The Debate Over English Learner Terminology, Explained

The gifted and talented label tends to carry a positive connotation compared to the generally more negative connotation tied to the English learner label.

That could be because one gives a student access to advanced coursework, while the other has been known to create barriers to those things, said Leslie Villegas, a senior policy analyst with the left-leaning think tank New America. Anecdotally, she has heard of families concerned over their children being labeled as English learners, fearful that the students would essentially receive a remedial education.

“Language learning broadly, in the United States, is looked down upon for some populations and not others,” Villegas said.

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