What is an ELL?

An English language learner (ELL) is anyone who speaks a primary language other than English and is learning the English language.

Almost 28% of Head Start families speak a primary language other than English at home. More than 140 languages are spoken among the more than 900,000 Head Start children served annually.

ELLs participate in language programs such as: English as a Second Language (ESL), English Language Acquisition (ELA), Second Language Acquisition (SLA) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL).