





































Georgia Journal of Literacy 
2023, Vol. 45(2), pp. 4–14 
https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.107 
ISSN: 2833-7611 

Literature Review   

 

 

 

CONTACT Dr. Megan DeVoss, Part-Time Instructor, Department of Elementary through Secondary Education, 
University of West Georgia, Carrolton, GA; email mdevoss@westga.edu. 

 

Models of Instruction for Multilingual Learners: 
Facets of the ESOL Co-Teacher Role 
 
Megan DeVoss 
University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA 

 

ABSTRACT 

With nearly five million multilingual learners in U.S. schools, research is warranted 
for effective instruction that permits equal access to content standards through 
language diversification. Multilingual learners (MLs), students learning English who 
benefit from linguistic support to attain academic achievement, are served through 
models in U.S. schools that vary according to student needs and staffing capability, 
with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) as the dominantly 
implemented format. ESOL is a federally and locally funded program that provides 
structured academic and linguistic support and accountability for MLs across all 
grade levels. The purpose of this literature review is to compare the utility and 
effectiveness of the four program models approved by the U.S. Department of 
Education to effectively teach content and language to MLs in public schools: (a) 
structured English immersion, (b) bilingual education, (c) dual language or two-way 
immersion programs, and (d) English for Speakers of Other Languages (U.S. 
Department of Education & U.S. Department of Justice, 2015). Furthermore, this 
article is intended to examine the overarching model of ESOL—the most employed 
model in the U.S.—and the prominent delivery format of co-teaching. Each of the 
models mentioned above is discussed in this paper, followed by a delineation of 
state and federally-approved formats of ESOL: pull-out, push-in, resource labs, 
sheltered classes, innovative delivery models, and co-teaching. This article 
concludes with an examination of co-teaching, a subset of ESOL in which a general 
education educator and an ESOL teacher co-plan, co-instruct, and co-assess an 
integrated classroom of MLs and non-MLs.   

KEYWORDS 

multilingual 
learners; English 
learners; ESOL 
models; co-
teaching 

 

onstituting 10% of students in U.S. classrooms, multilingual learners embody a significant 

presence of culturally and linguistically diverse students who need appropriate, equitable 

education (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.). Pertaining to school-aged individuals, an 

English learner (EL) is an extension of a multilingual learner (ML), a student whose first language 

is not English and who requires assistance listening, speaking, reading, and/or writing English to 

achieve equal opportunity for academic success in a classroom with English instruction 

(Ballantyne et al., 2008; U.S. Department of Education, 2015). The need for language assistance 

is measured by an initial test, which varies by model of instruction and will be discussed in 

subsequent sections.  

National data released by the U.S. Department of Education (n.d.) indicate that MLs in 

U.S. schools speak over 400 languages, a statistic that generates inquiry about how to effectively 

educate students with such a broad spectrum of linguistic and cultural diversity. Addressing this 

need, Gottlieb (2006) admonishes that students “whose current English language proficiency 

preclude them from accessing, processing, and acquiring unmodified grade-level material in 

C 

mailto:mdevoss@westga.edu


DeVoss 5 

 

English without scaffolding and instructional support” require keen attention for holistic success 

(p. 4). This literature review aims to cross-examine models and formats of instruction for school-

aged multilingual learners. Research, pragmatics, and student needs guide the result of this paper 

to focus on co-teaching, a format of the popularly employed model of ESOL, as described in the 

subsequent discussion. 

 
Models of Instruction for Multilingual Learners 

The U.S. Department of Education supports four program models to effectively teach content and 

language to MLs in public schools: (a) structured English immersion, (b) bilingual education, (c) 

dual language or two-way immersion programs, and (d) English for Speakers of Other Languages 

(U.S. Department of Education & U.S. Department of Justice, 2015). Each model will be 

discussed, although this article focuses on a key aspect of the final format, co-teaching within 

ESOL. 

