Welcome to Advocating for Emergent Bilinguals through Language and Literacy (AEBLL)!

Who are emergent bilinguals?

• Students who are learning English as a New Language (ENL) at school.
• Some of the most vulnerable children in our nation who continue to struggle academically - the graduation rate of English Language Learners in NY State is currently 27%.

My mission both personally and professionally is to advocate for emergent bilinguals and their teachers by offering services that provide information about language and literacy acquisition, the academic needs of our students, and how those needs can be met in the classroom, in addition to providing free access to resources and materials that support our students and teachers.

Why ‘emergent bilingual’?

• A term currently used by the academic research community and NY State that reflects a more positive attitude toward the abilities of English learners in our schools and acknowledges their home languages.
• Our students are often characterized as ‘lacking language’. Our students have language! It’s their home language, of which they are fluent speakers.
• The home language and culture can be used as a resource for learning in the classroom.