One of the most effective ways to transform classrooms for multilingual learners, including English language learners (ELLs), is to prepare all teachers to differentiate instruction and assessment in ways that build on what these students can do with oral and written language. Teacher leadership offers the opportunity to build collective capacity in differentiating for multilingual learners through purposeful collaboration.

All teachers need to share responsibility for the multilingual learners in their classes, but their roles and responsibilities differ. General education teachers need to know how to differentiate content-area instruction and assessment by ELD levels so that ELLs have opportunities to learn in general education classes. ELD teachers need to know how to teach and assess language through content, and how to support their general education colleagues’ learning. As general education teachers assume responsibility for the ELLs in their classrooms, ELD teachers can take on more of a leadership and capacity-building role in the general education program.