EL - English Learner; someone who learns English.

ELD - English Language Development [formerly known as English as a Second Language or ESL]; a class that teaches English to students that speak another language

TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

LEP - Limited English Proficiency

SLA - Second Language Acquisition

BICS - Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills; English needed for simple conversations; social language

CALP - Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency; English needed for learning; academic language

DI - Direct Instruction

ACCESS - Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State; annual test for English language proficiency

Alternate ACCESS - test for students 1st – 12th classified as ELLs and have significant cognitive disabilities that prevent meaningful participation in the ACCESS for ELLs assessment

WIDA - World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment

LEA - Local Education Agency; school district

Title III - Federally funded language instruction for limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students

HLS - Home Language Survey

PHLOTE - Primary or Home Language Other Than English