ESOL Terminology

Bilingual Education: An educational program in which two languages are used during instruction in order to 1) continue primary language (Ll) development, 2) provide instruction in content in both Ll and L2, and 3) English acquisition.

ESOL: English For Speakers of Other Languages
English instruction for the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills for non-English
speakers.

ESL: English as a Second Language

ESOL/HILT: English for Speakers of Other Languages/High Intensity Language Training; at the elementary level, a pull-out, half-day or full-day program to teach English; at the secondary level, highly concentrated classes for non-English speaking students.

HILT-X: HILT-Extension: English language program at the secondary level (two to four periods a day) for ESL students who have achieved English language proficiency beyond the level of the beginning HILT program (five to six periods per day).

LEP: Limited English Proficient, A student who is not fully English proficient, speaks a language other than English at home, and does not demonstrate English language skills of comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing at a level that would place him/her in a mainstream, English only class setting.

NEP: Non-English Proficient

PEP: Potentially English Proficient, An alternative to LEP.

NES: Non-English Speaking

Pull Out: Classes in which students are withdrawn from the mainstream regular subject classes for one or more periods a week, for English language instruction classes in smaller groups.

Two-Way Bilingual Education: Also known as two-way immersion or dual language program/dual immersion, these programs are designed to serve both language minority and language majority students concurrently. Two language groups are put together and instruction is delivered through both languages. For example, in the US, native English-speakers might learn Spanish as a foreign language while continuing to develop their English literacy skills and Spanish-speaking ELLs learn English while developing literacy in Spanish. The goals of the program are for both groups to become biliterate, succeed academically, and develop cross-cultural understanding (Howard, 2001).

For additional information about the ESL and Bilingual Education Terminology, please click on the link below.

NCBE, Glossary of Terms