How should teachers support ELLs in language development and content knowledge?

• A. Use only translation of content.
• B. Avoid grammar explanations.
• C. Provide explicit vocabulary, sentence frames, and modeling.
• D. Ignore cultural differences.

Answer: (C)

Explicit vocabulary, sentence frames, and modeling give students a practical framework to grow language while mastering content. Teaching explicit vocabulary means identifying and teaching the key terms and academic language students will encounter, with clear definitions, pronunciation, and multiple contexts to reinforce use. Sentence frames provide ready-made structures that students can rely on to express ideas, ask questions, and write about the content, reducing the linguistic load and promoting more accurate, confident communication. Modeling shows how language is used in real tasks—through think-alouds, demonstrations, and exemplars—so students see how to combine content ideas with appropriate language and then practice with feedback.

These strategies support comprehension and production in tandem, offering comprehensible input, meaningful practice, and purposeful output that ties language to content. Relying on translation alone doesn’t build the productive language skills students need, skipping grammar explanations misses important rules that help with accuracy and more complex structures, and ignoring cultural differences can hinder engagement and access to learning.