English as a Second Language Education

English as a second language (ESL) is a specialized approach to English language teaching, intended for immigrants and other Americans who do not speak English in the home. This may include children born in this country who are exposed to another language in their home, or primarily speak another language in their home, as well as students who were born outside the United States. According to the U.S. Census, the number of children ages 5 through 17 who speak a language other than English at home doubled between 2000 and 2010. Over the past 20 years, the population of students who are English-language learners (ELLs) in American schools has increased by 160 percent, whereas the general student population has shown only a 20 percent increase.

English as a second language education dates back to the 1500s with the expansion of British trade routes around the world. English became important as a lingua franca for this trade, and was a language one needed to know to participate in this lucrative endeavor. As the British Empire grew and British colonies were created, it became important to have an educational system for teaching English to foreign-born colonists and local elites. The native leaders needed English to become functionaries for colonial governments.

In the United States, English as a second language education did not become important until the 20th century. Prior to this, immigrants tended to live in their own enclaves, where English was not necessary for survival. The jobs performed by immigrants were primarily manual labor, which did not require English language skills. In 1906, the Naturalization Act formalized the necessity of English instruction by requiring immigrants to learn English in order to become naturalized citizens.

Henry Ford in 1914 instituted the $5-a-day wage ceiling, which required his employees to live in single-family homes and learn English. By making people move out of their apartment neighborhoods, English became necessary for integration into the community, and if his workers moved and took English classes they were eligible for the maximum wage of $5.