What is Long-Term English Language Learners (LTELs)

English Language Learners (ELLs) form a growing segment of the U.S. population. Macro-level policies have been established to accommodate the needs of minority groups of language learners. Educational institutions have implemented these policies at the micro-level through diverse bilingual education programs. This chapter examines educational approaches that promote social and academic achievement for ELLs and those initiatives that may further marginalize learners. The reasoning behind the practices in each approach is examined through a theoretical and empirical lens to find effective pedagogical practices. As a student and a former educator in a transitional bilingual program in a border city, I will begin with my perspective on a program that focuses on assimilation into the mainstream culture through the dominant language. Best practices for ELLs, as perceived through personal experiences, empirical and theoretical evidence, embrace an educational space where primary and secondary discourses can coexist in a hybrid environment of multivoicedness.