Reexamining English Only in the ESL Classroom

TLDR

Many U.S. ESL educators still uphold English‑only instruction despite widespread opposition and advocacy for bilingual education. The article argues that English‑only instruction is ideologically driven, rests on unexamined assumptions, reinforces inequities, and calls for recognizing learners’ linguistic resources and community expertise. The study reviews evidence that L1 and bilingual options are effective and necessary for adult ESL learners with limited L1 literacy, demonstrating benefits across all levels.

Abstract

Despite widespread opposition to the English Only movement, support for bilingual education, and advocacy for language rights, many U.S. ESL educators continue to uphold the notion that English is the only acceptable medium of communication within the confines of the ESL classroom. Although the exclusive use of English in teaching ESL has come to be seen as a natural and commonsense practice which can be justified on pedagogical grounds, this article argues that it is rooted in a particular ideological perspective, rests on unexamined assumptions, and serves to reinforce inequities in the broader social order. Evidence from research and practice is presented which suggests that the rationale used to justify English only in the classroom is neither conclusive nor pedagogically sound. Further, the article details a growing body of evidence indicating that L1 and/or bilingual options are not only effective but necessary for adult ESL students with limited L1 literacy or schooling and that use of students' linguistic resources can be beneficial at all levels of ESL. Accounts from a number of projects, including two with which the author has been involved, document a range of uses for the native language in both initial literacy and ESL instruction for adults. Finally, because the issue of language choice is so intimately linked with issues of power, the article calls for reconceptualizing the notion of expertise to legitimate the knowledge and experience of nontraditional experts from the communities of the learners.