When planning for a new ELL student, teachers should act on which of the following to inform instruction?

• A. Ignore cultural background and expect uniform learning
• B. Read about the student's culture and integrate relevant aspects into planning
• C. Use only English-language textbooks without adaptions
• D. Assume the student will learn at the same pace as native speakers

Answer: (B)

Understanding and using a new ELL student’s cultural background in planning makes instruction meaningful and accessible. When you learn about a student’s culture, language use at home, and prior schooling, you can choose materials, examples, and supports that connect to what they already know, helping them relate to and engage with the content. This approach builds on their language strengths, provides appropriate scaffolding, and respects that students may move at different paces and with different strategies than native English speakers. It also encourages practices like translanguaging, visuals, and family involvement that support learning across contexts. Relying on culture-ignorant strategies, only English textbooks, or assuming everyone learns at the same pace tends to overlook students’ needs and reduce their opportunities to succeed.