The English as a Second Language classroom provides various learning opportunities to support the needs of the student. The ESL teacher has flexible modes of teaching; she may instruct within the traditional classroom or pull students from classes to receive more intensive instruction. The ESL teacher coordinates with the traditional classroom teacher to tailor the lessons to suit the student's English proficiency in reading, writing and speaking.

Co-Teaching
The co-teaching ESL model takes place in the traditional classroom. The classroom teacher and ESL teacher both present the lesson to the class. With this classroom type, the ESL student is not separated from the class, but fully integrated. The two teachers may utilize a "tag team" approach where the teacher instructs to a certain point and then the next teacher takes over. Alternatively, the teachers divide the class in half and teach each half separately. The co-teaching model requires teacher cooperation and instructional planning time.

Bilingual Instruction
The goal of bilingual and multicultural education is to make the student more comfortable in a new and unfamiliar setting. Foreign culture immersion can cause confusion in a traditional classroom. The bilingual teacher celebrates the student's background and culture. She instructs in the student's primary language while that student acclimates himself to the new culture and slowly incorporates the targeted language into the classroom. The bilingual classroom utilizes diverse teaching materials

Sheltered Instruction
The ESL teacher enters the traditional classroom to work with individual or groups of ESL students. She utilizes the information the classroom teacher presents and makes it comprehensible for ESL students. She uses graphic organizers, shortened reading assignments and visuals to help the student grasp classroom information. It is important that the ESL teacher and classroom teacher communicate about the weekly themes and units so that the ESL teacher can prepare pertinent materials for the student.

ESL Pull-out Groups
The ESL teacher takes groups of students from the traditional classroom to provide instruction. She develops a schedule with each classroom teacher based on the needs of the students. A student may be pulled once a week or up to five days per week. During this time, the teacher develops lessons that support reading, writing, listening and oral ESL objectives. She may also assist the student with materials from other classes that he does not understand.