The number of American school-aged children who speak a language other than English in the home rose from 3.8 million to 10.9 million between 1979 and 2008, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Teachers increasingly face the challenge of teaching these children English-speaking skills. As a general rule, non-native students are placed in separate ELL (English Language Learner) classes before they are mainstreamed into regular classrooms. All teachers play a part in helping these boys and girls learn the English language.

Create a comfortable classroom environment. Build the confidence of English language learners. They want to be understood and accepted socially, but this can be difficult as they face the language barrier. Don't over-correct a student's pronunciation in class. Speak to her privately to eliminate any embarrassment. Teach other students to appreciate the bilingual accomplishments of ELL students. Never permit mockery.

Pair up ELL students with peers who speak their native language. They can fill in gaps of understanding without constantly translating. If this is not possible within your classroom, try to find an older student who can act as the child's buddy on campus. Utilize small grouping in class. Students generally attempt speech more freely in less populated groups. They also learn to understand and speak the slang words used by their peers.

Speak at a slow to normal pace. Break thoughts into manageable phrases, but not into individual words, as this will interrupt the rhythm of speech. Use visual clues so non-native English learners can associate words with objects. It is helpful to label as many items in the classroom as possible. Write and pronounce the main concept words on the board prior to teaching a lesson.

Play board games. Utilize online, printable games for ESL students. "Word Up" (a TEFL game) is popular with teachers, as it requires participants to use words in context. Other games such as Boggle or Scrabble are effective with more advanced students. Students are able to assimilate the language in a more relaxed setting. Ask them to role-play situations that pertain to the age group. Place the students with partners. Allow practice time and then require them to present their dialogues to the class.

Play songs in class and invite students to sing along. Print choral readings for the students. Have them practice reciting with partners as you circulate, offering assistance when needed. Then bring the entire class together for a group reading. English learners can discover the pronunciations of words without being singled out.

Incorporate computer technology. Students need to integrate the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing English, and there are programs on the market today that accelerate this process. Some allow listeners to hear the correct pronunciations of different word groups and then repeat back those pronunciations. They can even chat live with English speakers.

Arrange field trips that expose ELL students to "real world" English. Students need to acquire vocabulary sets for various situations.