Your Good Intentions Are Widening the Gap: What ENL Teachers Need to Hear

What does "stuck" actually look like in a classroom and whose job is it to fix it?In this S5E39 Part 1 episode of Schoolutions, I sit down again with Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh to discuss their newest collaboration, Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals. They talk about why the phrase "long-term English learner" needs to go, and what "stuck" looks like in a classroom. This episode is a must-listen for any teacher looking to improve their English language instruction and support every student.Beth shares a powerful classroom story about a ninth grader who could explain physics perfectly in social language but needed explicit support to reach academic language. Tan shares what it felt like to arrive in the U.S. as a five-year-old Vietnamese refugee and later be told his "creative" science writing wasn't science writing at all.Some episode mentions👇💫The Writing Revolution by Natalie Wexler and Judith Hochman💫Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals by Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh (their first book)💫Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals by  Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh  (the new book)💫The 2020 WIDA framework💫The original WIDA "Can Do" philosophy💫Ruslana Westerlund — contributor to the 2020 WIDA frameworkPublications💫Scientific American — mentioned as an example of science writing for non-scientists🔑 Topics discussed:➡️ Why "experienced multilingual" replaces deficit language around student engagement and student motivation➡️ What stuck looks like and how it starts as early as 4th grade (classroom behavior vs. academic language)➡️ Social language vs. academic language: the continuum and why it matters for active learning➡️Why every content teacher is responsible for the language of their discipline and how that supports inclusive teaching➡️Good-intentioned practices that actually increase the gap (a must-hear for instructional coaching and teacher support)➡️ The equity argument for explicit instruction as the most generous form of culturally responsive teachingMore resources from Tan & Beth:Huynh, T. & Skelton, B. (2026).A Scaffolding Strategy to Help Experienced ELLs Express Complex Ideas. EdutopiaHuynh, T., & Skelton, B. (2025).Sentence-Level Scaffolds That Foster English Learners' Independence and Growth. EdutopiaHuynh, T., & Skelton, B. (2025).Adapting Gradual Release of Responsibility for English Language Learners. EdutopiaHuynh, T., & Skelton, B. (2025).Using an Input-Output Loop to Help Newcomer Students Learn Class Content. EdutopiaChapters:0:00 Welcome & guest introductions1:45 Research nugget: The Writing Revolution (Tan)2:55 Research nugget: WIDA 2020 framework (Beth)3:50 Why this book? Origin of Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals5:40 Why "long-term English learner" needs to go (asset vs. deficit language)7:50 What "stuck" looks like: the convex lens classroom story11:00 Social language vs. academic language explained13:00 Every content teacher IS a language teacher14:40 Beth's husband's geology thesis (and why science writes in passive voice)16:50 Tan's "sandwiched" rock layers story (two Englishes)18:45 Lightning round: Q&A with Beth and Tan22:00 Preview of Part 2 with the input-output loop & language domainsJoin our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #MultilingualLearners #ELLTeachers #AcademicLanguage #ExperiencedMultilinguals #EquityInEducation #InclusiveClassrooms #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherCoaching #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #StudentEngagement #StudentMotivation #ActiveLearning #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #EducationLeadership #SchoolCulture #TeacherSupport #MentorTeachers #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #SchoolChange #ClassroomBelonging #AntibiasTeachingWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.