Which of the following should the school principal recommend to support Kai?

• A. Waiting until Kai learns English on his own.
• B. Having only one generalist teacher handle ELLs.
• C. Building periods into the day for tutoring staffed by trained language/ESL assistants.
• D. Abandon ESL programs.

Answer: (C)

Providing targeted, explicit language support within the school day is essential for Kai’s English development and academic progress. Building periods into the day for tutoring staffed by trained language/ESL assistants gives Kai regular access to instructors who specialize in language acquisition. These professionals can tailor instruction to his current level, model appropriate language, and scaffold tasks so he can participate in content work while still building his language skills. This approach keeps language learning integrated with daily classes rather than waiting for it to happen on its own, which often leads to gaps in both language and content understanding. It’s also more effective than relying on a single generalist teacher for all ELLs, since that would spread limited expertise and time across many students. Abandoning ESL programs would remove the specialized support Kai needs to develop proficient language abilities. In short, dedicated tutoring time with trained ESL staff offers structured, ongoing help that supports both language growth and overall learning.