Definition of EL

Definition of ELL

The term EL (English Learner) refers to students who are in the process of developing the English language proficiency needed to succeed in English-medium classrooms.  Federal legislation refers to the term limited English proficient (LEP) to describe the same group of people.
According to Section 9101 of Title IX, an LEP student:
- is between the ages of 3 and 21
-is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary or secondary school;
-has one of these three profiles:
          *Was not born in the USA or speaks a native language other than English
          *Is a Native American, and Alaskan Native, or a native resident of the outlaying areas, and
           comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact
           on his or her level of English language proficiency.
          *Is migratory, has a native language other than English, and comes from an environment
           where a language other than English is dominant.