Who are the adolescent ELLs in adult ESL classes?
Adolescent ELLs usually are first-, second- or third-generation students who received the majority of their schooling in the United States, or are newcomers—immigrants who have recently arrived in the United States. Fifty-six percent of the 1.6 million ELLs in grades 6-12 are second- or third-generation, U.S.-born children of immigrants (Capps et al, 2005). These students, sometimes referred to as Generation 1.5, may be enrolled in bilingual or ESL programs for years before being promoted, dropping out, or enrolling in an adult ESL program. Their levels of first and second language literacy (reading and writing skills) and oral proficiency are often unequal, with literacy skills in both languages being significantly lower than their oral language skills (Harklau, 2003). Newcomer students with interrupted schooling often lack native language literacy and academic content knowledge. They also may experience social and cultural adjustments that affect or prevent their learning in the Unit
