English language learners in preschool: what it means and how to help

If your child speaks Spanish (or another language) at home, you may hear new terms when they start preschool, Head Start or kindergarten: “English language learner,” “ELL,” “dual language learner” or “DLL.” This guide explains what English language learners in preschool are, what these words mean for your family and, most importantly, how you can help at home.

First, a calm and important point: being an English language learner is not a problem or a bad grade. It simply describes a child who is learning English while also growing in another language. That’s a lot of children in US classrooms, and it can be a real strength.

Below you’ll find what the terms mean, what usually happens at school, the English words and skills that help most, questions to ask your child’s teacher and a four-week plan before school starts.

What “English language learner” means for a preschooler

An English language learner (often shortened to ELL or EL) is a child who is still learning English and whose family speaks another language at home. Schools use the term to plan support, so the child can understand lessons while their English grows.

In early childhood programs, you may also hear dual language learner (DLL). This term is common in Head Start and many preschools. It describes a young child who is learning two languages at the same time: their home language and English. The word “dual” is a nice reminder that both languages matter.

Neither term says anything about how smart your child is or how well they will do in school. They simply describe where your child is in their language journey right now.

Dual language learners in early childhood programs

Many preschools and Head Start programs welcome children who are dual language learners. Teachers often use pictures, gestures, songs and routines to help children understand, and some programs have staff who speak families’ home languages.

Programs that serve young dual language learners usually encourage families to keep speaking their home language. That’s good advice. A strong home language gives your child a solid base for everything they learn, including English. You don’t need to switch to English at home for your child to do well in an English-speaking classroom.

Ask your program how they support children who are learning English, and how you can help at home. Most teachers are happy to share the songs, words and routines they use in class.

What often happens at kindergarten enrollment

When you enroll your child in a US public school, you will usually fill out a form about the languages spoken at home. If a language other than English is spoken, the school may check your child’s English, often with a short, friendly screening.

If the screening shows your child is still learning English, they may receive English learner support. This can look different in each school: extra help in the classroom, small groups, a teacher who specializes in English learners, or a dual language program where children learn in two languages.

Answer the home language form honestly. Support is there to help your child understand and enjoy school. If you have questions about the program, ask the school to explain it, and ask for an interpreter if you need one. It’s your right to understand what your child will receive.

How to help your English language learner at home

• Keep your home language strong. Talk, read, sing and tell stories in the language you know best. It builds thinking and vocabulary that carry over to English.
• Add a short daily English moment. A few minutes a day of English words and phrases, at the same time each day, helps English feel familiar.
• Practice classroom words. Words like “line up,” “wash your hands” and “bathroom” help your child feel confident on day one.
• Use English in routines. A few English words at meals, bath time and getting dressed make English part of real life.
• Read together. Read in your home language, and look at simple English picture books together too.
• Celebrate every try. Mixed sentences like “more agua, please” are normal. Answer warmly and give the English word.

Our guide to teaching English when you speak Spanish at home has many more ideas, and our post on English or Spanish first explains how to balance the two.

English words for preschool and kindergarten

These words and phrases come up every day in class. Practicing them at home makes the first weeks easier.

Classroom phrases

• line up
• sit down
• wash your hands
• clean up
• raise your hand
• listen
• quiet, please
• circle time
• snack time

Things your child can say

• help, please
• bathroom, please
• my turn
• can I play?
• I don’t know
• stop, please
• my name is…
• thank you
• I’m hungry

Things in the classroom

• teacher
• backpack
• crayon
• paper
• book
• chair
• table
• door
• coat

For a longer list with ways to practice, see our post on English words for preschool.

Kindergarten readiness skills beyond English

Language matters, but kindergarten readiness is about more than English words. Many of the most helpful skills can be practiced in any language:

• Taking care of themselves: washing hands, using the bathroom, putting on a coat, opening a lunch box.
• Following simple directions: “Get your shoes and come to the door.”
• Playing with others: taking turns, sharing, asking to join a game.
• Handling feelings: naming feelings and asking a grown-up for help.
• Early learning through play: holding a crayon, looking at books, counting a few things, naming colors and shapes.

