Individualized Language Plans: Promises and Pitfalls
This journal article from Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Quarterly analyzes individualized language plans (ILPs) for multilingual learners in the United States. The existing literature asserts that many PreK–12 multilingual learners are enrolled in programs that fail to meet their academic, linguistic, and socioemotional needs. ILPs—which are developed at the local level—have been promoted as the solution for this systemic issue. Due to the lack of scholarship on ILPs, the authors attempt to fill this gap by examining its characteristics, benefits, and drawbacks. After careful examination of this background, the paper concludes with recommendations to help educators and policymakers implement ILPs: Emphasize instructional support and incorporate a municipality of data and sources. This journal article would be helpful to educators, teacher education faculty, and researchers focused on improving language support and academic outcomes for multilingual learners in PreK–12 education.