encouraged to share this resource with their families. Supplemental materials include the EL Family Toolkit Tip Sheets | NCELA and  EL Family Toolkit App Tutorials | NCELA to help families navigate the toolkit. 

For Families | Colorín Colorado: These bilingual parent resources offer practical tips to support students’ reading, school success, and language development. Resources also guide building strong partnerships with teachers and schools. Explore reading tips and games, bilingual booklists, library ideas, author and musician videos, organized by topic for easy access 

Guidance for Families: Developed by the New Jersey Department of Education, this comprehensive resource offers expert guidance to help parents and families support their children’s educational journey and actively participate in the school community. Additionally, it provides essential insights into the roles and responsibilities of school districts in providing a quality education for multilingual learners. 

WIDA Engaging Families and Communities: Discover strategies and tools that cultivate meaningful partnerships among educators, students, families, and communities, centering collaboration to enhance support for multilingual learners.

California Coalition for Inclusive Learning - Multilingual Learners:  This online learning platform provides an excellent opportunity to explore and deepen understanding of UDL practices for multilingual learners.  Structured in manageable time frames to fit educators' busy schedules, the site offers slide decks, short videos, webinar recordings, and guided note-taking materials to enhance learning.  

edWeb.net:  Create a free account, which will provide access to pre-recorded webinars, podcasts, and other resources!  You will also receive information for upcoming live webinars and ways to connect with professional learning communities, such as Helping ELL, ESL, and Bilingual Students Succeed 

Grow | WIDA:  Sources include self-paced workshops, virtual and recorded webinars, and featured resources that are designed to meet educators in terms of learning needs and schedules.  

IRIS Center: English Learners with Disabilities: Supporting Young Children in the Classroom:  This free professional learning module offers an overview of young children who are English learners, highlights the importance of maintaining children's home language at the same time they are learning a new or second language, discusses considerations for screening and assessing these children, and identifies strategies for supporting them in inclusive preschool classrooms. 

Online Learning Resources - Center for Applied Linguistics:  Excellent online resource including free webinars and videos, blogs, and an extensive collection of free publications, all curated within their comprehensive Resource Center.