 
Structured English Immersion 

Structured English Immersion (SEI) programs serve students newly arrived in the United States 

through adapted courses, the goals of which are to learn English, gain cultural competency of 

school norms, and develop academic readiness to transition into mainstream classes (Lewis & 

Gray, 2016; Zacarian, 2011). SEI instructors deliver both English language and adapted content 

instruction to students all day in an isolated setting, such as a specific wing of a school or a separate 

building (Honigsfeld & Dove, 2010). At the secondary level, this delivery model is often termed 

a newcomer program, or a program offered only to students in their first or second year in a U.S. 

school (Short & Boyson, 2004). The primary benefit of SEI is an academic course load that is 

specifically adapted according to the language and academic needs of MLs. An additional benefit 

of SEI is the intentional outreach to families who, like the students, are new to the country and 

need assistance adapting through pragmatic means (Freeman & Freeman, 2002; Short & Boyson, 

2004). Since all the students served through SEI are equally in need of transition assistance, less 

shame or fear impedes school-family relationships compared to other models that serve both 

newcomers and native English speakers (Short & Boyson, 2004). 

Offered to immigrant students newly arrived in the U.S., SEI involves a linguistically 

diverse student population (or a set of students with many different home languages), which often 

results in English-only instruction. This English-only format is a direct result of staffing 

practicality. The practical aspect of staffing an SEI program considers how one English-speaking 

teacher can teach several students with different home languages through an English-only format. 

However, attempting a bilingual approach with such diverse languages would necessitate 

numerous instructors and, consequently, more funding. Nonetheless, SEI welcomes using the 

students’ primary language as practicable (Zacarian, 2011).  

The limitations of SEI reside in the isolation of social and cultural interaction from native 

English-speaking peers, which are encapsulated in Honigsfeld and Dove’s (2010) exclamation, 

“academic gains were reported at the expense of social integration” (p. 9). Social identity 

development of school-aged children will be discussed in forthcoming sections; however, it is 

worth noting that students’ social and interpersonal facets, particularly adolescents, significantly 

impact their learning ability (Ullman, 2010). Therefore, the SEI model has both benefits and 

disadvantages for MLs. 



6 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(2)  

 

Bilingual Education 

Bilingual education programs provide classroom instruction in two target languages—English and 

a non-English language—to students with a homogeneous native language and with the goals of 

biliteracy and bilingualism (Lewis & Gray, 2016). The goals are achieved by tapering the amount 

of instruction in each language through either a 90/10 or a 50/50 format (Honigsfeld & Dove, 

2010). In the 90/10 format, students initially receive instruction in their first language for 90% of 

the day and instruction in English for 10% of the day; with a gradual increase of English instruction 

time each year, the anticipated goal is 50% instruction in the first language and 50% in English 

during the third year of the bilingual program (Zacarian, 2011). In the 50/50 model, instruction is 

provided for equal durations throughout each year in the bilingual program. For clarification, the 

percentages of time are quantified by how many courses are instructed in that language. For 

example, in the 90/10 model, one of the six content courses may be initially instructed in English, 

and by the third year, three classes are taught in English. This gradual increase in English 

instruction during the school day is intended to match students’ readiness for additional 

development in the language (Honigsfeld & Dove, 2010). 

Large-scale, longitudinal research by Collier and Thomas (2017) in 36 school districts over 

32 years supports outcomes of bilingual education more than all other formats of language 

instruction to close the achievement gap for MLs, insofar as the students remain in the program 

for at least 5–6 years. Earlier research by Collier and Thomas (2002) revealed over half of the 

student participants in a bilingual program met or exceeded state benchmarks in reading on 

standardized tests in English, exceeding the outcomes of participants of any other English 

instructional format. While research confirms the effectiveness of bilingual education, a prominent 

restraint of this model rests in the feasibility of staffing sufficient bilingual educators to maintain 

such programs sustainably. Furthermore, the student body in bilingual programs must be 

homogenous, all speaking the same native language. In school districts with a diverse plethora of 

spoken languages, such as those in some U.S. urban centricities, the bilingual model is not realistic 

to serve all students equally. 

