Supporting ELLs Who Lack an Active Guardian
Sarah Elia
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), there were 13,513 encounters of unaccompanied minors in December 2023 and 8,571 in January 2024. As unaccompanied minors continue to enter the United States, it is important to recognize that many of them ultimately have a guardian who has little to no involvement in their new lives here in the U.S. High school educators of English learners are well familiar with this fact.
Without support at home to ensure academic success, educators are left with a role that reaches beyond mandates and job expectations. Supporting these students is a tremendous responsibility that requires a whole-school approach. Here are some examples.
Ensure teachers know these students' home situation. Teachers appreciate having this information and it ensures they will be more empathic to the students’ situation. This also creates an opportunity for discussion among ELL specialists, administrators, support staff, and classroom teachers on how to best support this student in ways that are not conventional or typical in your school. You may have to treat this situation as a unique one and consider how you may support this student in ways that you have not used in the past.
Praise and celebrate attendance to ensure ELs feel they are a welcomed member of the school community. Attendance among this population is typically less steady than students who have an active guardian at home. When these students come to school, welcome them with “I’m so happy to see you!” rather than “where have you been?” If you’re comfortable giving them a high five, fist bump, or a hug, do it. They need to feel that school is their home and they are a valuable part of the community. More specific details and resources for creating a welcoming atmosphere can be found here. After students have settled in and feel comfortable and safe, you can have a serious conversation about attendance.
Offer emotional and psychological support at school. A multilingual school counselor, social worker, psychologist, and/or family advocacy worker should be available to support students during school hours. Some students may need someone to talk to about what they are experiencing because, at this young age, it is difficult for them to grapple with their new way of life without a guardian to support them emotionally. They may need someone to listen and empathize, and guide them in a positive direction. If your school lacks such professional staff, your school counselor may be able to find someone off campus who your student can communicate with either in person or remotely.
Offer alternate opportunities to complete coursework. At my school we have an online program that allows students an opportunity to complete courses in varying subject areas at their own pace, with native language accommodations. This is usually done during a designated period of the school day or after school in our extended day program with support from a certified teacher. It is helpful for all ELs who have unsteady attendance and other hurdles.
Contact students regularly to check in on them. Let students know that you are thinking about them and that the school staff cares about them. This can be challenging when your caseload is so high and staffing at your school, like many schools, is limited. But frequent communication within your means is impactful.
Make it a team effort. The challenge across the country with support for ELLs is that they are an extremely high-needs population yet the mandated staffing remains limited. In addition, many of our schools do not have enough multilingual professionals to support ELLs. This is why it is even more necessary to create a team of staff to support this group of students. This may include school counselors, social workers, classroom teachers, ELL specialists, administrators, family advocacy staff, and translators.
Remain optimistic about their success and be their cheerleader. School is likely the strongest support system this group of students has and as a result, we, as educators, must maintain the highest level of optimism and positivity for their benefit. Don’t lose hope, don’t stop trying regardless of the odds against them. Your optimism, combined with the efforts listed above, will only help their chances of success. Let these students know that you believe in their success and you believe that their future is bright.
In the end, maintaining stamina to provide adequate care and attention to this vulnerable group of students is difficult and sometimes our efforts are to no avail. It’s important to remember that the work we do positively impacts countless lives, as we are like parents to these young people.
By implementing these strategies, school districts can create a supportive and inclusive educational environment where all students have the opportunity to thrive academically and linguistically while learning more about each other. Embracing multilingual access not only fulfills legal requirements but also embodies our commitment to equity and excellence in education. It is important to always remain curious as we learn, grow and lead together!