美国州和联邦教育法对“English Language Learner”(英语学习者）有严格的定义。“英语学习者”(English Language Learner(ELL))又称英语语言能力有限的学生(Limited English Proficient (LEP) student)。【Note: The term “limited-English proficient (LEP) students” is the legal term for these students both in state statute and federal law. However, English language learners (ELLs) is the preferred term found in literature today. ^[i] 】

美国的“英语学习者”这个群体有哪些特征呢？以下是美国专家提供的资料：

English Learner Characteristics

The following are some characteristics of the ELL population and some current indicators of achievement.

• In 2004-2005, approximately 5.1 million or 10.5 percent of the U.S. student population are English-language learners
• Approximately 79 percent of ELLs nationally are from Spanish-language backgrounds
• While English learners reside throughout the United States, they are heavily concentrated in the six states of Arizona, California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois
• These six states contain 61percent of the nation’s ELL population.
• In addition, the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico accounts for another 1 percent of the U.S. ELL population.
• Despite the high concentration in six states, other states have experienced a 300 percent or higher growth of ELLs in a ten-year period from 1995 to 2005. These states include Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee
• California educates one-third of all the nation’s ELL students – 1.6 million students
• 85 percent of all ELLs in California are Spanish Speaking
• More ELLs in both Elementary and Secondary schools are U.S. born ^[ii]

佛罗里达州法令对“English Language Learner”(ELL)的定义写得非常清楚：

Florida Statutes define an English Language Learner (ELL) as “an individual who was not born in the United States and whose native language is a language other than English; an individual who comes from a home environment where a language other than English is spoken in the home; or an individual who is an American Indian or Alaskan native and who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on his or her level of English language proficiency; and who, by reason thereof, has sufficient difficulty speaking, reading, writing, or listening to the English language to deny such individual the opportunity to learn successfully in classrooms where the language of instruction is English” (1003.56(2)). ^[iii]

美国的所谓“英语学习者”是容不得歧义的，否则可能会触犯法律。美国州和联邦教育法规定每年要对英语语言能力有限的学生（LEP student），亦即“英语学习者”(ELL)，进行测试，以确定学生的英语语言能力，并据此确定是否为其提供英语语言学习课程，或者允许其免修英语语言课程，开始学习所谓科目课程（content course）。英语语言能力（English language proficiency）测试分为七个级别。^[iv] 对测试结果为四级以下水平的学生，学校有义务提供英语语言课程，否则会被指控未能为学生提供公平的教育机会。^[v]

从以上关于美国的“英语学习者”的定义视角来看，在我国谁是“汉语学习者”呢？

^{[i] [v]} Tim Boals. Legal Responsibilities When Serving Limited-English Proficient (LEP) Students in K-12 Public Schools. Retrieved  July 25, 2010, from  http://www.ellcenter.us/resources/documents/legalrsp.pdf

^[ii] Florida Information Note.September 2007; Series 2008 -07F. English Language Learners. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from  http://www.fldoe.org/eias/eiaspubs/pdf/ellflus.pdf

^[iii]Rose M. Payán and Michael T. Nettles. Current State of English-Language Learners in the U.S. K-12 Student Population. Retrieved  July 25, 2010, from  http://www.ets.org/Media/Conferences_and_Events/pdf/ELLsympsium/ELL_factsheet.pdf

^[iv] ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY LEVELS. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from http://dpi.wi.gov/ell/pdf/elp-levels.pdf