Understanding English Language Learning (ELL) in BC Schools 

A Guide for Multilingual Families 

Starting school in a new language can bring a mixture of excitement, pride, and uncertainty. 

As a parent, you may find yourself wondering: 

• Is my child understanding what is happening in class? 

• How long will it take them to learn English? 

• Should we stop speaking our home language so they can learn English faster? 

• If they are struggling with reading or writing, is it because they are learning English, or could there be a learning difference? 

These are important questions, and for many immigrant and multilingual families, they are also very personal ones. 

I understand some of these questions from my own experience as an English language learner (ELL). Learning a new language is not simply about memorizing new words. A child may be learning new sounds, vocabulary, grammar, classroom expectations, cultural references, and academic language, all while continuing to learn math, science, reading, writing, and everything else their classmates are learning. 

The good news is that children do not have to navigate this process alone. In British Columbia, English Language Learning (ELL) services are designed to help students develop the English they need to participate in school and access the BC curriculum. 

Questions we’ll answer in this article:

1. What is English Language Learning (ELL)?
2. Who qualifies for ELL support in BC?
3. What does ELL support look like in schools?
4. Learning English is more than learning vocabulary
5. Is learning two languages confusing for children?
6. English learning or a learning difference?
7. Can an English language learner also have a learning disability?
8. Can an ELL student have an IEP in BC?
9. How can families support English learning at home?
10. A personal note to multilingual families
11. References

What Is English Language Learning (ELL)? 

English Language Learning, commonly called ELL, refers to supports and services for students who are developing the English-language skills needed to participate successfully in school. 

The BC Ministry of Education and Child Care describes ELL services as supports that help students become proficient in the academic English used in BC schools and access the provincial curriculum. 

An English language learner is not necessarily a student who “doesn’t know English.” 

ELL students are incredibly diverse. A student might have recently arrived in Canada and be encountering English for the first time. Another may speak conversational English confidently but still need support with academic vocabulary, reading comprehension, or writing. Some children may have been born in Canada but primarily use another language at home. 

Being multilingual is a strength, not a deficit. Every language a child speaks brings valuable knowledge, culture, perspectives, and ways of connecting with others. Their home language provides a strong foundation to build upon as they learn English. 

Who Qualifies for ELL Support in BC? 

Schools do not determine ELL support simply by asking whether another language is spoken at home. 

According to BC Ministry policy, schools assess a student’s English-language proficiency to determine whether their English is sufficiently different from the academic English used in BC schools that specialized support is needed to access the curriculum. 

Students who require and receive ELL services may qualify for provincial ELL funding for up to five years, provided they continue to meet the eligibility requirements. 

This is an important distinction: five years refers to provincial supplemental funding eligibility. It does not mean every child should be completely proficient in academic English within five years. 

Children develop language at different rates depending on many factors, including their age, previous education, literacy in their first language, opportunities to use English, and individual learning profile. 

What Does ELL Support Look Like at School? 

There is no single ELL classroom model used by every school in British Columbia. 

Support is based on the student’s needs and may include: 

• individual or small-group instruction 

• support from an ELL specialist 

• instruction within the regular classroom 

• temporary pull-out instruction 

• adapted materials 

• additional time 

• visual supports 

• explicit vocabulary instruction 

• opportunities to practice speaking and listening 

• support understanding academic language and classroom expectations 

For students receiving provincially funded ELL services, BC requires an Annual Instructional Plan (AIP) designed around the student’s needs. Their English-language proficiency is assessed annually, and their progress in acquiring English must be communicated to parents. 

ELL support should also change as the student develops. As students become increasingly able to access the curriculum independently, the amount and type of specialized support may decrease. 

Learning English Is More Than Learning Vocabulary 

One reason ELL can sometimes be misunderstood is that conversational English and academic English are not the same thing. 

A child might sound fluent when talking with friends at recess but still have difficulty understanding a science textbook, explaining mathematical reasoning, interpreting a story, or writing an essay. 

That does not necessarily mean something is wrong. 

They may still be developing the language needed for academic learning. 

This is why teachers should consider a student’s language development, previous educational experiences, literacy skills, culture, and opportunities to learn when interpreting academic performance. 

Is Learning Two Languages Confusing for Children? 

This is one of the most common concerns multilingual parents have. 

The answer is no. 

Learning more than one language does not cause a speech or language disorder. Children around the world successfully grow up bilingual and multilingual. 

Children may sometimes mix languages within a sentence, know a word in one language but not another, or prefer one language depending on where they are and who they are speaking with. These can all be normal features of multilingual development. 

Most importantly, families generally do not need to stop speaking their home language in order to help their child learn English. 

Parents should communicate with their children in the language in which they can interact most naturally and meaningfully. Talking, telling stories, reading, singing, joking, asking questions, and having rich conversations in your strongest language all provide valuable opportunities for language development. 

Your home language is an asset, not an obstacle. 

English Learning or a Learning Difference? 

This is one of the most important, and sometimes most complicated, questions for families and educators. 

A child learning English may initially struggle with vocabulary, comprehension, reading, writing, following instructions, or expressing complex ideas. 

