Q.
What languages do adult immigrants in the United States speak?
A.
The majority of individuals who speak a language other than English at home speak Spanish (60%). The number of Spanish speakers is more than 10 times the number of individuals who speak the second most prevalent language, Chinese. The remaining eight of the top 10 languages spoken are (in this order) French, German, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Italian, Korean, and Polish. (See First language background.)

Q.
Where do adult immigrants live?
A.
Most foreign-born residents live in six states: California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, and New Jersey. Other states also are experiencing rapid growth of their immigrant populations: North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada, Arkansas, Utah, Tennessee, Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, and Kentucky. (See Locations of residence.)

Q.
How many adults are studying English as a second language?
A.
In program year 2002-2003, close to 1.2 million individuals were enrolled in ESL classes in state-administered adult education programs, about 43 percent of total participants. This percentage does not include those served in other segments of the educational system - in adult basic education (ABE) and adult secondary education (ASE) classes, private language schools and academic institutions, and programs sponsored by community-based organizations and volunteer literacy organizations. (See Numbers.)

Q.
What are the characteristics of the adults learning English?
A.
The population of adult English language learners is diverse. These adults may range in age from 16- year-olds who are not attending high school to adults in their 90s. They may be permanent residents, naturalized citizens, legal immigrants, refugees and asylees, and undocumented immigrants. They have a variety of educational backgrounds, ranging from no education at all to advanced degrees. (See What are the Characteristics of the Population?.)

Q.
How can I identify adult English learners who might have learning disabilities?
A.
Identifying adult English language learners who might have learning disabilities is a complex task. Before labeling or testing an adult learner, teachers should look for other reasons for a lack of expected progress. Educators have noted numerous reasons for slow progress in learning English. These behaviors or problems most often affect all learning, whereas a learning disability usually affects only one area of learning. (See Adult English Language Learners and Learning Disabilities.)