Classroom teachers make the greatest impact upon children's success in school.  Studies have shown that two or more consecutive years with a highly effective teacher leads to learning gains of one year or more for students who are behind in school.  FABES advocates a specific program of study for teachers of English Language Learners (ELL) in the areas of: language acquisition; methodology; curriculum development; cross-cultural understanding; and testing and evaluation.  Educators responsible for the language arts, reading, and language proficiency development of ELLs deserve our support as they gain expertise in meeting diverse learning needs.  In order to better advocate on behalf of Florida's English Language Learners, their families, and the educational programs that serve them best, FABES make available the following position papers and resources.  Read the FABES Position Statement on the Use of Low Exit Percentile Scores for English Language Learners (July 16, 2008) Read the FABES Position Statement on Rule Making Procedures Regarding ESOL Training Requirements for Reading Endorsed Teachers (October 30, 2008) Read the FABES Position Statement in Response to Proposed Board Rules Changes (December 31, 2008) Find links to contact your Florida elected officials by clicking here or here. Watch The Today Show - Should Schools in the U.S. be Bilingual?