 
Dual Language Immersion 

The dual language (or two-way immersion) design is a branch of bilingual education. In the dual 

language model, which exists in more than 70 Georgia public schools, the student body contains 

students who are native English speakers as well as English learners; this linguistically 

heterogeneous student population aims to achieve bilingualism and biliteracy (Georgia 

Department of Education, n.d., 2023; Lewis & Gray, 2016). The student population is the sole 

differentiating factor of dual language immersion from the abovementioned bilingual education 

format. Ideally, the student body will contain a balance of homogeneous MLs (students who share 

a native language that is not English) and students who are native English speakers (seeking to 

learn the home language of the MLS). For example, all MLs in a dual language immersion program 

may speak Spanish as their native language. The native Spanish-speaking MLs aim to become 

bilingual in Spanish and English; meanwhile, native English speakers in the program also seek 

bilingualism in English and Spanish.  

Common to the bilingual model, this instructional format faces the hindrance of feasibly 

staffing and sustaining dual language practices, especially as public schools are mandated to 

instruct students who speak many native languages. Additionally, similar to bilingual education, 

the dual language immersion model requires a long-term commitment of 5–6 years from the 

students and families because the stable presence of language learners in the classroom benefits 



DeVoss 7 

 

the model’s dynamic of language progression (Collier & Thomas, 2017; Zacarian, 2011). Data 

discussed by Collier and Thomas (2002, 2007, 2017) indicate that the dual language immersion 

model is less effective for closing achievement gaps than bilingual education. However, it yielded 

better results than students participating in English-only models. 

 
English for Speakers of Other Languages 

The model most prevalent in U.S. public schools, and the model examined in this paper, is 

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). ESOL is a state-funded instructional program 

for eligible English learners in grades K–12 (Georgia School Law Code 1981, § 20-2-156, enacted 

in 1985). The ESOL program is a standards-based curriculum emphasizing academic and social 

language development (Georgia Department of Education, 2018a). ESOL programming 

constitutes a variety of formats of implementation, including pull-out, push-in, sheltered 

instruction, co-taught classes, resource centers, and innovative delivery models (Georgia 

Department of Education, 2020). ESOL is most suitable for the majority of U.S. schools, as it 

utilizes one language—English—to instruct a linguistically diverse student population (Honigsfeld 

& Dove, 2010; Zacarian, 2011). Representing the most popularly employed model for serving 

MLs in the U.S., this article focuses on formats of ESOL, which the ensuing discussion will further 

examine. 

 
Formats of ESOL in U.S. Schools 

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 68% of high schools serving MLs in the 2015–

16 school year employed formats of the ESOL model (Lewis & Gray, 2016). ESOL is a federally 

and locally funded program that serves qualifying students through linguistic and academic 

instruction by English language and content teachers for an entire or partial school day (Honigsfeld 

& Dove, 2010). Thirty-nine states, including Georgia, are members of the WIDA Consortium, a 

corporation that sets forth the English Language Development (ELD) standards, the qualification 

assessment (WIDA screener), the annual progress assessment (ACCESS for ELLs test), teacher 

training, and a wealth of resources and tools for the classroom (Georgia Department of Education, 

2018a; WIDA, 2023). Unlike bilingual models, ESOL focuses on instruction in English only, thus 

qualifying as the most adaptable model for a linguistically diverse student and staff population. 

Although English is the dominant language of instruction, it is worth noting here the Georgia 

Department of Education’s (2018a) statement: “It is appropriate, when practicable, to use the 

English learner’s home language as a means of facilitating instruction” (para. 1). Thus, students’ 

home languages may be utilized when “practicable,” not as prominent vehicles of instruction. 

When districts and schools consider how to serve MLs within their student bodies, a wealth of 

factors come under consideration, including student characteristics and needs, students’ level of 

English proficiency, teacher capacity, state policies, number of MLs in the school, least restrictive 

environments, research, and decision maker attitudes and goals (Georgia Department of Education, 

2020; Sugarman, 2018). With significant linguistic diversity, including over 400 languages spoken 

in U.S. schools, most districts have greater capacity for meeting student needs through an English-

only format such as ESOL than through bilingual models (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.).  

