Frequently asked questions regarding English language learners:

A group of teachers taking my class through Portland State University were discussing plans for a group project. They were to demonstrate applying the tenants of exemplary sheltered instruction through their presentation. One teacher suggested using frogs. Another teacher in the group responded anxiously: “FROGS, and what did that mean again?” She assumed it must be yet another incomprehensible acronym to deal with. It was at that time that I came to realize that a cheat sheet of sorts might be helpful.

• AAVE: African American vernacular English
• AEL: academic English language - the students' proficiency with English used for academic purposes
• AYP: adequate yearly progress, as outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act
• BE: bilingual education
• BICs: basic interpersonal communication skills (social English)
• CAL: Center for Applied Linguistics
• CALLA: Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach – by Uhl-Chamot et al, which emphasizes the teaching of skills and metacognition in addition to content mastery
• CALP: cognitive academic language proficiency (academic English)
• CBI: Content-based instruction uses content derived from academic subject matter as a vehicle for simultaneous English language acquisition and learning
• CLD: Culturally and linguistically diverse
• CLT: Communicative language teaching posits that language is best learned when used for meaningful communication in a specific context for authentic purposes
• EAL: English as an additional language
• EFL: English as a foreign language
• EL: English learner
• ELA: English language arts
• ELD: English language development instruction, in which the emphasis is on language learning, vocabulary development, and listening and speaking. Attendantly, literacy may be addressed as well.
• ELL: English language learner
• ENL: English as a new language
• ESD: English as a second dialect
• ESL: English as a second language
• ESOL: English to speakers of other languages
• ESP: English for specific purposes
• FEP: fluent/fully English proficient
• GLAD: Guided language acquisition design model
• HL: heritage language of the student
• HLS: home language survey (to be given to all students at registration to determine which are ELL)
• IPT: Idea Proficiency Test
• KAL: knowledge about language (to include linguistic, metalinguistic, discourse, interactional, formulaic, socio-cultural, and strategic competencies)
• L1: the native language of the student
• L2: the second language of the student
• LAL: literacy, academics, and language
• LAS: Language assessment scales
• LEP: limited English proficient
• LTEL: long-term English learner (students who seem to be stymied in their acquisition of more complex academic English)
• MEP: Migrant education program
• NCLB: No Child Left Behind
• NCTE: National Council of the Teachers of English
• NEP: non-English proficient
• NES: non-English speaking
• OCR: Office of Civil Rights
• OELA: Office of English Language Acquisition (US Department of Education)
• PEP: potentially English proficient
• PHLOTE: Primary home language other than English
• SDAIE: specially designed academic instruction in English, which emphasizes content learning and literacy skills development through modifications in instructional strategies and the cognitive and linguistic demands of the task
• SEI: sheltered English immersion
• SEL: standard English learner (for those who speak dialects of English other than standard English)
• SIOP: Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol – a tool designed by J. Echavarria and D. Short to evaluate and plan sheltered lessons
• SOLOM: Student Oral Language Observation Matrix
• TESOL: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Language