How can adult ESL programs and administrators support adolescent ELLs?
Program administrators can adapt aspects of their adult ESL programs in a variety of ways to be more welcoming and helpful to adolescent ELLs. Adolescent-specific policies and criteria regarding entry and exit in adult ESL programs might be established. Some adolescent ELLs who enter adult ESL programs may possess educational records from their native country or the United States that should be consulted when placing them and considering instructional options for them. One way to inform and improve upon these administrative procedures is to establish systems of national data collection and analysis that portray an accurate picture of adolescent ELLs and their needs. Doing this will facilitate easy access to student records when highly mobile adolescents move from one school system to another. Adult ESL programs may also wish to identify grant-making organizations that donate funds for work with adolescent populations. ( e.g., the Web site of The Foundation Center, http://www.fdncenter.
