Academic Achievement and Course Taking Among Language Minority Youth in U.S. Schools: Effects of ESL Placement
Open accessAbstract
English as a second language (ESL) is meant to provide a meaningful education for students learning English (ELLs); however, its effects remain largely unexplored. Using longitudinal, nationally representative data from the Educational Longitudinal Study, the authors estimate the effects of ESL placement on language minority (LM) adolescents’ college preparation and academic achievement. Findings indicate that LM students who most closely fit the EL profile (recent immigrant, relatively low English proficiency) experience positive math outcomes and null effects in other academic areas; however, LM students who fit this profile less well experience negative effects. Results suggest that although ESL placement may benefit students most in need and for a limited time after arrival, considerable caution is advised in students’ placement and retention in ESL.
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School-level systems that hold ELL students in language intensive classes too long limit students' access to an enriching and diverse curriculum such as school music classes and rigorous academic classes.
“school-level systems that hold ELL students in language intensive classes too long limit students' access to an enriching and diverse curriculum such as school music classes and rigorous academic classes”
From Understanding Participation in Secondary Music Classes: A Literature Review (2020) · cites this paper as Callahan et al., 2010
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“While discrete instruction in English is of course a central facet of a program of linguistic support services, research suggests that to be most effective, English instruction must be integrated within an academic context (August & Shanahan, 2006; Lyster, 2007; Norris & Ortega, 2000).”
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Disproportionality and Learning Disabilities: Parsing Apart Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Language
Shifrer, D., Muller, C., & Callahan, R. (2011) · Journal of Learning Disabilities · doi:10.1177/0022219410374236 · Cited by 241 · see citing works
Self-citationLouie, B., Björling, E. A., & Kuo, A. C. (2021) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2021.566909 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Understanding Participation in Secondary Music Classes: A Literature Review
Pendergast, S. (2020) · Update: Applications of Research in Music Education · doi:10.1177/8755123320928479 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
- Authors
- Callahan, R., Wilkinson, L., & Muller, C.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- Portland State University (US)
- Venue
- Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis
- Published
- 2010-03
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 84-117
- ISSN
- 0162-3737 (ISSN-L)
- 1935-1062
- PMC
- PMC4244003
- OpenAlex
- W2160585162
- Cited by
- 219
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 34.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- PDXScholar (Portland State University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- University of Texas at Austin (R24HD042849, 5 R24 HD042849)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R24HD042849)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Linguistics and Language › Multilingual Education and Policy
- Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
- Social Sciences › Education › Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees
- Keywords
- language minority students, academic performance, cumulative grade point average, English proficiency, Lau v. Nichols, English language learners, educational equity
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