Instructional Strategies to Consider when Teaching Hispanic English-Language Learners in Physical Education

Schools in the United States are becoming more ethnically, racially, linguistically and economically diverse. It is projected that by 2050 the Hispanic population that speaks English as a second language in the United States will increase from 49.7 million to 132.8 million. Students who speak Spanish as their first langue are one of the largest English language learner (ELL) groups in U.S. schools. Many of these students do not speak, read or comprehend English, which ultimately affects their learning and social interactions within the school community. Further, many of these children lack family support due to parents who are also not fluent in English, use primarily other languages at home, or have a lower economic status. The purpose of this article is to provide physical education teachers with a set of guidelines and strategies for teaching ELLs whose first language is Spanish.