Some of these behaviours can resemble those associated with a learning differences. 

But learning English and having a learning difference are not the same thing. 

To understand what may be happening, educators and assessment professionals should look at the whole child, rather than interpreting an English test score in isolation. 

Questions may include: 

• How is the child developing in their home language? 

• What opportunities have they had to learn English? 

• How much previous schooling have they received? 

• Have they had consistent, high-quality instruction? 

• How are they progressing compared with students with similar language and educational backgrounds? 

• Do similar difficulties appear across languages? 

• How does the child respond when appropriate intervention is provided? 

For example, difficulty understanding vocabulary only in English may be related to English-language development. Persistent difficulties with language or literacy that also appear in a child’s stronger language, despite appropriate instruction, may warrant further investigation. 

There is no single sign or test that can answer this question by itself. Assessment of multilingual learners requires careful consideration of language, culture, educational history, instruction, development, and family information. 

Can an English Language Learner Also Have a Learning Disability? 

Absolutely. 

Being an English language learner does not protect a child from having dyslexia, ADHD, autism, a language disorder, or another learning or developmental difference. 

A student can be: 

an English language learner, 

a student with a learning difference, 

or both. 

This matters because there are two potential mistakes schools and families want to avoid. 

The first is over-identification: assuming that difficulty caused by learning a new language means the child has a disability. 

The second is under-identification: assuming that every difficulty is because the child is learning English and therefore missing a genuine learning difference. 

Research on multilingual learners has identified both as concerns. 

When difficulties persist, families can ask the school how the student’s English development, home-language skills, educational history, instruction, interventions, and progress have been considered. 

Can an ELL Student Have an IEP in BC? 

Yes, but being an English language learner by itself does not mean that a student needs an Individual Education Plan (IEP). 

ELL and Inclusive Education supports serve different purposes. 

An ELL student’s language needs are generally addressed through ELL services and an Annual Instructional Plan. 

However, an ELL student may also have a brain-based difference or diverse ability requiring additional educational support. When the requirements for an IEP are met, the student can receive ELL support and an IEP. 

In fact, BC Ministry policy explicitly recognizes that an ELL student may also meet the requirements for Inclusive Education support. 

In other words: 

• ELL support addresses language-learning needs. 

• An IEP addresses individualized educational needs associated with a disability or diverse ability when the applicable criteria are met. 

A child should not have to choose between the two. 

How Can Families Support English Learning at Home? 

One of the most valuable things parents can do is create a home filled with language, and that language does not have to be English. 

• Talk with your child. 

• Tell family stories. 

• Read together. 

• Sing songs. 

• Discuss what happened during the day. 

• Ask questions that require more than a yes or no. 

• Visit the library. 

• Talk about books, movies, recipes, sports, traditions, nature, or whatever interests your child. 

If you are comfortable speaking English, you can certainly create opportunities to practice it. But you do not need to replace your family’s language with English. 

Reading Rockets and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommend giving children meaningful opportunities to hear and use both languages. Reading to children in both languages and maintaining regular opportunities to communicate in the home language can support bilingual development. 

Families can also ask their child’s school: 

• What is my child’s current English proficiency level? 

• What ELL services are they receiving? 

• What are their current language-learning goals? 

• What progress are you seeing? 

• What can we reinforce at home? 

• If my child is struggling academically, how are we determining whether this is English-language development or something else? 

Parents do not need perfect English to be active partners in their child’s education. 

A Personal Note to Multilingual Families 

As an English language learner myself, there is one message I especially want families to hear: 

Your child’s first language is not something they need to leave behind in order to succeed in English. 

Language carries much more than words. 

It carries family relationships, humour, stories, culture, memories, identity, and belonging. 

Learning English can expand a child’s world without replacing the language, or languages, that are already part of who they are. 

And needing time or support to learn English says nothing about a child’s intelligence or potential. 

At Lightwell Learning, we believe the best support begins by understanding the whole learner: their strengths, needs, experiences, culture, languages, and individual way of learning. 

For multilingual children, that means asking not simply, “Why is this student struggling?” 

but: 

“What does this student already know, what are they learning, and what support will help them show us what they can do?” 

That small shift can make an enormous difference. 

— Sofia Lopez Nakashima, Senior Manager, Assessments

References 

Burr, E., Haas, E., & Ferriere, K. (2015). Identifying and supporting English learner students with learning disabilities: Key issues in the literature and state practice. Regional Educational Laboratory West at WestEd, U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. 

British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care. (2026). English Language Learning students. 

British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care. (2025). K–12 funding – English Language Learning (ELL). 

British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care. (n.d.). English Language Learning (ELL) teaching resources. 

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2008). Learning more than one language. Reproduced by Reading Rockets. 

Spear-Swerling, L. (n.d.). Learning disabilities in English language learners. Reading Rockets. 

The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. (2018). 10 key policies and practices for teaching English language learners. 

Reading Rockets. (n.d.). English Language Learners. 

Colorín Colorado. (n.d.). Special education and ELLs: The role of language.