Practicing these in your home language is wonderful. Your child understands the idea, and the English words can come later. If you want to add English, our guide to English for 4-year-olds includes classroom phrases and games.

Talking with your child’s teacher

A short conversation with the teacher at the start of the year can help a lot. Here are good questions to ask.

Tell the teacher a few words your child uses at home, like the Spanish word for bathroom or water. It helps the teacher understand your child in the first days.

If your child is quiet at school

Many parents are surprised when their talkative child comes home and the teacher says, “She’s very quiet in class.” For young children learning a new language, a quiet stretch is common. They watch, listen and figure out how things work before they start talking. Inside, they’re busy soaking up words.

During this time, your child may point, nod, follow routines and play alongside others without saying much in English. Then words start to come: single words first, then little phrases, often copied from the teacher or other children. Our guide to the silent period in bilingual children covers this quiet stage in more detail.

You can help by keeping things relaxed. Don’t push your child to “say it in English” at pick-up. Ask about their day in your home language, and let them show you songs or games from class. Practice a few useful phrases at home, so your child has something ready when they feel brave. If you’re ever worried about how your child is talking or understanding, in any language, ask your pediatrician.

Want ready-made word pairs to practice at home? Our list of first words in English and Spanish has 100 of them.

Four weeks before school: a simple plan

Week 1: greetings and names. Practice “hello,” “bye-bye,” “my name is…” and “teacher.” Play pretend school at home.

Week 2: needs. Practice “bathroom, please,” “help, please,” “water,” “I’m hungry.” These give your child a voice when they need something.

Week 3: classroom routines. Practice “line up,” “sit down,” “wash your hands,” “clean up.” Make a game of each one at home.

Week 4: playing with friends. Practice “can I play?”, “my turn,” “your turn” and “stop, please.” Visit a playground and try them out.

Keep each practice to about five minutes a day. Short and regular works better than one long session. Our post on why five minutes a day works explains why.

Common mistakes (and what to do instead)

• Stopping the home language. Keep it. It supports learning in English and keeps your child close to family.
• Worrying about the ELL label. It’s support, not a judgment. Many children who start as English learners do very well.
• Waiting for school to teach English. A little English before school makes the first days friendlier.
• Not asking questions. You have every right to understand your child’s program. Ask, and ask for an interpreter if needed.
• Pressuring your child to speak English. Many children listen quietly for a while before they talk. Give them time.

Where Tatako fits

Tatako gives your child a calm five-minute English moment each day, with nothing to read. Your child hears a word or phrase three times with a pause to say it, touches the picture they hear, and then names the picture first. The 280 first words and phrases include everyday words and the phrases teachers use at preschool, like “line up,” “wash your hands” and “clean up.”

Shaky words come back first. After each lesson, you spend about two minutes marking every word as New, Repeat more, Understands or Can say. A Spanish guide voice explains what to do, so parents who are still learning English can help with confidence, while keeping their home language strong.

Questions parents ask

What is an English language learner in preschool?

An English language learner is a child who is still learning English and speaks another language at home. Schools use the term to plan support so the child can understand lessons while their English grows.

What does dual language learner mean?

A dual language learner is a young child learning two languages at the same time: their home language and English. The term is common in Head Start and many preschool programs.

What is an English learner program?

It’s support a school gives to children who are learning English, such as extra help in class, small groups or a dual language classroom. Ask your school how their program works.

Should I stop speaking Spanish so my child learns English faster?

No. Keep speaking the language you know best. A strong home language helps your child learn English and keeps them connected to family.

What English words should my child know for kindergarten?

Helpful words include “bathroom, please,” “help, please,” “line up,” “wash your hands,” “my turn,” “can I play?” and “my name is…” Practice them in short daily moments.

Being an English language learner is the start of something wonderful: a child who can live in two languages. Keep your home language strong, add a little English every day and stay in touch with the teacher. If you’d like a calm five-minute English moment, try a Tatako lesson together, or read our guide on how to raise a bilingual child.