Getting to Know Your ELLs: Building Trust and Understanding Backgrounds

Before you can teach your English Language Learners (ELLs) effectively, you need to know who they are, not just their test scores, but their stories.

Why Relationships Matter for ELL Success

Learning about your students and sharing appropriate personal information is a powerful way to build trust. Trust becomes the foundation for risk-taking in language learning (Cummins, 2014). When students feel included and safe, they are more willing to participate academically, even if their English proficiency is low.

In this environment, students can demonstrate background knowledge—especially if appropriate scaffolding techniques are in place (Echevarría et al., 2017). This helps you determine whether lessons should balance content and language instruction equally, or focus more on one area.

Key Information to Gather

During the first few weeks, collect information about:

• Language background – Helps you know if there’s someone who can translate when needed.

• Academic history – Reveals if schooling was interrupted, if the student is gifted, or if they already know certain curriculum content.

• Cultural considerations – Shapes how you approach communication. Some cultures are more direct; others prefer a more indirect style (Gay, 2018). An approach that is too aggressive or too soft can complicate communication and cause misunderstandings.

• Interests – Can be leveraged to increase engagement and make learning more meaningful.

Ways to Learn About Your ELLs

1. Learn to pronounce their names
This may seem like common sense, but it’s not always easy when a name is unfamiliar. Research shows that correct name pronunciation is tied to a student’s sense of identity and belonging (Kohli & Solórzano, 2012). I had a substitute teacher in Grade 5 who repeatedly mispronounced my name, even after multiple corrections. I never formed a bond with her, and that experience stayed with me.
Tip: Have students record their names and write them down phonetically. Over time, you’ll get it right, and students will notice the effort.

2. Use surveys
Surveys can help you learn about students’ likes, dislikes, learning preferences, and backgrounds. This information can guide lesson planning and allow you to incorporate multiple means of representation, engagement, and action/expression (CAST, 2018). Using student interests—or reframing disliked subjects—can lower their affective filter (Krashen, 1982), making them more open to learning.

3. Have informal conversations
I teach small groups, so I take time to ask how they are, what they’re excited about, what subjects they enjoy, and where they need support. These chats often reveal academic or personal challenges that shape my teaching. If something concerning comes up, I share it with relevant staff—with the student’s permission.

4. Communicate with parents
Parents are the experts on their children (Garg, 2021). The parents I see regularly, and have strong relationships with, often share what’s happening at home—valuable insight I can use in class. Consistent communication through the school’s LMS also builds rapport.

5. Include ‘Culture Share’ activities
Students love to talk about their traditions and celebrations when invited. This doesn’t need to be a big event—it can be a short conversation or a quick share during class. These moments give students ownership of their knowledge and strengthen teacher–student connections.

How to Use This Knowledge

Once you’ve gathered this information, use it to:

• Link lessons to students’ lives – Build relevance into content.

• Activate prior knowledge – Connect new ideas to what students already know (Cummins, 2014).

• Avoid cultural missteps – Adapt your communication style to ensure clarity and respect (Gay, 2018).

Takeaway Tip

Create a simple student profile sheet for teachers to complete and keep handy for lesson planning. I’m currently developing one for my school and will share it here once it’s ready.

References

CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Cummins, J. (2014). Language, power, and pedagogy: Bilingual children in the crossfire. Multilingual Matters.

Echevarría, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. (2017). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP model (5th ed.). Pearson.

Garg, A. (2021). The role of parents in supporting children’s learning. International Journal of Education, 9(3), 45–52.

Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.

Kohli, R., & Solórzano, D. G. (2012). Teachers, please learn our names!: Racial microaggressions and the K–12 classroom. Race Ethnicity and Education, 15(4), 441–462. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2012.674026

Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon.