Powerful Practices for Supporting English Learners

For many years, sociolinguists and other scholars have studied the complex relationship between language and ethnic identity. In an article entitled Preserving the Cultural Identity of English Language Learners (2004), Sumaryona and Ortiz write: Recognizing and validating multiple cultural identities in the classroom community and developing positive student-teacher relationships strengthen individuals' sense of worth and, ultimately, their academic performance. Similarly, understanding and supporting the cultural norms of diverse learners help to create a safe and nurturing environment, which motivates students to take the necessary risks to be successful. Therefore, it is essential to find meaningful ways to incorporate the richness of students' cultural backgrounds into the curriculum--