ESOL offers a plethora of formats, including pull-out and push-in instruction, sheltered (or 

self-contained) classrooms, resource centers and labs, innovative delivery models, and co-teaching 

(Georgia Department of Education, 2020; Honigsfeld & Dove, 2010). The pull-out model is 

frequently practiced at the elementary level and requires that MLs are pulled out of a content class 

into a small group setting to focus on English language acquisition (Sugarman, 2018). While the 



8 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(2)  

 

pull-out lessons may be centered around linguistic elements of the classroom content, sometimes 

this model causes students to miss classroom content to receive language instruction. The push-in 

design is also prominently employed at the elementary level. A depiction of the push-in model 

would be students remaining in their core content classes (to not miss instruction); an ESOL 

teacher comes into the classroom to provide language instruction during content lessons (Georgia 

Department of Education, 2020). The sheltered classroom is an English language course or a 

content course constituted solely of ESOL students. The sheltered format is frequently employed 

at the middle and high school levels. It effectively serves MLs with lower English language 

proficiencies, such as students in their first or second year in U.S. schools (U.S. Department of 

Education & U.S. Department of Justice, 2015). A depiction of a sheltered high school class would 

be a Geometry course containing 10 MLs with beginning levels of English proficiency, in which 

the instructor simultaneously teaches content and language. Resource centers and labs serve a 

dynamic group of MLs (who may vary in their level of English proficiency) through multimedia 

materials (computer software, books, teacher interaction, etc.); such labs are fitting for itinerant 

ESOL teachers serving students from various schools and grade levels. Innovative delivery models 

(IDM) allow schools and districts to construct an effective means of serving MLs with local 

staffing and funding availability. For example, the author of the article at hand is certified in 

secondary mathematics and ESOL; therefore, she currently teaches an IDM Algebra II class that 

consists of 9 MLs and 14 non-MLs in a manner that advances students’ academic and linguistic 

progress without a co-teacher. Finally, the co-teaching model is a format of ESOL commonly 

employed in the middle and high school settings in which an ESOL and a content teacher co-teach 

a content area course, such as English language arts, math, science, or social studies, to an 

integrated classroom of ESOL students and non-ESOL students (August & Shanahan, 2008; Lucas 

et al., 2008; Sugarman, 2018). The term “push-in” is utilized in legal documents to refer to both 

the delineated (predominantly elementary) form of push-in outlined above as well as co-teaching, 

although the latter terminology (co-teaching) is more prominent among educational practitioners 

(Georgia Department of Education, 2018b, 2020). 

 
Co-Teaching  

Co-taught models emerged in popularity in response to national regulations promoting equitable 

education for students with exceptionalities. When the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) pushed 

for students with disabilities to be served in public schools through the least restrictive 

environment, co-teaching became a prominent means of instruction in special education 

departments. Serving English learners has followed a similar approach, whereby MLs with higher 

English proficiency receive content instruction and language assistance in co-taught classrooms. 

Thus, while students learning English are not mentally deficient or considered to be students with 

disabilities, the dynamics in which this student population is served through federally funded 

public school operations share a similar framework to that of students receiving special education 

services (Bauler & Kang, 2020). The depiction of co-teaching involves two teachers (one 

specializing in content and the other specializing in student sub-group needs, such as ESOL or 

special education) collaboratively teaching a core content class (Sugarman, 2018). Furthermore, a 

greater expanse of research has been conducted to date on the effectiveness of special education 

delivery models than has yet to be investigated for the formats of ESOL instruction. Ergo, the 

literature surrounding co-teaching in the special education classroom is an applicable platform for 

building this examination for serving MLs through the co-teaching model. 

 



DeVoss 9 

 

Co-teaching involves two professionals collaboratively planning and delivering instruction 

to a group of students in the same classroom (Bauler & Kang, 2020; Cook & Friend, 1995; Friend 

et al., 2010). Hang and Rabren (2009) expound on the definition of co-teaching to include: 

 

(a) two certified educators, usually one general education teacher and one special education 

teacher; (b) instruction delivery by both teachers; (c) a heterogeneous group of students 

(i.e., students with disabilities are taught with their peers without disabilities); and (d) a 

single classroom where students with disabilities are taught with their peers without 

disabilities. (p. 259) 

 

