History of ELL

By: Olivia Heyser, Celine Hermann, Megan Turner,

and Lauren Seitz
Objectives:
Relate Americas early languages to the
development of ELL education.
Recall facts about the history of ELL.
Create a timeline of the history of ELL.
Bilingualism in Colonial America
18 different languages spoken by European
ethnic groups and Indian tribes.
Being bilingual was common among the
working classes as well as the educated.
Native language schools were most common
throughout the colonies.
 ...Bilingualism in Colonial America Continued

German-speaking Americans were

operating schools in 1694 in
Philadelphia.
By 1750, all schools hoped to teach
instruction in English, which angered
German parents.
No Official Language
During the American Revolution people wanted to get rid of English as the
main language and wanted German, French, Greek or Hebrew to become the
national language.
John Adams was the first person to try and establish a school strictly to
improve people's language.
In 1780 he proposed the American Language academy, which aimed to
improve and correct peoples ability to speak English. However, his idea was
ignored by continental congress.
...No Official Language Continued

Benjamin Rush also wanted to create a school system of bilingual

higher education, which was supposed to be a federally funded
German College.
The nations first institution of higher education was found in 1787 in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and it was conducted primarily in German.
This school continues today as Franklin and Marshall College.
By the mid 1800s German-american schools were the most common
at the time, with lessons being taught in both German and English.
Did German Almost Become the Official U.S.
Language?
A myth that came after the Civil War is
that German failed by a single vote to
become the official language of the
U.S.
Frederick A.C. Muhlenberg, a
Pennsylvania German who served as
the first Speaker of the U.S. House of
Representatives, broke the tie involving
important federal laws in the German
language.
How ELL Education Became What it is Today:
In the 1960s, English as a second language was common among
many, now it is prescribed for language minority children.
Pull-out classes were the most common form of ESL instruction.
In 1966, Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages was
created (TESOL).
Up until the late 1980s, based on IQ tests administered in English,
disproportionate numbers of language-minority children ended up in
special education classes.
Timeline of ELL
1840: State systems of public education were established, some schools were bilingual
1954: Brown v. BOE: students were entitled to an education in which everyone had the
same opportunities as another student
1958: The National Defense Act encouraged the study of foreign languages in school
1963: ELL officially established due to rise in Cuban immigrants in Florida
1964: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act states that there can be no discrimination based on
race, color, or national origin. This act is the reason why schools received funding to
support these programs.
1968: Bilingual Education Act VII - the federal government gave grants and resources
to schools to help develop and train teachers to teach their students successfully.
2002: No Child Left Behind Act
Timeline worksheet
Work with a partner and create a history of ELL timeline.
Discussion Question
How does the information on bilingualism in the colonies relate to ELL
education?