English as a second language (ESL) is a designation for children who speak a language other than English at home and are learning to speak English. Both newcomer children and Canadian-born children of newcomer parents may need ESL services.

In general, it takes an average of two years to develop social English language communication skills and can take an average of five years to achieve fluency in academic English.* The rate of language acquisition depends on a number of factors, including the child's literacy in their native language, previous schooling experience, their country of origin's educational structure, and family supports.

ESL learners with a maternal language that uses the Roman alphabet (eg: French or Spanish) have a distinct advantage over those whose primary languages use other scripts and sounds (eg: Mandarin or Arabic). It's important to recognize that language learning also involves learning new culturally specific cues like intonation, gestures, and facial expressions.

ESL specialists stress that an ESL designation does not reflect a "learning deficit" in the child. They can fit anywhere within the continuum of cognitive development to be found in the general population. Consideration of their language needs must be made to ensure ESL children have the same opportunities to excel as their English-speaking peers.

* Source: British Columbia Teacher's Federation. English as a Second Language - Introduction.