Furthermore, the above-mentioned co-taught classroom may employ a variety of collaborative 

instructional models, including the six models presented in Friend and Cook’s (1992) seminal text 

on collaborative classrooms: one teaches, one observes (in which one observes the other teaching 

and gathers necessary data); one teaches, one assists (in which one teacher primarily teaches the 

content while the other circulates the room to assist struggling individuals); parallel teaching (in 

which each teacher presents the same content to one of two students groups); station teaching (in 

which students rotate through stations to receive instruction and practice the material); alternative 

teaching (in which one teacher works with a large group to provide instruction while the other 

teacher works with a select small group); and team teaching (or co-teaching, in which both teachers 

simultaneously practice equal roles in delivering instruction). All these formats may be employed 

in the same co-taught classroom setting throughout a school year, as content and student needs 

may necessitate changing instruction formats. While instructional formats may vary within a 

classroom, research supports that the qualities of effective co-teaching are consistent.  

 In their book on collaboration and co-teaching, Dove and Honigsfeld (2018) delineate the 

significance of intentional and effective co-planning, co-teaching, and co-assessing in a team-

taught classroom. Working together on all facets of instruction requires time and effort, and the 

quality of collaboration correlates with student achievement (Bell & Baecher, 2012; Ronfeldt et 

al., 2015). In addition, the research of Peercy et al. (2015) illuminates the effectiveness of co-

teaching not only on student success but also on teacher development. Teachers working 

collaboratively to share expertise enhances both teachers’ skill sets. An integral element of 

effective collaboration is the negotiation of roles and responsibilities (Hersi et al., 2016). Co-

teachers must discuss and decide what is expected of each educator in the partner classroom 

experience. The role of the ESOL teacher is significant in contributing to the success of English 

learners in the content classroom. 

 
Role of the ESOL Co-Teacher 

An ESOL collaborating teacher is certified in teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages 

(ESOL) but is often not certified in the content area. Consequently, the role of the ESOL co-teacher 

is to promote language acquisition throughout the class and ensure course materials and 

assessments are linguistically and culturally appropriate for MLs (Ballantyne et al., 2008). Beyond 

ensuring student accommodations are met (such as small group testing, use of bilingual glossaries 

on assessments, extended time, etc.) and instructional strategies are incorporated that promote 

language learning through content material, ESOL teachers are advocates for their students. ESOL 

teachers advocate for MLs by seeking to close barriers caused by socio-cultural, socioeconomic, 

linguistic, and academic background differences that affect equitable opportunity for academic 

achievement (Evans, 2004; Honigsfeld & Dove, 2010; Lachat, 2004; Staehr Fenner, 2014). 



10 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(2)  

 

Language Acquisition. Multilingual learners in the U.S. must acquire social and 

academic English to access and master content standards appropriately. Hence, the ESOL teacher 

incorporates opportunities to develop social and academic language throughout each co-taught 

course. Echevarría et al. (2013) recognize that “the foundation of school success is academic 

language and literacy in English. Age-appropriate knowledge of the English language is a 

prerequisite for attaining content standards. We learn primarily through language, and use 

language to express our understanding” (p. 10). To address this need, the ESOL teacher creates 

language objectives to accompany each content objective, provides timely feedback for both 

language and content production, generates opportunities for student-student interaction that 

promotes academic discussion (and subsequently language development), pre-teaches and reviews 

academic vocabulary necessary for success in the content classroom (Echevarría et al., 2018; 

Fairbairn & Jones-Vo, 2010; Staehr Fenner, 2014). 

 The ESOL teacher aims to ensure that course content and assessments incorporate 

comprehensible input. Second language acquisition theorist Stephen Krashen (1977) spearheaded 

research on the significance of providing understandable language to promote deeper language 

acquisition. In this way, language used in the classroom must be within or just beyond a student’s 

linguistic comfort zone, as Krashen (1977) terms i + 1, where i signifies currently mastered 

language and +1 represents target language one step beyond that is yet to be acquired. If academic 

content and assessments are conveyed within a student’s range of comprehensible input, then the 

student can understand, learn, and master the material. 

 

Classroom Strategies. The widely acclaimed Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol 

(SIOP) model encompasses strategies for teachers of MLs to employ to make content 

comprehensible for multilingual learners (Echevarría et al., 2018). These strategies, viewable in 

Table 1, promote content learning through accessible and appropriate language and classroom 

constructs. Furthermore, the implementation of strategies to assist MLs has been found to benefit 

non-MLs as well (Meltzer & Hamann, 2005). 

  
Table 1: SIOP Strategies to Promote Comprehensible Input 

Design language and content 
objectives for lesson plans 

Emphasize key vocabulary Give appropriate, consistent 
feedback on language and 
content production 

Provide adapted materials for 
content and language 
proficiencies 

Build cultural background 
knowledge for students to 
access the material 

Ensure directions, materials, 
and assessments are 
comprehensible, allowing 
sufficient wait time 

Promote peer interaction 
through intentional groupings 
and class discussions 

Use manipulatives to promote 
deeper understanding of 
concepts 

Administer context-rich 
formative and summative 
assessments 

   

Note. From Making Content Comprehensible for Secondary English Learners: The SIOP Model (3rd edition) by J. 
Echevarría, M. Vogt, & D. J. Short. Copyright 2018 by Pearson. 

  

Cultural Adaptation. For multilingual learners, the learning experience is often 

compounded by the anxiety accompanying new environments (Gabryś, 2013). Anxiety for MLs 

may arise from socio-cultural, socioeconomic, or academic background differences and affect 

learning (Dove & Honigsfeld, 2018). The ESOL and content co-teachers share responsibility for 



DeVoss 11 

 

attentively diminishing MLs’ “affective filter,” or a mental barrier caused by anxiety (Krashen, 

1982). According to Freeman and Freeman (2014), the effort put forth by teachers to provide 

comprehensible input and appropriate materials may be negated if a student’s affective filter causes 

them not to learn. Efforts to diminish anxiety may include assisting students through the process 

of acculturation by providing an outlet for expression, support, and affirmation; welcoming 

students’ home cultures into the classroom activities and content discourse; offering multiple 

alternative pathways for success in the class for students who work to contribute to the family 

income and thus struggle to complete homework after school; providing information to students 

and families regarding community resources for healthcare, educational materials, translation 

assistance, and discount clothes or food (Evans, 2004; Honigsfeld & Dove, 2010; Lachat, 2004; 

Staehr Fenner, 2014). Addressing students’ socio-cultural and economic needs dismantles the 

effects of significant barriers to student achievement (Freeman & Freeman, 2014; Gass & Selinker, 

2008). A welcoming classroom dynamic with continually appropriate material and instruction can 

generate a sense of comfort and acceptance that will diminish students’ apprehension and thus 

permit readiness for effective learning. 

 
Conclusions and Recommendations 

While research demonstrates the effectiveness of linguistic models incorporating one’s home 

language, such as (a) structured English immersion, (b) bilingual education, and (c) dual language 

or two-way immersion programs, the practicality of each is not well suited for the majority of 

urban and suburban public schools. With over 400 spoken languages in U.S. schools, the English-

only format of ESOL is most employed nationwide (Lewis & Gray, 2016). This article explains 

why human resources (limited bilingual educators) and student needs (diverse home languages 

invite an English-only format) make ESOL the most prominently executed model for serving 

multilingual learners in U.S. public schools. Furthermore, the role of an ESOL co-teacher within 

the latter model extends beyond the classroom content to develop the multilingual learner’s socio-

cultural identity. The ESOL teacher aims to diminish the anxiety experienced by MLs in the 

classroom and serves to advocate for their equity in education.  

Educators of MLs may grapple with the plethora of responsibilities in addressing student 

needs—linguistic instruction, content differentiation, acculturation, and others detailed within the 

scope of this discussion. Exploring the constructs of effective co-teaching and research-based 

collaboration may contribute to one’s sustainable practice of effectively serving MLs. Districts 

and building-level administrators may invest funds in professional development opportunities to 

empower co-teaching relationships and effectiveness. In such professional development, teachers 

may choose to examine the list of strategies outlined in Table 1 to build a shared repertoire of tools 

to meet the needs of MLs in their classroom(s). Additional research is warranted on the efficacy 

of the co-teaching model and the outcomes it yields on student achievement academically and 

linguistically for MLs. 

 
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Received: March 14, 2023 | Accepted: July 3, 2023 | Published: November 13, 2023 

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https://ed.gov/datastory/el-characteristics/index.html
https://wida.wisc.edu/assess/choosing-assessment

